Playing The Field

I’m not much of a sports oriented kind of guy, but I recently noticed some similarities between playing Basketball and moving forward with an intention or goal we might want to accomplish. Achieving what we want in life, our goals and dreams, is a lot like playing basketball. When a player gets the ball and needs to get the ball up the court and into the basket (our intention or goal) he has to start right where he is. He or she has to be present and grounded. At some level of consciousness the player also knows that anything can happen between him and the goal and isn’t even sure if his journey up the court will achieve the outcome he desires. But he also knows that there is no chance of fulfilling his goal if he doesn’t take the first step. As the player moves up the court things begin to move very fast and he has to rely on his experience, instinct and the ability to let go and move with the spontaneous flow around him. Confidence in his skill helps him to make clear and quick movements. But of course very few things can be accomplished alone. As well as his own skills he also has others on his team that he can rely on to help get the ball up the court. To achieve our goals and intentions we need to be willing to accept help from others. In the end whether he makes the basket or not he has gained experience during the journey and is more prepared and skillful for the next goal. He has also made a few friends along the way.

So how do we create a plan to move toward our goals and dreams? First we need to create an intention, one that can shift and move with the changing nature of life. Next we need to ground ourselves, know where we are and our capacity. We need to be willing to take the first step and open to any fear or resistance that may arise. We need to be willing to accept help and support from others. We need to let go and move in a different direction when life seems to be pushing us in that direction. We may not always get what we originally wanted but if we are willing to be fluid and spontaneous we will surly be ok with whatever outcome arises and have fun doing it. There are infinite ways to any destination. Enjoy the ride.