Before my son Michael got taller than me, he challenged me to a game on this electronic basketball court. It automatically counts the baskets made by each player, which helps a lot when all you're really after is aiming and shooting and making more baskets than the person next to you. After our first round, Michael had beaten me by more than DOUBLE my points. But he was so much younger, shorter, and less experienced than me! "How did you do that?" I asked in amazement.
"I kept my eye on the basket," he replied.
"What about picking up the basketballs?" I asked. "I have to look down and pick them up."
"Just reach down and grab them without looking."
"How can you do that? Doesn't it take more time?"
He grinned knowingly and glanced at the score board. "Not really. You know they're there. You just reach down and grab one while you keep on looking at the basket."
He had won the game handily, which proved the worth of his counsel, so I tried it. AFter the second round, we nearly had the same score, but he still won. Of course, he'd had more practice, practice, practice!
This impressed on me the age-old point that if you keep your eye on your goal, you'll accomplish it much more easily and better than if you keep letting yourself get distracted. Get your tools lined up where they're near at hand and keep your eye on what you want.
With this technique in mind, what amazing things are you doing this New Year?
