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"You didn't deserve to win the game."
Those words remain vivid in my memory today.
Sport is a great teacher.
My mum is even better.
My team had just lost the under-14s basketball semi-final.
This devastated me.
I wanted sympathy and excuses.
Anything to ease the pain.
But this isn't what the chat home consisted of.
It contained truths and lessons.
You see...
My mum had let me have a sleepover with my teammates the night before.
We stayed up until 4 am chatting and messing around.
The next day we played like any 13-year-old teenagers after a late night.
Slow.
Lethargic.
Turnovers.
Slumped shoulders.
Walking back on Defense.
We never stood a chance.
But losing this game was a pivotal moment in my life.
“The things which hurt, teach.” Benjamin Franklin.
And my mum can teach.
When my mum offered advice, I made sure to listen.
"You didn't deserve to win the game. Every decision you make has a consequence. Staying up late the night before a game will affect your performance. There is nothing wrong with playing with your friends and staying up late. But. You can't get upset when you don't play up to your ability. You're burning the candle at both ends."
I sat there in silence for the 50-minute car ride.
It was these moments that helped me become a pro.
I'm always grateful for the lessons my mum taught me.
Whether we like it or not, the truth is simple.
You can't have everything you want.
There is no elite performance without sacrifice.
There is no healthy relationship without difficult conversations.
There is no fit, strong body without physical pain.
So the real question must become...
What do you truly want?
And what are you willing to sacrifice for it?
I know for certain that anyone can become a professional basketball player.
I know for certain that few people have what it takes.