At the beginning of every basketball season I sit down with my players and have them go through a goal setting exercise and I'm always shocked at some of the results. Every year at least one player lists some goals that are so unrealistic that I can't help but wonder if they are actually his goals or that of his parents.

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Putting Your Player’s Dreams to the Test-HoopSkills.com
Putting Your Player's Dreams to the Test
-By Coach Dave Stricklin
http://www.hoopskills.com
At the beginning of every season I sit down
with my players and have them go through a
goal setting exercise and I'm always shocked at
some of the results. Every year at least one
player lists some goals that are so unrealistic
that I can't help but wonder if they are actually
his goals or that of his parents.
Todd Smith, author of Little Things That
Matter, recently blogged about a speaking
engagement he had with leadership expert
John Maxwell. With a little imagination we can
combine the insights of both Maxwell and
Smith to create a list of "interview questions"
before discussing goal setting with our players.
If you happen to be a player reading this article, put your own dream to the test by
honestly answering Dr. Maxwell's questions yourself. Here is an excerpt from Todd
Smith's blog:
"Dr. Maxwell (internationally respected leadership expert, speaker, and author)
gave an insightful presentation on his book, Put Your Dream to the Test. He said,
"The more valid reasons you have for achieving your dreams, the greater your odds
will be of achieving them."
He highlighted 10 important questions you MUST answer to test your dreams.
Are you ready to take the test? Pick ONE of your dreams. Got it? Now answer
Maxwell's 10 questions to determine if the odds are in your favor.
1. Is my dream really my dream? If you want to achieve your dream, you must
"own" it. It must be yours, not your parents', teachers', or anyone else's. If the

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Putting Your Player’s Dreams to the Test-HoopSkills.com
achievement of a dream is not of great importance to YOU, it's unlikely that you
will do what's required to accomplish it.
2. Do I clearly see my dream? What does it look like? The more specific you are on
what your dream looks like, the more likely you will be to achieve it. This is one of
the reasons I encourage people to cut out images of their "big" goals and dreams,
create a collage, and look at it regularly. At first you may only see a piece of your
dream; but each day as you move closer, the clearer it will become.
3. Am I depending on things within my control? This is when you have to be honest
with yourself and determine if reaching your dream is within your control. Are you
depending on others? If so, who? Do you have the talent, skill or ability to make it
come true? If not, can you develop what you are lacking?
4. Do I have the energy to achieve it? This is the passion question. Think of your last
great accomplishment. How much energy did it require of you? Is your dream
important enough to you that you will put forth the energy necessary over the
time period required?
5. Do I have a strategy? I see very few people who take the time to put together a
"real" plan to reach their goals. I am often left in awe, wondering, "How do you
think you can achieve your goal without putting together a plan?" A plan outlines
the things you must do in a prioritized sequence to achieve your desired outcome.
6. Who do I have around me that can help me? Dr. Maxwell said, "A nightmare is a
big dream with a bad team." Who's on your team to support, encourage, and help
you? If you don't have the right people on your team, identify people you admire
and respect; then determine how they can help you.
7. Am I willing to pay the price? This is when you have a gut check and ask yourself,
"Am I willing to do what is required of me to see my dream come true?" The bigger
your dream, the more it will require of you. Are you willing to put forth the effort,
overcome the obstacles, and deal with the disappointments that you will face on
your journey?
8. Am I moving closer? This is the tenacity question. Am I closer to reaching my
dream today than I was yesterday? Was I closer yesterday than the day before?

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Putting Your Player’s Dreams to the Test-HoopSkills.com
Look at your "To Do" lists over the last week and identify the steps you have taken
toward your dream.
9. Does working toward my dream bring satisfaction? If you are not growing and
developing yourself in the pursuit of your dream, it may be time to identify a new
one. Your journey must be fulfilling.
10. Does my dream benefit others? If so, Who? Why? If your dream is all about
your selfish desires, it's unlikely that it will ever be realized. Zig Ziglar, the most
recognized sales trainer in American history, said, "When you help enough other
people get what they want, you will have everything you want."
How many times did you answer, "Yes"? The more yeses you answered, the more
on target you are to achieve your dream." Obviously this line of questioning needs
to be designed specifically for the age group you are coaching, but the small
amount of time it takes to do that can save both you and you players hours of
frustration later.