Dear Draftee,

 

This honestly must be the most exciting time of year for me. Draft season brings a certain  amount of excitement and anxiety for every sport fan, that to me is only matched the morning of the championship game. No one however, faces as much excitement and anxiety as the prospects and their families. To so many this has been a dream that they have had their entire lives and they are so close to that dream becoming reality, so close to their lives changing forever. Every day you look on social media your notifications are overflowed with fans and haters making predictions of where you will (or will not) end up and while you keep an unfazed face, it’s hard to not let all those comments go to heart to some extent. So, my advice to you is to not care at all. I know that sounds much easier said than done and you probably think I’m crazy but the point is it doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter what number you are drafted and it doesn’t matter where you go, all that truly matters is what you do once you get to that destination. We all know athletes who went first and never amounted to anything and we all can name athletes who became some of the greatest of all time ( Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers) and they were nowhere near the top draft picks. What is important and what you do need to focus on are the following two things:

1. What you will do once you get there:

Just because a team has picked you that does not mean that countless hours of work and dedication end. In fact, they are just beginning, the grind really starts now and now is the time to prove what you can do. The world is now watching, they want to be you and it is up to you to show them why you are where you are. Even when things aren’t going as planned you cannot stop striving for the top spot. The difference between those who change the game and those who disappear is the ability to overcome and keep pushing. For some of you, you have always been the best and it could be a rude awakening that now you are tiny fish in ocean full of sharks, DO NOT GIVE UP, WORK HARDER. Wherever you go there are people behind you that believe in you and want you to grow and dominate and be grateful in that. You will end up where the most growth and biggest lessons will occur, so trust the process.

2. What is your motivation to continue playing:

I’ve discussed motivation several times throughout my blogs and it comes down to this. No matter where you go don’t forget why you started competing in the first place. This isn’t the end and you need to use that motivation to continue to drive through the next level. If your motivation was solely to make it then find new motivation that is internal to who you are and not just something that can be checked off a list. Remember the reason that you first touched that ball, think about why you kept playing and remember that often. Set goals that at first may seem unachievable and constantly work towards them. Find ways and meanings that will constantly make you fall in love with playing and the sport all over again. While you are living your dream some days will feel like nightmares and getting back to why you love what you do in the first place can make all the difference in the long run.

Congratulations on making it thus far in your journey. People across the world would give anything they have be in your position, so don’t take that for granted. Remember that no matter what happens you cannot stop striving to be the greatest you can be, this is just  a moment , not the end.