Another tough week of Basketball…

But we bounce back stronger and learn from each week.

I go into how I deal with ‘being in a rut’ below. 👇

Also, in case you missed it, I also have added a new PDF to the Playbook Community.

NEW PDF - ELIJAH’S CENTRAL FATIGUE WORKOUT

The link will take you to the folder with all pdfs, including the previous Vitamins List and Plantar Fasciitis PDF. It will be growing more and more over time!

Finally, I had the opportunity to chat with a D3 Hooper who reached out for some advice. I think everyone can relate to it so I thought I’d share that conversation below.

Now let’s talk about basketball…

Navigating Team ‘Ruts’ / Personal Growth🏀

Reflecting on the last weeks, I wanted to try and condense what I’m thinking about and feeling. First off, Basketball is a TEAM sport. Team-first. We are losing. And that needs to stop.

I have been playing more or less the game I want to play from my side. There’s ALWAYS things I could do better and I learn from each game. More rebounds, less turnovers, higher conversion rate from specific spots, etc.

So what have I learned from the last weeks?

1. Embracing the Ups and Downs
Being in a rut as a team is a lot like life—full of ups and downs. The key is to maintain balance, never getting too high or too low. Adopting a growth mindset and focusing on what you can learn each day makes navigating these periods easier.

Takeaway: Stay focused on daily progress toward your goals. Avoid falling into negative thinking patterns, as they can become your reality.

2. The Power of Collective Resilience
Hard times are inevitable, but sticking together as a team during these moments makes the eventual successes even sweeter. Don’t focus on personal triumphs because that can be isolating for you and the team in hard times. It’s a TEAM sport. Be a Team Player.

Takeaway: Unity during tough times strengthens the team and enhances the experience of success.

3. Balanced Nutrition and Treats
While maintaining a healthy diet is essential, it's also important to recognize that indulging occasionally is okay. For example, enjoying a favorite treat like ice cream in moderation is part of a balanced lifestyle. Don’t sacrifice mental health or the joy of life for minimal gains. Balance in all things.

Takeaway: Allow yourself occasional treats but maintain accountability to avoid overindulgence.

4. Consistent Mobility and Recovery
Staying on top of mobility and stretching routines, like plantar fascia work, is crucial, especially when results aren't immediately visible. It’s easy to neglect these tasks during tough times, but consistency is key.

Takeaway: Use reminders or accountability tools to ensure you stick to your recovery routines, even when things aren’t going well.

5. Maintaining Comfort on the Road
Finding consistency in sleep environments can be challenging, especially in places without modern conveniences like AC. Tools like a chili pad help regulate bed temperature, contributing to better sleep and recovery on the road.

Takeaway: Prioritize sleep quality by finding ways to adapt to different environments, ensuring consistent rest and recovery.

This week I want share something a bit more personal in the Q+A.

Q&A ❓

L. asked…

Below is a portion of a message I received from a Playbook Community Member via email and I wanted to share it with you all because it 100% embodies what we are ALL STRUGGLING with. First off, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to you all for being so responsive and involved. This is what it’s all about. Eventually I hope we can do more community-type stuff where we can all directly engage and share stories and help one another.

Excerpt from message:

“Hey man,

Just wanted to reach out and first say congrats on a great career and your youtube. It is an awesome platform and very inspiring. Currently, I am a college hooper at a D3 school ranked in the top 10 in the country. It is pretty good ball, and I am reaching out because I feel connected...

I recently realized that you do anything in life for two reasons: You either love something or someone for who they are, which is real, or you love them for what they can provide which is fake. Personally, my whole career I worked for a division one scholarship. That's all I did. Sacrificed everything. When I say work I mean like three a days for 5 years in a row. And I "failed", whatever that means... But I did not end up where I wanted to be. Honestly, it was a blessing and a curse. Because where I am at right now, I realized I never loved basketball for the game itself. I loved it for what it could provide me. I loved it because it gave me the opportunity to have a purpose, an identity, to be different, and prove everyone wrong. I played because my parents thought I could not go D1. There was this fire inside of me to show them.

And, you know, this has been a really hard realization. Because I played this game because I looked at it as a tool. It was something I could use to make myself have worth and honestly feel love and feel like I am someone of value. By proving everyone wrong, I felt my life would mean something and people would respect me for what I have done. This is why I worked so hard. It is so dumb looking back on why D1, or D3 matters. But I wanted D1 so bad. It was my goal and it drove me. But, you see this very foundation for my path is cracked. Because when you love something for what it can provide you are always left with the fear of what if you do not get what you want. You are left with anxiety that views the unknown as a threat to your plan and what you want to accomplish. The next thing around the corner is just another step in becoming someone. It is like you are a hamster running in a wheel and you feel trapped. The results have way more weight than they should because you are defined by what you accomplish. This is where overthinking, anxiety and fear occurs. You are trapped by expectations and what ifs because if you do not get what you "want", you feel you will have no value. By using basketball, the game became a place that was like a job and something I had to do so I could feel love. 

This is the antithesis for when you love something. If you truly love something or someone, you love it for what that thing is. People might say, yeah but you can love things for what they give you but this is really not true. Think about family. Do you love your parents because of everything they buy you? Do you think the love you feel is based on anything else but who they are? And you know how love is real? Because the one thing that your parents provide you with that matters is themselves. They commit their whole being to take care of you and raise you. If they buy everything in the world but can not give you themselves and their presence, you will not feel real love. What they provide you with is a reflection and just an effect of their love. So, you see real love means that who someone is and what they provide is the same thing because they provide for themselves. 

When you look at basketball, if you are in true love for the game itself all anxiety and overthinking really dissipates. Now, it may still come up, but it is destroyed by the spirit of love. Like all you want to do is just play ball. Whether that is for one minute or for sixty. And when you really love the game it is not conditional. You do not love it because you are making shots or winning. You love it because you have fun playing it. So nothing is really bad when you have this love. Whatever happens is just a part of it. You are in the present and just living. The results mean nothing when you love something because you are present in that process of love. You are not doing it to get something. You are doing it for the sake of doing it. You are a literal illumination of the love you have and feel in the moment. You are not trying to do anything.

Make it long story short, I do not think I ever loved it like this. Do you? I do not know how to tell my parents or friends and family I am retiring two years early. I am never a quitter but I do not wake up excited to hoop. What do you think I should do? I have realized this because I am finally in a place where I am confident in being myself and not waiting on a result to verify me. I have all the love I need.

Hope all is well and you get to read this,

L.

My Response Back:

First off, I truly appreciate that you took so much time to articulate your feelings.

My thoughts on what you said are filled with empathy and compassion, but I also want to communicate that there’s no such thing as failure. You might look at your situation and say, “Oh, I made it to D3, but I wanted to go D1. I’m a failure.”

But the thing is, you're not recognizing the lessons you’ve learned in reaching D3. You mention trying to prove your parents wrong and show everyone that you’re a Division I player. But focusing solely on proving others wrong has made you feel like a failure. To me, that's the adversary—the devil, or however you might see it. I see it as an opportunity to reflect on the lessons sports have taught you, lessons that can be applied to other areas of life.

You mentioned that you don't love basketball, and that to be successful, you have to love it. Well, I don’t think anyone loves basketball all the time. There’s a balance—you can’t have light without dark. In the same way, the tough times when I don’t love basketball are when I grow the most.

You’re focused on the goal of playing Division I basketball. How about shifting your mindset to ask, “What can I learn from this situation?” Now, if you decide to retire, that’s your choice. But make sure it’s not driven by guilt or frustration from not achieving your dream to prove others wrong. If that’s the case, you might be doing it for the wrong reasons.

The lessons you’ve learned in basketball are some of the best life can offer, but they take time to manifest. In a regular job, like a 9-to-5, you rarely feel the immediate impact of success or failure. But every time you step on the court, there’s a winner and a loser. You can objectively evaluate your performance, something that isn’t always possible in everyday life.

You asked me if I love basketball. And I do. I love the game of basketball.

I love what it has brought to my life. I love how it’s challenged me to become a better learner. To keep my emotions in check. Emotions are the hardest thing to manage in life. Think about a game, talking to a ref, not getting a call. Basketball will teach you things faster than life takes to teach you.

So my friend, I wish you the best. I wish you clarity.

And remember the Four Agreements:

1. Impeccable words

2. Don’t assume anything

3. Don’t take things personally

4. Do your best

With Love,

Elijah

🚨Want to see your question answered above? Reply to the newsletter or reach out to me on social. I will group all the questions together and be answering them on the newsletter and vlog in the coming weeks. Cheers!🚨

YouTube Journey▶

This week on the vlog, we go to MONACO to take on Kill Bill (Spanoulis) and Mike James and the rest of the AS Monaco Basket team in their home court. I take you through my pre-game routine, talk about NBA vs EuroLeague a bit, and other insights and behind-the-scenes of pro basketball life with Efes. I hope you enjoy! (oh yea, it was Christmas too!)

Thank you for grabbing your Playbook 🙏

I hope you like the new version of Playbook. If you have comments or questions or suggestions, PLEASE respond to the newsletter about anything. I want to hear from you and I promise, I read every response. My goal is to continue making a great Playbook and building a great community where we all get better together. And you’re a part of that journey!

Let’s Build Confidence + Consistency™ , on and off the court!

Elijah