There are two traits that I believe are necessary for success in life and business, passion & consistency. I find that as I have more and more personal and professional demands on my time, I have learned to focus on those things that I am passionate about. I love basketball, which is why year after year I make it a priority to volunteer to coach my son & daughter’s teams. I have found that the 12 seasons I have spent coaching youth sports has been one of the best things for my professional development. 
 
Passion matters. The underdog mentality is real. Sports prove this repeatedly, and it can be seen in many other aspects of our lives, including in business. Good leaders, coaches, executives, and teammates can unlock the passion within an individual by eliminating the limitations they put on themselves and creating a space where effort and joy coexist. Passion is exceptionally powerful when teammates can simultaneously pursue individual greatness and embrace their role within their team, whatever it may be. Every kid I coach has unique motivations and needs different focus of instruction. I must get to know each of them to understand what I need to do to bring them into a team culture that has passion at its center.
 
Consistency really is the key. Since I began coaching basketball, the game has changed. The style of play is much more open, and every kid wants to shoot 3 pointers like Steph Curry. However, the fundamentals of the game remain the same. It’s the little things that matter, like proper footwork, solid dribbling and passing skills, and good shooting form. These fundamentals are perfected through consistent training. I create season long practice plans that start with mastering the basics and build in incremental improvement over time. I ensure every kid gets plenty of playing time, so they see what skills they need to improve to be successful. This focus on player development leads to team success, as every player feels invested in their own success and that of the team. 
 
If you treat your kid’s youth sports team as you would if you were a professional sports coach, it provides awesome professional development learning opportunities. It is great practice in providing clear and consistent direction. It is an incredible exercise in time management and priority setting. Coaching is extremely humbling at times and instructive on how to handle defeat and adversity. It teaches me to be adaptive and responsive as a leader to my team’s needs. Most importantly, it keeps my passion level high so that I can carry it into other areas of my life. 
 
I tell the families before every season that my number one goal is to unlock that passion for basketball in my players. I want them to love the game like I do. My teams play hard and they display passion on the court. We play as a team and we play to win. This is why I coach. I want that same passion woven into all aspects of my personal and professional life. I want to build my skills through consistent, incremental improvement. I am fortunate coaching allows me to spend time with my kids while engaging in first-rate professional development.