Well, disappointingly I have missed a couple of these - and they have been a great source of reflection over the years so I thought it is time to get back on the horse.
Getting engaged, an NBL championship, a European PD trip to two EuroLeague teams, a little Japan trip with a young Boomers squad and going into our 4th season in Tasmania to name some of the highlights.
LIFE
"You waste years, by not being able to waste hours."
If you can't actually spend time, asking big questions, figuring out if you are spending the right time in the right things, going down rabbit holes - you may end up lost in the hamster wheel of life.
Your quirks and uniqueness is your source of power, that is what you should lean into.
I enjoy reading like crazy, trying supplements, waking up extremely early, going to the gym, travel, writing this blog and seeing life as one big experiment. As soon as you neglect those parts of your life you are doing a disservice to yourself. At different times I have, it's a constant reminder to keep moving the salt shaker back as Danny Meyer would say.
All misery comes from self rumination, self obsession.
You're wasting your time.
Spend your life in the company of geniuses, sagists, children and books.
Who you spend your time with, will determine the quality of your day and the future of your life. Life is too short to settle for anything less.
Don't unconsciously take on new desires.
Wanting by Luke Burgis, highly recommend. Makes you seriously question what you want in your life and why, are you just copying somebody else?
You're never exempt from - pain, uncertainty, work.
This concept is from Stutz, the documentary about the relationship between Jonah Hill and his therapist.
Courage is the willingness to walk alone.
Trust your gut.
Feelings of wonder are available all the time, we are just not paying attention.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, provides wonderful perspective on this - and I have tried to spend more time recently utilising the beach near me as inspiration and an opportunity to take in beauty.
Kingston Beach, Hobart, Tasmania
Constantly be in distillation mode, like the Essence of a Bull by Picasso
The lessons of the drawings by Picasso, as he goes from complex to simple - is that it takes great discipline to see through the noise. To get your coaching, your life, your philosophy down to simplicity takes a tremendous amount of work, but it is the sign of clear thinking.
10. Boredom is the enemy, not some abstract failure.
One of my core values is to follow your genuine curiosity, not what is popular right now. As soon as you are bored, you're done.
11. My final advice for 2025 to myself is:
Be invested in a discovery, not an outcome.
PRACTICAL
12. Watch the Taylor Swift documentary on Netflix. Amazing.
A wonderful insight into the harsh reality of celebrity and fame, and the human side. We all have the same problems of self doubt and loneliness, no matter how many millions you make.
After winning the grammy: "Oh my god that was all you wanted, that was all you focused on. You get to the mountain top and you look around and are like oh god, what now."
"When you're living for the approval of strangers, and that is where you derive all your joy and fulfilment. One bad thing can cause everything to crumble." - Taylor Swift
Listen to the Jimmy Carter Podcast with Ryan Holiday
Great lessons on courage, making hard decisions and doing what is right.
"I hope history has shown I have never flinched in the face of hard decisions." - Jimmy Carter
Byron Caity - 4 Questions for Reflection
Is it true?
Can I know for certain it is true?
When I believe that thought, how do I react?
Who would I be without the thought?
The Lion Trackers Guide to Life by Boyd Varty
"Step off the superhighway of modern life and go quietly onto your own track. Go to a new trail where you can hear the whisper of your wild self in the echoes of the forest."
I have read this short little story at least 3-4x, and has helped me immensely be more present and a constant reminder to trust myself more.
Arriving at a certain place doesn't absolve of you of your pain.
The lessons from Taylor Swift, or Brad Stulberg, or our NBL team winning a championship. The sun comes up the next day and your problems haven't gone away.
Rich Roll on Identity
From 5:34 to 17:30 is a great excerpt on personal reinvention, and turning your life into a different direction. But my favourite quote that hit home was this one:
"We're so calcified around who we are and what we're doing, and it becomes very difficult to break free of that and live in a more fluid state. Where you're in the process of trying to deconstruct the beliefs that you hold and really get honest with yourself about the fallacy of your identity, that you hold so dear." - Rich Roll
Write a letter from unconditional love, to yourself.
This is from Elizabeth Gilbert, an incredibly genius exercise.
I invite you today to come back to your true nature of self-friendliness by writing yourself a letter from love. This is not fancy writing, so don’t overthink it. Just write what you have always wished that somebody else would say to you. Give yourself reassurance, forgiveness, affection. You already know how to do this, because you have spoken to other people with loving kindness in your life: It is no different when addressing the self. Write the words that you would say to a beloved friend who was having a tough time—or even a stranger.
Write the words that you have offered to other people you loved, who were suffering. Why would you not be entitled to the same grace and kindness? Are you different from everyone else? Are we all not equally in need of mercy and gentleness? We all want to practice universal human compassion, right? But universal human compassion that does not include you is not, by definition, universal. So put down the knife you’ve been holding to your throat, and pick up a pen.
- Elizabeth Gilbert
A tremendous article about the value of Self-Complexity, and why multiple components of your identity create something far more balanced and resilient. These concepts from the book below, Master of Change.
Journal on these questions.
What helped you get here that you need to give away?
Who are you when you're the best to your self and the world around you?
What would it be like to have absolute faith in your intuitions?
How has 'doing what you should' resulted in sub par experiences?
What would you do if there was no way you could fail?
Get an ergonomic kneeling chair.
Look ridiculous, but feel amazing. I have only tried one, but this is my reminder to purchase one.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Under the most stressful conditions, can you eliminate emotion and make tactical decisions?
The passion and emotion can get in the way of clear thinking, if you let it.
The consistency of your processes during the season, reduces pressure during the playoffs.
If what you do as a group with your reviews, recovery is thorough during the season - when it gets to the playoffs it's just business as usual. This allows everybody to operate with a clear mind when the distractions and pressure are heightened.
There is no time to wait to make the adjustment.
Everybody is playing as hard as they can, the best players are on the floor, so the tactical becomes super nuanced. 2 or 3 baskets in a row can be fatal.
Melbourne's double drag with Delly on his right hand was an immediate problem in game 3, there was no time to waste.
Tasmania's small ball line up was an issue for Melbourne, they had to change immediately whether it was coverage or personnel.
Something that worked in game 2, may not work in game 3, because the other team has already made that change.
The physicality is tenfold what the regular season is.
The difficulty of getting a wing catch, or protecting the ball after a rebound, or getting low on your box outs all become ridiculously important.
There are no fouls in war, so you need finals bodies, mentally tough guys and strong fundamentals to survive.
Once you leave that locker room, you are swept up into the whirlwind.
Savour the quiet moments together as a group, before the crazy begins.
The people make it.
Who you work with, who comes to support you, the players you get to see grow and believe in each other. That's the reward.
Complexity is overrated.
Best coaches put their best players in simple actions that were suited to them, and did not over do it.
Dellavedova - right hand drive with a step up or a double drag.
Doyle - middle pick and roll with shooting around him.
Ili - ghost screen for a right hand drive.
McVeigh - side pick and roll to a post up versus the switch.
EUROPE - MILAN & BOLOGNA
Milan, Italy
You do not need flashy, to do great work.
Both Euroleague clubs were single court practice facilities, old, with a few side baskets. Weight rooms were not state of the art, old and somewhat small.
But these places were theirs, had history all over the walls, and the statement was clear. This place is for work, not for show.
Bologna, Italy
Luca Banchi - Master of Coaching Through 5v5
Head Coach of Bologna at the time, and Latvian National team coach - was a basketball savant on the floor.
Practice was - warm up, 5v0, 5v5. No wasted time, efficiency. Zero fluff, and got a lot of work done in 45 minutes when the games are coming thick and fast. His love for the game was clear through his coaching on the floor.
Ettore Messina - always in micro conversations
As you observe him before and after practice, ability to have multiple touch points with different players, staff members and put small fires out was a clear strength. His care for people appeared to be a great strength through a tough part of the season.
U19 Milan Practice - The Concentration & Discipline
The capacity of these young players to practice for 2 hours, flat out, day after day, at pace with no gaps was a testament to their program. 3/4/5v0 at speed like you have never seen before.
Why European teams love Zipper, Diamond, Floppy, Iverson so much?
Obviously for some teams to have somebody who can shoot on the run, Belinelli for example - to utilise turnout actions is a must.
Otherwise, these entries are so important so that they can get their catches where they want them. The physicality does not just let you get the ball on the wing, and this screening action allows separation before the pick and roll for the guard.
The faces are different, the problems are the same.
Team chemistry, shot selection, practice habits, playing your role, recruiting were all things that came up through observation or conversation throughout the trip. Nobody is exempt from the same issues, whether you're top of the Euroleague or middle of the pack in NBL1.
JAPAN
I was fortunate enough to be on the staff with a young 'Boomers' group who played two exhibition games in Japan against their National team preparing for the Olympics. It was an honour and tremendous learning experience to be around.
The 3pt Shot is the Great Equaliser
The capacity to have 5 players who can shoot puts the fear into your defensive team. Furthermore defending the 3pt line has never been more important. Whether that is in PnR, or late clock 1v1, everybody is looking for solutions.
Cleanliness & Manners
The Japanese people are so kind, the country is so clean and those two things make it an amazing place to be a guest. A great reminder of how impactful manners can be.
Short Prep - Are you hunting antelope or field mice?
With only 1.5 practice sessions, how are you making sure you tick off the big items? You do not have time to worry about the minor details, but are better off providing the group with big picture objectives and figuring it out on the fly.
Less talking, more playing, more huddles.
Connection in a short time frame - Humour is the quickest way there.
Cannot be undervalued, having a laugh and getting people to share about each other so that the group feels connected on the floor. We did this all via Whatsapp, by breaking up into pairs and sharing some life stuff about our partner.
LOVE & BEING ENGAGED
Embrace your relationship being a Purple Cow, a category of one.
People will try and tell you where you should live, how you should propose, what your wedding should be and all the other parts of life. Ultimately the only expectations to live up to are each others, and the path that is ours to create.
Alyssa's greatest strength, that she teaches me every day is:
Empathy - the capacity to put yourself in somebody elses shoes, and not necessarily agree with but understand their feelings.
Well, that's my 40 lessons! Hope you enjoyed them.
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