Using Your Time Wisely

With March Madness and the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament tipping off this week, I recently read an article in Sporting News with Billy Donovan, the head coach of the University of Florida men's basketball team. In trying to help one of his players understand the importance of his role, he shared the following conversation:

"After a game, I said to one of our freshmen, 'You played 18 minutes tonight. How much of that time do you think you had the ball in your hands?' He looked at me and said, 'About three minutes?' I said, 'Try 45 seconds. That means there were more than 17 minutes you were in the game and didn't have the ball. The key to your contribution is what you do with that time. Do you play defense? Do you screen on offense? Do you find a way to get open? Do you get a rebound or a loose ball?' That's how games are won and lost".

Every week, you and I have times when we "have the ball", when we are "on", when we are focused on a task or project. The real test of how valuable we are to the team (at home or at work) is what we do when the focus isn't on us. That's the "key to your contribution".

Use your time wisely.