Dribble! Dribble! Shoot Your Shot

Dribble –  (in soccer, hockey, and basketball) an act or instance of taking the ball FORWARD with repeated slight touches or bounces. 

In Basketball – A dribble is movement of the ball, caused by a player in control, who throws or taps the ball to the floor http://official.nba.com

Life is full of challenges as well as opportunities and at Barrier Breakers Corner we say Step out on Faith and Defy the Odds. In your Corner is where you plan, pray, do the work behind closed doors and then you come out, defy the odds and Break Barriers no matter how little or big they may be.

In this journey of life, you’re either playing or sitting and watching others play while learning and taking points or assessing to see what could have been done better so you don’t make the same mistake(s). You could also be a spectator cheering others on or you could be a coach. Whatever situation you find yourself, there is a time to sit still and/or cheer people on and there is a time to take action. 

You may have to wear the right shoe that fits the assignment. Most people in the world wear more than one hat. You could be a CFO at work and be a Mum at home. You could also be an Entrepreneur and a husband. The way you treat your colleagues or team mates at work will not be the same way you treat your spouse and/or children at home. So you need to know which shoe is most comfortable for each assignment or goal. At the end of the day, whether in running a business or in parenting, you want to be successful in both areas. Imagine a player wearing very tight sneakers or stilettos to play basketball. Just imagine how that player will be playing (I am literally dying here with laughter). If you do that in real life, it will not be funny to your kids or spouse or whatever the role may be. You will be stepping on a lot of toes. Actually someone could be playing a game in stilettos and be doing so well. Do not think that you can wear that same stilettos/shoes and win, you might fail. Get into what works for you.

Dribble Dribble –  I like the first definition of Dribble – taking the ball forward while you dribble.

You should be making a move forward but there are times you may have to take some steps backward, to assess who is around you to pass the ball to or to see how far or how close you are to the basketball ring. This tells us that in life we need the right people around us. Some people may be around for a long time, Others are there for a short period. You need to know who is there for the long haul and who is there for the short haul so you’re not hanging on to people that were supposed to be with you for a short period, a long time; You’ll get hurt.

And so with a goal in mind, having the right people around you is important. Passing the ball to another person in this case for me does not mean giving them authority over your dream but allowing them into your space for guidance, direction, advice, tips etc. It could be a Coach or a Mentor, a Friend or a Sibling, a Teacher or a Boss/Leader. It could also be a Role Model, whoever you trust and choose to talk or listen to.

Taking a step back while dribbling/planning, does not mean you are a failure. Yes, we always feel the need to move forward, but sometimes taking a step back will help you move forward better. A step back can bring you blessings that you never would have gotten if you had not taken it. A step back will help you assess what you did wrong, what you did right and where you need to do better. That way you can make the right moves or the right decisions.

In Basketball you cannot hold the ball for long neither can you carry it with you after dribbling. Some people plan and plan and never execute. Could it be fear? They pass the ball, seek advice and when the ball is passed back to them, they never take any action. Continuous advice with no action can be overwhelming. At some point, those Coaches or Mentors will no longer be around to be of help, take the opportunity while you can and make a MOVE.

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO MAKE A MOVE 

Shoot Your Shot – To be brave and having the AUDACITY to do something that might be embarrassing. “Shooting your shot” takes motivation; it means that you only have one chance to do something before you loose that chance. To take a chance no matter if you fail or not. (Urban Dictionary).

When you play ball, you are always playing in a field or court. The court is the field or industry you are in. There are many people in that industry but you have to choose the right people that can help you win. Like I said earlier, some people are there as coaches, others are referees, some love the game so much but can only be spectators. Who are you in the court? If you are there to play and win, when you get the ball, what you do with it is important. The ball is your gift. What are you doing with what God has given you? You have planned, you have prepared, you have worked very hard and now you have an opportunity. You can see the ring, it’s very clear, you just have to make the move. The Ring is the opportunity that has been given you or has come your way to shoot your shot. Are you going to pass the ball or are you going to make the right move. Are you going to make excuses or are you going to face that mountain head on. It’s up to you. The ball is in your court. 

Looking at the picture below, the ball looks like it was making it into the ring but it did not. For this photo shoot, I missed so many shots. I am not a player but I wanted to win. (I used to play basketball for fun but I last played it 2004/5)

Like in the picture above, there are so many things we see around us that may seem perfect but they are not. This is true for social media especially. People post a lot of picture perfect photos but never tell you or post pictures of their struggles and so you sit and think of how way behind you are, oh they look good! They are doing so well! Wow they have the right connections! How did she get married! Oh my lawd my crush is off the market! They are so lucky etc. Mind you, that picture could be legit, their company could be thriving now, their relationship is actually amazing, but do you know the struggle they went through? Do you know the hard work they had to put in to get to where they are? Do you know how many times they failed and were laughed at? Most people do not post these or talk about them because they have not come to that level of vulnerability to do that. And this could be as a result of what they think society might think of them but being vulnerable and telling your truth can actually help someone.

I remember posting a video https://www.instagram.com/tv/CIjBxUel0A9/ a month ago about how I’d asked a friend some years back when she planned on having a baby, not knowing it was wrong to ask and not knowing what she was going through. I also posted a video 6 or 7 months ago on suicide and how I almost took my life https://www.instagram.com/tv/CBgwT2zF3ue/. I felt very vulnerable and wished I didn’t have to share that about me but I did anyway and got positive feedback. I am still growing in the area of vulnerability. We do not see people do this a lot especially in the black community or in my community back home in The Gambia and so people are hiding a lot of things that if shared will heal someone, could save a life etc. 

After all is said and done, Stand. Ephesians 6:13 says “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. After you have done all you can, stand and smile, stand in prayer giving thanks, stand in praise and/or worship, because the battle is not yours but the Lord’s. The process might take some time. While God is making a way, He is also preparing you, shaping and molding you and at the appointed time everything will fall in place and when people see you, you would not look like what you’ve been through; be it a storm, fire or hell.

(Do I look like I struggled with the ball. You should have seen me panting)

When you look back, don’t look back and REGRET but look back to see how far you’ve come and be grateful.

I’d like to encourage you to use your gift, stay focused on your dreams/vision/assignment, have the AUDACITY to make some moves, and SHOOT YOUR SHOT. If it does not work, go back and assess your plan and strategy and try again, dribble a little bit more, one day you will Break Through. They say “little drops of water makes a mighty ocean”. I say little steps you take, brings you on top of mountains and into rooms you never thought you would ever be in. The little steps you take in the right direction,  brings you to Barrier Breaking moments.

DRIBBLE! DRIBBLE! SHOOT YOUR SHOT – HAVE THE AUDACITY! TAKE THAT STEP OF FAITH AND DEFY THE ODDS. LETS GO BREAK SOME BARRIERS THIS YEAR!!!

YOU’VE GOT THIS

Photos by Pinky Decker – She’s an amazing photographer. Kindly click the link below to see some of her work or reach out to her for a photography session https://www.instagram.com/beauty4ashes0811/