Dealing with Injuries: A Paradigm Shift

Injuries are a part of sports, and almost every basketball player will have to deal with injuries during their career. Like most situations, the response is more important than the event. In his best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about the power of a paradigm shift. Basically, a paradigm shift involves seeing a situation from a different perspective.

Most athletes, particularly young athletes, look at an injury as a totally negative event. The player who can look at this situation from a different perspective can benefit in the long run. A great example is NBA Hall of Fame point guard Bob Cousy. He broke his right arm at age 13 when he fell out of a tree. He continued to play basketball and stick ball with his left arm until his right arm healed, becoming basically ambidextrous. He later called this "a fortunate event" and credited it with helping to make him a better player.

The next time that you suffer an injury, take a look from a different viewpoint. Is there an area of your game that you can improve as you recover? Can you sit in a chair and dribble, pass and even shoot? Can you develop your "weak" hand? Can you read and study video to expand your game? Work to turn your misfortune into a positive. The biggest benefit will be the development of your mind.