The Shot You Keep Taking Out of Habit
Imagine someone who’s been showing up to basketball practice for years.
Same court.
Same drills.
Same routine.
They keep practicing for the shot, the one that was supposed to change everything.
But somewhere along the way… that opportunity came and went.
They didn’t notice.
Not because they were lazy.
But because practice became habit.
They kept preparing for a moment that no longer existed.
And while they were focused on that one dream, other opportunities knocked quietly, patiently, and eventually walked away.
Not because the person wasn’t talented.
Not because they lacked discipline.
But because they were too focused on one version of success to recognize others.
When the Cheerleaders Go Quiet
At first, people cheered.
They believed in you.
They showed up.
They encouraged you.
But over time, the applause faded.
Not necessarily because they stopped caring, but because it’s hard to stay invested in a vision that never evolves.
Being someone’s cheerleader gets harder when the finish line keeps moving… or disappears entirely.
And that silence can feel personal.
It can feel like rejection.
Or failure.
But sometimes it’s neither.
Sometimes it’s just a sign that the dream needs reframing... not abandoning.
The Boats We Refuse to See
There’s an old story about a devout man caught in a flood.
As the water rises, a boat comes by.
“Get in,” they say.
“No,” he replies. “God will save me.”
Another boat comes.
“No,” he says again.
A third boat.
Same answer.
When he finally meets God, he asks, “Why didn’t you save me?”
And God replies, “I sent you three boats.”
We often tell this story as a lesson in faith.
But I think it’s also a lesson in rigidity.
Sometimes we’re waiting for salvation to look exactly the way we imagined, and we miss the help that’s already here because it arrived in a different form.
When Persistence Turns Into Tunnel Vision
Here’s the truth most people don’t want to say out loud:
Tenacity is not the problem.
You have persistence.
Discipline.
Work ethic.
Commitment.
You’re not afraid of effort.
The problem is when all of that strength gets locked onto a single, outdated plan, and we stop allowing ourselves to see other ways the same purpose could be fulfilled.
Admiration Is Relative (And This Matters More Than You Think)
Let’s go back to basketball for a moment.
You dreamed of becoming the next Michael Jordan, admired around the world by millions.
But what if you failed to notice something?
To the kids at the local community center, you are already the legend.
That cracked city court is their whole world.
They don’t analyze your mistakes.
They don’t critique your form.
They practice what you did right, over and over, because you inspired them.
That admiration is deeper.
More personal.
More lasting.
And far more meaningful than applause from strangers who forget your name by Monday morning.
Same skill.
Same passion.
Different stage.
Greater impact.
The Question That Changes Everything
I’m sharing this today because I see this pattern everywhere, and yes, I see it in myself too.
So many capable, dedicated people are still chasing a definition of success that made sense years ago but one that no longer fits who they are now or where they are today.
So I’ll ask you gently:
👉 What definition of success are you still practicing for even though it’s expired?
👉 What windows quietly opened when doors closed?
👉 How might your purpose be asking to express itself differently, but more fully, right now?
Key Takeaway
Letting go of an old version of a dream is not quitting.
It’s updating.
And sometimes the life you’re meant to live isn’t smaller than the one you imagined, it’s just closer, more human, and more impactful than you ever expected.
You’re not behind.
You’re not wrong.
You’re not wasted potential.
You’re just being invited to stop practicing for a moment that has passed and to start responding to the opportunities that are already here.
📌 One More Thought Before You Go
Purpose doesn’t disappear when a plan fails.
It just looks for a new place to land.
Pay attention to what’s standing in front of you now.
It might be the very thing you’ve been preparing for all along just not in the way you expected.
