If you haven’t heard about Jeremy Lin or Linsanity, you are probably in some type of seclusion. This name has been mentioned so many times in the last few weeks that even people who don’t enjoy sports know who he is.
Jeremy Lin was an undrafted basketball player who hit it big when he was pulled up to play with the New York Knicks. Since his debut, he has been racking up 30 point games and generating an insane amount of publicity. Due to his successes and his all around humble nature, there are five things that we can learn from him.
1. Stay positive.
Though Lin was a great college basketball player, he remained undrafted and wasn’t looked at by any professional teams. Rather than giving up, Lin continued to find places to play basketball and continued to improve his game. He was picked up by a few teams only to be dropped shortly after, and instead of relying on his Harvard degree to pursue another profession, he stayed positive and persevered to conquer his dream of playing professional basketball. This just goes to show you that hard work and determination will pay off.
2. Don’t take all the credit.
Even though he has had great games and scored plenty of points, Lin knows that the wins and his great games wouldn’t be possible without the help of his teammates. Unfortunately, many professional athletes are selfish and boast about their talents and neglect their teammates. Lin does the opposite. He constantly praises his team as well as God for his accomplishments.
3. Give back.
Lin isn’t taking his NBA earnings and spending it on flashy cars and multiple mansions. Instead, he started the Jeremy Lin Foundation, a charity that helps underprivileged children in the Bay area of California. And this charity isn’t just a publicity stunt—he actually cares and gives as much as he can to the Foundation.
4. You don’t have to be perfect.
Too many people shut down after they make mistakes, but not Jeremy Lin. Yes, he has had his fair share of great games, and yes, he made a game winning shot. But Lin’s game is not entirely perfect, and he doesn’t let that get the best of him. He makes turnovers, he misses shots, but instead of giving up and sitting on the bench, he continues to improve his skill and lead his team to a win.
5. Don’t believe the stereotypes.
When you think of basketball, you think of a game dominated by African Americans. But this doesn’t mean that only African Americans have basketball talent. Jeremy Lin is one of two famous Asian basketball players. Lin didn’t let the African American dominance of the game deter him from reaching his dream, and you shouldn’t let stereotypes deter you either. Don’t believe you can’t do something because you don’t fit the stereotype. It’s okay to break to boundaries every now and then to show the world that anybody can accomplish anything.
If you haven’t jumped on the Linsanity bandwagon yet, you may want to. There is plenty that you can learn from a talented and humble individual, and we should all aspire to have his determination.
Gareth Smith is a sports enthusiast and soccer coach who lives in the Nashville area. He is also an avid writer and always makes sure to proof his work with a grammar checker to ensure it is a free of mistakes. Without his international calling cell phone he wouldn’t be able to speak to his family that he left back in England.
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