Fundamentals Lead to Greatness
Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon was one of the greatest basketball players of all time. His graceful moves confused stronger and taller opponents, especially David Robinson and Shaq.
Amazingly, “The Dream Shake” is actually based on an important basketball fundamental: footwork.
Olajuwon’s arsenal of fakes and spins was only possible because he was versed in the basics. Mastering the building blocks, like the correct pivot and proper hook shot, gave him a deep set of options he could count on. In other words, as Glen says, Mastery Before Creativity.
For us freelancers, we should remember to master the fundamentals before striving for greatness. Before we try to “unlock our creativity,” we’d better know what we’re doing in the first place. There’s no sense to push the boundaries when you don’t even know what they are.
By the way, if you’re an NBA fan, check out NBA Obsessed, written by Angelo.
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12 opinions for Fundamentals Lead to Greatness
Glen Stansberry
Jan 19, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Wow, great example of how creativity is rooted in the fundamentals. Bravo!
Rico
Jan 20, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Thanks! I choose Olajuwon because he shows that true masters make it look easy. And I thought, “he’s a perfect example to prove the point!”
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