Layups

Can't afford to miss 'em and can't pass 'em up.

Next week, I’m planning to share a longer post on n-gen, Day by Data, and how they all fit into my wildest hopes and dreams.

But this week, before I get to dreaming, I want to focus on one thing: layups.

In basketball, a layup is when you drive to the hoop and throw the ball off the backboard and into the basket. There are variations, but it’s a pretty fundamental and easy way to score throughout the game.

LeBron James with a beautiful layup for an easy bucket in the NBA finals.

In life, a layup is a simple opportunity or small win that’s right in front of you and all you gotta do is execute.

One thing about me: I suck at layups—in basketball and in life.

In the past, a lot of easier opportunities to share my work, try a project, or monetize have been ignored.

So, why are layups so hard to take?

For me, it’s often fear of judgment—worrying that a quick post or idea won’t be polished enough. It’s procrastination disguised as perfectionism.

I’ve come to realize that the mental hurdle of a layup is rarely about the task itself; it’s about the outcome you convince yourself of before you even start.

You Play to Win the Game

The goal of basketball isn’t to hit every shot.

It’s to win the game.

In life and work, the same principle applies. Success isn’t about perfection, it’s about momentum.

Layups are the small, consistent plays that build rhythm, confidence, and progress. They keep you in the game.

Miss a few? No biggie.

Layups are high-percentage shots. The key is to just keep shooting.

But if you stop taking layups altogether, everything gets harder.

It means to get any points on the board you need to take a much more difficult and low-percentage shot.

And then, you lose.

Ben Simmons passing up a open layup in the playoffs, a key moment in the collapse of that version of the Philadelphia ‘76ers and “The Process”

I don’t want to lose! So in the next year, I need to get better at taking and making layups.

A few personal and professional layups that I see right in front of me—opportunities to build momentum and lay the groundwork for everything I want to achieve in 2025:

1. Post more — Have gotten better at this, but should post my questions, thoughts, and works-in-progress more. Hell, I have no one else to share it with.

2. Record myself while working: Saves time compared to when I try to record for a specific video — and it takes the phone out of my hand so I can’t get distracted.

3. Bookend my days with good habits: Create stronger morning and evening routines. Specifically:

   1. Time-block chores and workouts so they don’t linger throughout the workday and interrupt focus.

   2. Develop a better nighttime habit to reduce late-night scrolling and ensure I get the beauty rest needed to do great work.

Why the Focus on Layups

The most important thing is that, even if I miss a few here and there, I keep shooting.

Dion Waiters did not lack confidence. Legendary quote.

Consistently and confidently taking these layups is essential. They’re the foundational plays that make the moonshots possible.

If I am ever going to tackle any of these lofty dreams for my career, it starts with taking the easy wins when I can get ‘em and putting some points on the damn board.

I will never win passing up the easy wins for tougher, high-risk and high-reward plays all the time.

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Thanks for reading, and thank you to everyone who read this little newsletter in 2024. I am stunned that this newsletter has garnered over 170k views this year!

It’s been 29 (!!) straight weeks of writing, a streak and habit I am very proud to carry into 2024.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year—I can’t wait for what’s ahead!