Plant Your Feet

I loved to played basketball as a kid. I am fairly tall and as a result played mostly down under the basket. I remember as I was learning the fundamentals of the game that I had a coach who would get after me for not "taking an offensive foul." You see, I loved to try to block shots instead. Taking an offensive foul means that you get in front of a player with the ball, plant your feet and then allowed the player to knock you over. If your feet are planted, a foul is called on the other player and your team gets the ball. But like I said, I would jump in the air instead and try to knock the ball away…sometimes resulting in a foul on me. I can still hear my coach yelling, "Plant your feet! Plant your feet."

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm." I am pretty sure that he wasn't talking about basketball. Instead, Mr. Lincoln makes a couple of key points with this little line on how we should live our lives.

Point 1 – Be sure that you put your feet in the right place. It is important to study and learn and identify what you stand for. What is important for you? What do you believe in? Write it down. Commit it to memory. Review it daily or weekly so that you don't forget.

Point 2 – "…then stand firm." There almost always comes a moment of truth when your values are tested and you have the choice to stand firm, waiver or even step aside. Pain and heartache can occur when you waiver or step aside. Decide to stand firm! Plant your feet and take the charge.