How to slam dunk our long-term goals
Netflix’s Hustle (2022) tells the story of Stanley Sugarman, a veteran professional basketball scout for the Philadelphia 76ers. He lives from hotel to hotel around the world in search of the next big star, but all he really wants is to be promoted to the position of assistant coach and have a more settled family life.
Then he discovers Bo Cruz, a raw but talented street basketball player while in Spain. Sugarman sees this as an opportunity to be promoted to his dream position, so he prepares Cruz for the NBA draft. Of course, nothing is as easy as it seems as Sugarman has to overcome many obstacles to reach his goal.
While Hustle has become Adam Sandler’s most loved movie by both fans and critics with a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it also teaches us the 4Ps of character traits we should embody if we want to achieve our long-term goals.
🔥 PASSION: Have clear goals
Sugarman says to Cruz, “Obsession is gonna beat talent every time”. When you’re sold on your goals like how Sugarman was, you’ll become equally obsessed with making it work and seeing it succeed.
The clearer and more specific your destination, the easier it is to break it down into a set of concrete daily steps you can take.
💪 PERSEVERANCE: Never give up
Sugarman faced a multitude of hurdles getting Cruz into the NBA draft: his boss opposed him, he ran out of funding and he had to deal with a lack of support from those around him. Instead of succumbing to these roadblocks, he persisted and kept adjusting his moves towards achieving his goal.
Once you’re committed to a goal, obstacles will be thrown at you. Trust me, it’s like the universe is testing your commitment.
🤜 PUSH BOUNDARIES: Take risks
Sugarman risked his job by bringing Cruz to America without the approval of his head coach.
Not only does taking risks boost self-confidence, it also increases the confidence of those around the risk-taker because they feel they’re worth the risk.
😌 PATIENCE: Good things take time
Even though there was a tight time frame to prepare Cruz for the draft, Sugarman understood some things can’t be rushed – like the daily training programme he put Cruz on. He didn’t cut corners and he respected the process.
Achieving your long-term goals is going to require patience.
In summary: Find the right coach/mentor to guide you through your journey. They’ll challenge you with new perspectives, accelerate your growth, and keep you accountable to your words and goals while encouraging you along the way. They won’t give up on you, just like how Sugarman never gave up on Bo Cruz. ●