By Tyler Daniel

Welcome to Start Working Stop Wishing—your premier guide to personal and professional excellence.

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I want to share something personal today, the life lessons I learned from basketball, especially being a 5’9” underdog.

I wasn’t the tallest, the fastest, or the most naturally gifted player but there were five key things basketball taught me that have shaped every part of my life:

1. Perseverance
2. Tenacity
3. Adaptability
4. Dog Mentality
5. Outwork Everyone

Showing Up Matters More Than Anything

I wasn’t the biggest guy on the court. I wasn’t the one who was supposed to make the team or be the star player. But I showed up every day, every practice, every game. That consistency? It made all the difference.

Life, just like sports, isn’t a straight line. You get punched in the face, not once, but again and again. The winners? They’re the ones who keep standing back up. Basketball taught me that fight and grit and it still shows up in everything I do.

Choosing the Challenge

When high school started, I picked the sport I knew would push me the hardest which was basketball. Everyone told me I was too small to compete. But I knew one thing for sure: no one was going to outwork me. I earned every minute on the court. Every point. Every rep in practice.

That mindset didn’t stay on the court. It shaped how I handle challenges off the court too.

From the Court to Entrepreneurship

As an entrepreneur, I’ve faced my share of rejection, doubt, and being overlooked. People told me I wasn’t good enough. They said my services weren’t needed but basketball had already prepared me for that.

The lesson was simple: Take the hit. Get back up. Repeat.

The Fight Never Stops

Sports mirror life in so many ways. It’s messy, unpredictable, and sometimes brutal. The ones who keep showing up over and over again are the ones who make it.

So whatever you’re facing today, a tough project, a setback, or just one of those days remember this: the fight you put in now is what shapes your future.

Keep standing up. Keep showing up. Keep grinding.

That’s how winners are made.

-Tyler