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Jeremy Lin Can Teach Us All Something

February 15, 2012 · 43 comments

in Life, Personal Finance

Jeremy Lin is an unexpected success story out of the NBA.

In a nutshell, he was a star basketball player in high school.  Although he was talented, colleges were not pounding down his door and handing him scholarships.  Some colleges said he could try and walk on, and Harvard and Brown both said he could play for them.  In the end, Lin chose to attend and play for Harvard.

His college career was impressive.  He was selected All Ivy-League First Team, and Harvard had some great seasons while Lin played. However, the NBA was not begging Lin to come play.  As a matter of fact, Lin was not even drafted in 2010. That didn’t deter Lin though.  He went to the Dallas Mavericks mini camp and also played in their summer league.  This got Lin noticed and next thing you know, Lin is getting offers from the Mavericks, Lakers, and Golden State Warriors.  In the end, Lin signed with the Warriors, which was his favorite team growing up.

Lin did not stay long with Golden State, and he eventually ended up getting picked up on waivers by the New York Knicks in December of 2011.   Lin was not guaranteed a very illustrious role – he was going to be third string point guard, although he was quickly assigned to the D League.  However, the move worked out pretty well because Lin had a triple double in one of the D League games and ended up being recalled by the Knicks pretty quickly.

However, Lin still didn’t start and his roster spot was shaky at best.  But, the Knicks started playing pretty poorly and coach Mike D’Antoni decided to let Lin have some play time.  What happens next is an athletes dream come true:

On February 4th, Lin scored 25 points against the New Jersey Nets.  He started the next game against the Utah Jazz and scored 28 points.  On February 10th, Lin scored 38 points against the Lakers.    Next thing you know, Lin is named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.  That is an accomplishment you don’t see very often from a Harvard graduate!

Please Don’t Ever Change Lin!!

Whereas just about everyone loves a Cinderella story, what makes this story so wonderful to me is Lin himself.  He is getting his 15 minutes of fame right now, and you don’t see him running around getting tattoos and hanging out in bars. Instead he is crashing on teammates couches and crediting God for his success.  His priority is his friends and family, and not fame and fortune.

How refreshing!

Of course, we are just at the beginning of Jeremy Lin’s story and time will tell what happens with his career and how he handles his new ‘status’.  I just hope that he manages to stick to his values and doesn’t end up in the ‘fast lane’. It would be great if in five years we read about how superstar Jeremy Lin owns a cute house in the suburbs and lives a happy little life.

Dreams Can Come True!

Jeremy Lin’s story is a unique one, and quite extraordinary.  However, it is just more proof that just about anything is possible.  If Lin can go from Harvard to the NBA, think of all the smaller-scale things that are possible!

One of the things that holds many people back from chasing their own dreams is the fear of failure, or the thought that the dream or goal is just unattainable.  Well, a lot of people meet their goals each and every day.  Some goals are easier than others, but I really believe you can do just about anything if you have a strong work ethic, some intelligence, and the drive to succeed.

Keep in mind though, dreams do not come true overnight.  You can’t expect to suddenly become a professional photographer if you don’t own proper equipment and have enough training.  If you prepare yourself both emotionally, mentally, and financially, nothing should be able to stop you.  Just make your plan, and go after it!

Does something stop you from chasing your dreams?  Or, do you have a plan in place so you can live your dream?

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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

Niki February 15, 2012 at 12:00 pm

It’s nice to hear a story about someone who has a sensible head on their shoulders. Too many people getting recognition for basically being useless.

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Kris February 15, 2012 at 10:36 pm

Niki, can you believe how many people are famous for now, and for no apparent reason at all? I think that Snooki is the one that makes me angriest, or maybe Paris Hilton.

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Joe Plemon February 15, 2012 at 3:25 pm

Wow! What an inspiring story. It is so refreshing to hear of someone who sticks it out, reaches unexpected success and continues to be humble and give God credit. Reminds me of quarterback Kurt Warner who led the St Louis Rams to a Super Bowl title a few years back. He went from grocery store clerk to Most Valuable Player in only a couple of years…and always remained humble.

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Kris February 15, 2012 at 10:35 pm

You are right Joe, I didn’t really think about it until you mentioned the similarities between Lin and Warner.

Let’s hope Lin stays humble, it is such a great story and what a role model for people of all ages.

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Krantcents February 15, 2012 at 3:36 pm

Background and values influence all of us. Apparently, his parents intilled good values in Jeremy Lin and it shows, although sleeping on other people’s couches may be a bit extreme.

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Kris February 15, 2012 at 10:34 pm

I don’t think it was long-term sleeping on couches. I think he was in a pinch, and I believe he will soon be moving into an apartment in NYC for just under 4k a month.

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Jenna, Adaptu Community Manager February 15, 2012 at 4:30 pm

Love the story of Lin. Thanks for sharing.

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Kris February 15, 2012 at 10:33 pm

I love the story too Jenna, and I am always happy to share a positive story! 🙂

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Thad P @ thadthoughts.com February 15, 2012 at 9:47 pm

Awesome story. He is an inspiration, not because he made it in the NBA (not very many do that), but because he didn’t give up on himself, and once success began to come his way he stayed humble (so far), giving credit to his teammates.

One friend said today the real test will be whether Carmello Anthony’s ego will be too big to share any of the spotlight with anyone else.

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Kris February 15, 2012 at 10:32 pm

He is such a low key player, I will be shocked if he goes the way of Miley Cyrus and others if his fame (and bank account) continues to grow.

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Thad P @ thadthoughts.com February 18, 2012 at 1:15 pm

The response of different communities to Lin’s success has been really interesting. Not surprising, but definitely interesting.

I would guess the NBA is ecstatic about him–makes NBA all the more marketable to Taiwan and China.

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Christa February 16, 2012 at 11:10 am

This is an amazing story of perserverance and belief in his abilities despite all odds. Thanks for sharing!

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Kris February 18, 2012 at 10:02 am

I just hope his streak continues and he continues to be a humble guy.

I love stories like this. So much better than what I usually see on the news.

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Tie the Money Knot February 16, 2012 at 11:24 am

I really like the whole Jeremy Lin story. He’s a guy who persevered despite being cut by multiple NBA teams, and despite not playing for a college basketball powerhouse. Of course, a Harvard degree is better to have than most others, but that’s besides the point 🙂

Anyway, his perseverence, work ethic, and drive to get better have all seemingly helped him take advantage of this opportunity. I really enjoyed how he dropped 38 points on the Lakers and Kobe Bryant. Sometimes people just need a chance.

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Kris February 18, 2012 at 10:00 am

Wouldn’t it be great to ‘fall back’ on your Harvard degree? 🙂

I loved how he beat Kobe, heh heh.

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