I'd work hard because I'm passionate about basketball and competitive sports I'm trying to find a job where I can use my "real life" skills and be passionate about it so that I can work that hard. But I know I'd already be there with bball.. work till it hurts, then work some more
Competitive and hard working people are that way by nature and upbringing regardless of the money. To the ultrarich, money is just a way to keep score. I think that's way for guys like Michael Jordan. They would try to rip out your heart regardless of what they were doing. Where as guys like Tmac would be lazy regardless of the money. Knowing myself, I would probably coast after winning one championship and getting a max contract.
Yeah, some guys don't have the same level of interest past their peak. Some guys primes are very abbreviated. I wonder how many successful NBA players just didnt care for basketball. We come to a basketball message board as fans of the game first and foremost so its difficult to imagine someone with a gift for it not caring about the game. I think a lot of them do like the game but become narcissists and let that get in the way of sustaining their careers past the athleticism that got them there.
However hard I worked, I'd play harder I can't and won't hate on Ricky Williams for "taking a year off to get high", since that's basically how I've spent this last year. The difference is that he's an athlete, and I'm an aspiring writer/comedian. We're not happy unless we're miserable. It's sad when mental problems get in the way of talent in any profession, but athletes really can't afford it. R.I.P. Eddie Griffin.
work my ass off for 4, maybe 5 years. By then you've made more than a lifetime's amount of money. I'd enjoy my life, travel.
As hard as I could for as long as I could for as long as I'd enjoy it. And if it pays something, great.
This. I think most people converge on a certain range of output. Most people who are extremely talented at their craft might put out a smaller level of effort but not necessarily because they are lazy, it's just that everyone already considers that good quality work. Others bust their tails putting in extra hours to be better but that's mostly because they have no choice. I feel there's only a very small percentage of people who work very hard and have elite level talent. And, it's probably naive to think that would change much if others were blessed with more talent.
Honestly . . . we all have natural abilities. . . the question is. . how had have you worked to develop those? If the answer is NOT MUCH . . then I suspect that it would be the same with different abilities. Rocket River