LeBron’s “Becoming”: Focusing on the Journey, Not Just the Destination #RESM560V

Last week, LeBron James announced that he would be producing and starring in a new Disney XD program called “Becoming”. The program, which will be co-developed by ESPN Films and James’ Springhill Production Company, will look back on the paths of star athletes before they were famous. As such, the show will not seek to glorify athletes at the top but instead inspire them with an aspirational path. Showing kids a player’s path is far more beneficial, as it gives them a human to relate with and not an idol to worship.

It was the stories about Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders and Allen Iverson that kept me dreaming. When I learned that they had some of the same struggles and challenges I did, it made everything seem possible. That’s what Becoming is all about. — LeBron James on “Becoming”

Have you ever had a big New Year’s Resolution that fell flat after a few weeks? We humans are often highly aspirational but focus so much on the end goal that we fail along the way. A far better strategy is breaking things into smaller pieces. The struggles that will arise are more likely to be foreseen and addressed without us getting overwhelmed. When we focus on the big picture we fail, but when we focus on the smaller steps we give ourselves a fighting chance. With “Becoming”, James promotes this healthier mindset for young fans. Showing kids that their struggles are the same that star athletes faced at the same age shrinks aspirations of stardom down into smaller, more achievable pieces.

There are many outspoken critics of athletes as role models (don’t bring it up with Charles Barkley). Exceptional personal behavior is not a prerequisite for athletic prowess, and instances of bad behavior are nearly always magnified by an athlete’s high public status. Indeed, the opinion of this author is that athletes should not be role models. Nevertheless, athletes will continue to be role models that kids look to first. James’ “Becoming” does not tell kids not to see athletes as role models. Instead it just takes focus off of the player’s big picture successes and places it on the relatable, real-life road to that success. In doing so, “Becoming” will provide kids with a healthier model with which they can relate as they grow.