Productivity Tip #2: Watch all 82 NBA Games & the Playoffs
I started watching TV & Movies from a very young age from the Snow White VHS tapes (yes I was born in the 90s) to Dragonball re-runs and lots of 70s Sci-Fi. Some might call me a tv nerd. Just kidding, everyone would call me a tv nerd.
But no TV program has had a more profound impact on me than the NBA. Growing up, the NBA meant everything to me. It was a showcase of stardom — the perfect intersection where skill & finesse met sheer, raw athleticism.
Mamba Mentality #2: “Be Obsessive”
My love for the NBA ended up turning into an obsession…and it got really bad in 2008.
Every other day at 7PM, I watched LeBron James & the Cleveland Cavaliers add wins to their bid for a World Championship. I was committed to watching all 82 games, memorizing every player’s stats, collecting trading cards, running my own Fantasy League, and buying team merch.
Needless to say, my parents weren’t happy.
Asians don’t play ball, we play piano
You see, as an Asian American household, sports weren’t the most favored extra curricular activity. We did things like go to piano lessons, SAT boot camp classes, and weekend Chinese School.
But what most Asian parent don’t know is that every Asian American kid is yearning a way to escape from that world. Eddie Huang found Hip-Hop, I found the NBA.
Ironically, My obsession ended up breeding a hoard of unhealthy habits — profuse snacking, bailing on friend hangouts, buying way too much fan gear… the list goes on…
“You can’t keep watching this much TV, so we need to change something”.
I was in the 8th grade in 2008 and as a good Asian student I had already started taking a few high-school courses. AKA the grades actually mattered.
But I had to watch all 82 games. This was the year the Cavs were going to win. This was the year of the King.
So, I struck a deal with my mom, “If I get straight A’s, then I get to keep watching.” And that’s when I started learning how to be more efficient with my time. I’d spend some school lunches working on homework due the next day, stay up a little later, do next week’s homework on weekend. I’d even ask some of the older kids to see if they had old tests so that I could be more prepared for tests.
Obsessiveness helps you prioritize what really matters
Despite all my hard work, the Cavaliers still lost. But it didn’t feel like a wasted effort. In some weird way, my obsession with the NBA taught me how to work more efficiently and get creative with my productivity.
And now, I can proudly say that I’ve gotten rid of the unhealthy habits — I spend quality time with friends, focus on my career, and take care of my health. Don’t get me wrong I still love the NBA. I’ll still check stats and read up on NBA news everyday, but I now understand how to balance it out with the other aspects of my life.
And in recent years, it’s been exciting to see the kind of impact the NBA has had in America. It’s transformed into a platform where people can talk freely about social issues, a showcase for new fashion and cultural ideas, and even a place of education for the next generation.
What sports do you love? If you’re not a sports person, what things are you obsessed about?
Feel free to drop a line! iamtedko@gmail.com
