Challenging the Myth: Why You (Can’t) Be Anything You Want

I hear people tell kids all the time, “You can be anything you want, if you work hard enough.” The truth is, you can’t. You can’t be something you don’t have the physical size, strength, aptitude, or qualifications for. That’s just reality.

I’d love to be in the NBA… but the average guard in the league is 6’4″, shoots lights out, and has cat-quick handles. I’m 0 for 3. Like little kids scream in Walmart, “But I want it!” Tough, kid… it isn’t happening.

My dad told me as a young teacher and coach that I needed to get my Master’s degree so I’d never be passed over for a job because I wasn’t qualified. I didn’t want to go back to school—but he was right. As I started thinking about becoming an Athletic Director, I saw quickly that the little piece of paper in the frame on the wall was the key to even applying for jobs. I couldn’t be something I wanted if I wasn’t qualified, no matter how bad I wanted it.

What We Should Be Telling Athletes

So what do we really need to tell our athletes if we’re being honest? If they can’t be anything they want in reality, how do we support them in pursuing their dreams?

Answer: Teach them to be honest with themselves about who they are, what they’ve been blessed with, what they’re willing to work for, and what they’re willing to give up to attain it.

I earned my Master’s degree while teaching a full load of high school English classes, coaching varsity basketball, and raising a young family. I had to stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning writing papers because it was the only block of time I had. It was incredibly tough, but I knew that was the only way—and since I could do it, I did. The NBA dream… well, I couldn’t grow 4 inches or suddenly gain the athleticism and skill it required, so I accepted that and pursued coaching instead.

We need to be honest with kids and push them to pursue their dreams while grounding them in attainable goals. They can’t have a D1 goal with a junior high work ethic.

If a player is a mid-level high school athlete, they’re not going to be a mid-level collegiate athlete. They’ll fall to the bottom of the roster or get cut. That’s reality. To reach collegiate dreams, their work ethic has to change—fast and dramatically.

If they want to take more shots or score more in your offense, they need to put in the work to earn that role. It won’t just happen. If your player has the body, skills, and potential to play NAIA-level basketball, they need to train and prepare like an NCAA D2 athlete. That work ethic increases their odds of playing at either level—and joining the 6% of high school athletes who make it to college athletics. That’s an incredible accomplishment.

Understanding where an athlete fits now—and pushing one level higher—prepares them for success wherever they land. A 5’9″ kid can play D1 basketball. It’s been done. But they’ll have to be exponentially better than the 6’5″ kid with similar skills for a coach to take that size risk. That’s reality.

Ballogy helps kids do the work that matters.
We track growth and improvement. We measure effort and results. We help kids build better habits, better skills, and a better basketball mind—through hard work and honest assessment.

Let Ballogy help you and your athletes reach their honest potential today.