His friends thought him crazy - it was hours before the game - why tire yourself out, they had said to him on the way to the school gym. He paid them no mind, because they didn't get it. It wasn't like he played the entire time he was there, early before all - no way. His early time was spent, walking the entire circumference of the gym floor to get his body and mind ready - warmed up to go the distance. Time was spent with a few runs from one end to the other - working his muscles - loosening his joints - shooting a few hoops, dribbling, visualizing his game - his plays - getting comfortable with the intention of making a few 3 point shots! They didn't understand how bad he wanted this - they had to know, in order to achieve excellence - it required practice, the sacrifice of time - the determination to be the best meant you had to give something up - time! Nothing of value came without the willingness to spend the needed time now - to get where you wanted to be later. No matter how many things in life were made for instant gratification, so many things speeded up to produce NOW - they still would never be as good as the stuff that took TIME to build - that was the "Reality" - time equals = excellence - and that's why Maurice Brand, was at the gym before all - giving up his precious time now - to be known as the very best - later. His goal was to stand out from the rest - to execute his best! And he was willing to take as much time - as was needed, to see the reward at the end. =*=*=*= Credits =*=*=*= M4 complete @ Daz3d Double Trouble by MutedBanshee @ Daz3d Basketball set for M4 by Andrey @ Daz3d The Court @ Sharecg.com