Letter To My Younger Self By David Robinson

I had the opportunity to coach at the US Naval Academy for a year and half. It was a fascinating experience and I now see references to the Academy all over the place -- references that went clear over my head a few years ago. This morning, I read a great article on The Player's Tribune featuring USNA alum David Robinson. Here are a couple of my favorite parts:

How do you build a solid vocabulary? The same way you build a house. Brick by brick. Word by word. Night after night. The same rule applies to learning to swim, or developing a post move, or building a business. Preparation is everything. This is a simple but undeniable truth that is completely lost on you at 18 years old.

When you fail the swim test, don’t get too bent out of shape. Just remember how your father built up your vocabulary with that thick dictionary. Practice, son.