Kye "K" Chung

On the surface, it appears Jeremy Lin became an overnight sensation. The reality, however, is quite a different story. His journey to stardom began years ago with no fanfare. Let me share a handful of observations about his career:

1. This young star began getting ready when no one was watching. Jeremy Lin was an un-recruited high school player who attended Harvard University. He wanted to get a good education and prepare for what came next.
2. Jeremy Lin played basketball at Harvard, but again, no one really wanted him after college. He was disappointed, but knew he’d just have to keep working. He did not give up on his dream, however, when no one drafted him.
3. Jeremy Lin continued playing in the face of two NBA rejections. After being acquired by two franchises, both let him go, not seeing any potential for play in the NBA. One might think that after two experiences like this, you’d begin to get the idea.
4. When the Knicks finally signed Jeremy Lin and kept him, he was willing to sit on the bench and sleep on his brother’s sofa. He continued to practice and wait for his opportunity to come one day.
5. When his day came—probably sooner than he expected with his teammates injuries—Jeremy Lin was ready. At 23 years old, he came of the bench and held a clinic on the court for everyone to see.

I believe Jeremy Lin is a living example of one of our Habitudes. It’s called: “Pop Quiz.”The truth of this principle is simple—On the journey to leadership, life gives you pop quizzes. Effective people have prepared and are ready for such tests. They embrace them as friends not foes, and rise to the challenge. Just like a pop quiz comes unannounced and only the prepared do well, leaders—like Jeremy Lin—have been preparing all their lives for such quizzes. Most of it has been in solitude. Hmmm. And people call him an overnight sensation. I beg to differ. Jeremy Lin has done his homework.