Risk: Why “3 > 2”

On a basketball court, there is a designated arc called the three point arc or thee point line.

In a basketball game, if a player has both of their feet outside the three point arc and successfully shoots and makes a basket, the player is awarded 3 points.  If a player shoots from inside the three point arc, the player is awarded 2 points. 

Since three point shots are more difficult to make, they therefore involve more risk to take in a basketball game.  There have been a number of statistical studies done on the effectiveness of taking three point shots in a basketball game.  In general, it has been concluded from those studies that taking and making just 33% of three point shots in a game is just as effective as taking and making 50% of two point shots. 

Taking and making more than 33% of three point shots in a game includes a greater risk but also provides a greater reward including having much better chance in winning the game.  For example, if Team A took 50 three points and made just 38% of them, they would score 57 points (50 x 0.38 x 3 = 57) and if Team B took 50 two point shots and made 50% of them, they would score only 50 points (50 x 0.50 x 2 = 50).

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan

From 1995 to 1997 (including playoffs), Michael Jordan as a Chicago Bull, made 287 of 748 three point shoots, shooting 38.4% from beyond the three point arc.  The Chicago Bulls won 72 out of 82 games in 1995-1996 and were NBA champions and were also NBA champions for 1996-1997 winning 69 out of 82 games.

Taking and making 3 point shots in a game also offers a number of reward outcomes that are not available by taking and making 2 point shots.  The reward outcomes are only available by taking, “3 > 2” actions in a basketball game.

One reward outcome of making a three point shot is quickly getting ahead in a game.  Another reward outcome is quickly catching up in the game. Yet another reward outcome is generating excitement in the game.  All of these reward outcomes are only available by taking and making shots beyond the three point arc because three points are greater than two points in a basketball game.

Just like in a basketball game, in your own life you have a three point arc called your major life arc.  Your major life arc is the boundary of your very own three point life zone.  Your major life arc is an outer boundary that you operate within during your daily life.  Thus, your major life arc defines a set of behavioral constructs that define and predict how you will react to the situations you encounter in your daily life. 

Inside your major life arc is your very own two point life zone.  Your two point life zone is also your comfort zone, a zone inside of which you feel safe, secure, at ease, in control, without stress and where all things are familiar.  In your own two point life zone inside your major life arc, you are likely to be very consistent about how you feel about a given situation and how your react to events that occur.  You may already be and continue to be very successful in life inside your very own two point life zone.  So you will also likely be very resistant to moving outside the boundary of your own two point life zone past your major life arc into your own three point life zone to take any risks to initiate any change you desire in your life or embrace and cope with events associated with undesired change (e.g., a, breakup, death, divorce, loss of a job, change in a living situation, etc.) in your own life.

Always operating inside your own major life arc, your own two point life zone, and reacting to situations based on the same emotions and taking the same actions over and over will never do anything for you except lock you into maintaining your own status quo.   Always operating inside the major life arc of your life in your own two point life zone will keep you in a continuous, lower risk, steady state, a state in which you may become a prisoner in your own existence, a place that keeps you from achieving your full potential and living your dreams in this lifetime.

To initiate any change you desire or embrace and cope with events associated with undesired change in your own life, you must step completely outside your major life arc with both feet into your own three point life zone and take “3 > 2” risk actions.  Doing so will dynamically change your internal and external boundaries of your major life arc, where a set of new rich and diverse experiences is possible. Only then will you experience the transitions, transformations and personal growth you desire.

I am a 3 point shooter in my life. How about you?

Out There on the Edge of Everything®…

Stephen Lesavich, PhD

Copyright © 2020, by Stephen Lesavich, PhD.  All rights reserved.

Certified solution-focused life coach and experienced business coach.

Click Here to listen to the Podcast associated with this blog post.

3 > 2™ coaching is a solution-focused life coaching modality created by Dr. Stephen Lesavich. 3 > 2 coaching is based in part on understanding and changing your life arcs, which are your own internal and external personal boundaries and beliefs. 3 > 2 life coaching techniques help you evaluate the risk versus reward of choices available to you to intentionially manifest change in your life or effectly handle unwanted change in your life. For more information on 3 > 2 coaching see coachsl.life.