WE ALL WANT TO SUCCEED. In our careers, on the court, and in everything we do. So what separates the great from the rest of the pack? Call it ambition, focus, determination, or grit. We call it drive—the unrelenting desire to achieve your goal. We sat down with men of accomplishment and got them to share their wisdom, their insights—AND THEIR DRIVE.

Widely considered the best point guard of his generation, Chris Paul (AKA CP3) boasts nine NBA All-Star appearances, seven All-NBA team selections, two Olympic gold medals, and a bevy of other superstar-status accolades. Over the course of his illustrious career, his pursuits on the court only tell a small portion of his story. We caught up with CP3 during a break in his preparations for another playoff run to learn about his drive outside of “the paint.”

How does a guy build the life he wants—and achieve your level of success?

It all depends on what you want out of life. Some people want fame, money, and notoriety. And that’s okay. But I believe you need to reach for more in yourself. And give more of yourself. For me, basketball has always been my passion. It’s how I express myself. But it is also a platform. Yes, it’s given me the opportunity to see the world. But it is not who I am.

Here’s what I know—never confuse your work with your identity. Your job is what you do, not who you are. Who you are is up to you. As you strive for success, remember who you are and where you come from and who loves you. I always keep in mind the value of family and the importance of relationships. It’s easy to become materialistic. You have to remember it’s easy to get “stuff,” but it all means nothing unless you have someone to share it with.

I always tell people I am not perfect. But I do have parents who inspire me. Their values inspired me. The biggest thing they taught me is to be strong in your faith. And then the importance of family. Your family makes you live into something bigger and better than yourself.

You take responsibility for yourself. And when you hit tough times, you know your family is always there. In any job, in all of our lives, there’s good games and bad games; good days and bad days. But if you haven’t built a foundation of love and support—and that’s the primary point of life—then what have you done?

"All of us have the ability to give; it’s not just about money. You can give your time, your advice, your counsel, your love."

What drives you?

The ability to try and change the world. Like I said, I realize I have a platform and it has given me the opportunity to affect change. We all have a platform; you just have to see what is in front of you. My biggest passion right now is trying to put technology in underprivileged areas. When my son was about to go into kindergarten last year, my wife and I went to look at the school, and we were blown away by the technology available for just a first grader. While I was grateful my son would get this amazing education, I could only think about kids on the other side of town who aren’t getting this opportunity. That day I said to my wife, “We need to do something about this.” And now, one school at a time, we are. Because we have to start somewhere. I just want to do what I can to give opportunity to everyone, to kids. All I think about is leveling the playing field.

When I was in high school, guys like Kobe and Iverson and Jason Kidd inspired me. I wanted to be like them. Now, I get inspired by philanthropists like Bill Gates. Seeing what he does, what he puts not just his money behind, but his beliefs—that’s powerful. Look at his malaria initiative. That alone is amazing. Think about it: You can put an actual number on the lives he’s saved, the difference he’s made in the world. All of us have the ability to give; it’s not just about money. You can give your time, your advice, your counsel, your love.

What’s the advice you give rookies?

This isn’t just for rookies—this is for everyone: Always make the effort to realize what you don’t know.

Source: gq.com

Date Posted: Sunday, June 19th, 2016 , Total Page Views: 1347