Risk: Why 3 is greater than 2

On a basketball court, there is a designated arc called the three point arc or three 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 of all available shots in a game is just as effective as taking and making 50% of two point shots of all available shots in a game.

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 a better chance of 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. These three point shots helped the Chicago Bulls win 72 out of 82 games in the 1995-1996 season, 69 out of 82 games in the 1996-1997 and two NBA championships.

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 only point shots.  The reward outcomes are only available by taking, “3 > 2” risk 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 and involve greater risk.

This video shows how a good three-point shooter can get his team quickly ahead in a game.

You may be wondering why I am talking about basketball when all of my blog posts and podcasts have been related to personal development. It is this.

The reward outcome of taking “3 > 2” actions in a basketball game inspired me to create a new coaching modality.

“The reward outcome of taking “3 > 2″ actions in a basketball game inspired me to create a new life coaching modality based on life arcs.”

STEPHEN LESAVICH, PhD

3 > 2® coaching is based in part on understanding and changing your life arcs.  Your life arcs 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 intentionally manifest change in your life you desire or effectually handle unwanted change in your life.

To schedule a personal 3 > 2® coaching session, please contact me.

Get additional insights on the Risk and Why 3 > 2 from the Out There on the Edge of Everything® Podcast.

Just like in a basketball game, in a 3 > 2 environment, your life is defined by a set of life arcs.  Your set of life arcs includes a major life arc and multiple minor life arcs.

Your major life arc and minor life arcs define a set of behavioral constructs that predict how you will react to the situations you encounter in your daily life. 

Your major life arc is similar to the three point arc on a basketball floor and is the boundary of your very own three point life zone. 

Your major life arc is therefore an outer boundary that you can operate within during your daily life, but with greater risk and with greater reward outcomes. 

However, very few of you ever have enough courage to operate outside your major life arc.

Inside your major life arc is your very own two point life zone with multiple different minor life arcs.  

Your minor life arcs include a set of internal and external physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual boundaries.

Your internal and external boundaries include rules and principles you live by, including what you will or will not, say, do or allow others to say or do to you.

One of you minor life arcs is called your comfort zone.

Your comfort zone is a zone inside of which you feel safe, secure, at ease, in control, without stress and where all things are familiar. 

Within your own comfort zone, 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 comfort zone. 

However, always operating inside your comfort 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.

So you will also likely be very resistant to moving outside the boundary of your own two point life zone into your own three point life zone.

However, to initiate any change you desire 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.) you are experiencing 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 life arcs, and create a set of new rich and diverse experiences.

Only then will you experience the transitions, transformations and personal growth you truly desire and create a positive impact in your own life.

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

Out There on the Edge of Everything®…

Stephen Lesavich, PhD

Copyright © 2022, by Stephen Lesavich, PhD.  All rights reserved.

Certified solution-focused life coach and experienced business coach.