“You have to work hard in the dark to shine in the light.” – Kobe Bryant
An obvious observation in the context of professional sports, not so obvious in every other facet of life (but still true).
The rules in life are looser in definition than the NBA, which is why the practice metaphor often gets lost.
But the thread of truth is this: expecting to excel in anything without consistent practice is the easiest way to lose.
“We win games in practice. We learn and follow the fundamentals of our game better than anyone. All of our games are won in practice.” — Vince Lombardi