I think every time I go in a game, I have added something

The words of Rebecca Lobo—“I think every time I go in a game, I have added something positive. I have gotten a rebound or made a defensive play. That is what I try to focus on.”—are not simply about the court, but about the larger stage of life itself. They remind us that greatness is not measured only in the dazzling scores or the applause of the crowd, but in the steady, unseen contributions that hold the team together. A rebound, a block, a defensive play—small acts that may not echo loudly, yet they are the foundation of victory.

The origin of this wisdom can be traced to the ancient way of seeing virtue: not in grand gestures alone, but in the consistent doing of one’s part. In the arenas of Greece, the champions of old were not praised merely for their speed or strength, but for their discipline, their willingness to labor for the whole rather than the self. Lobo speaks in this same spirit: that the measure of the player is not whether they shine brightest, but whether they give something positive, however humble, each time they step forward.

Consider the tale of Horatius at the Bridge, the Roman soldier who held back the enemy not with triumphs of glory but with grit and endurance. His act of defense, seemingly simple, saved the city. Like Lobo’s defensive play, it was not about being seen but about standing firm. History remembers that Rome endured because one man refused to yield. So too in life, it is often the unseen acts of defense, of protection, of steadfastness that carry the day.

Or reflect upon Mother Teresa, who did not seek the grand achievement of wealth or influence, but rather sought to add one small positive action each day: feeding a hungry child, comforting the dying, tending to the forgotten. Like Lobo gathering a rebound, her focus was on the simple, the immediate, the possible. Yet in the gathering of many small deeds, she wove a legacy that covered the earth. Her example reminds us that the greatness of life is built not by one towering act, but by countless humble ones.

The lesson here is luminous: do not chase always the glory of the spotlight. Instead, focus on what you can contribute. Ask yourself: What small positive thing can I add today? It may be a word of encouragement, a task well done, a kindness unnoticed. Like the rebound that gives a team another chance, such actions may seem minor, yet they may alter the entire course of events. Victory in life is not made of one shining moment, but of countless small moments strung together.

Practical wisdom calls us to adopt this focus. In your work, seek to bring one positive addition—an idea, a solution, or even a spirit of encouragement. In your family, offer a gesture of defense—standing firm for what is right, protecting those who lean on you. In your friendships, be the steady one who lifts others when they fall. These are the rebounds of life, the defensive plays that may not always be seen, but without which no victory can last.

Thus, let Rebecca Lobo’s words be remembered as a teaching for all generations: true greatness is not in dazzling the world, but in making sure that whenever you are called into the game, you add something positive. Let each of us, then, resolve to leave every place better than we found it, to contribute not always in grand strokes but in faithful ones. For in the end, it is the accumulation of these small, steady offerings that builds the strength of a life, a team, a people.