The 5'3" NBA Player Who Cracked the Code of Finding Your Passion

At 5 feet 3 inches and 136 pounds, Muggsy Bogues shouldn't have lasted a day in the NBA. The average player during his rookie season stood 6'7" and weighed 208 pounds. Yet he played professionally for 14 years, finished among the league's all-time assist leaders, and even appeared in Space Jam alongside Michael Jordan.

Meanwhile, Jérémy Gohier, a 7'6" Canadian eighth-grader, seems destined for basketball simply by walking into a room. So why did Bogues—whose height suggested the opposite—develop a lifelong passion for the game?

The answer reveals something profound about how we all discover what truly interests us.

It's Not About Natural Talent

Greg Edwards, who has taught everyone from middle schoolers to 70-year-old returning students, believes the key lies in self-efficacy—our belief in our ability to succeed at specific tasks.

Bogues didn't just happen to love basketball. He was introduced to it early and, crucially, had coach Leon Howard who believed in him and taught him the game. Those early experiences gave him confidence and made him want to continue, despite every physical indicator suggesting he should quit.

Psychologist Albert Bandura identified four factors that build self-efficacy:

Mastery experiences: Small successes that prove "I can do this" Social persuasion: Encouragement from others who believe in you Vicarious learning: Watching others succeed and thinking "If they can, I can" Emotional state: Feeling energized rather than anxious about the activity

Bogues experienced all four while learning basketball. He had supportive coaches, studied successful players, and learned to perform under pressure.

The Confidence-Interest Loop

Edwards' research with teachers using classroom technology revealed the same pattern. Those who felt confident weren't naturally tech-savvy—they'd simply had more support and opportunities to learn.

In his classroom, Edwards has watched this play out countless times. Students who struggle with assignments often assume they're "just bad at it." But once they take a small step and experience minor success, their attitude shifts to "I can do this"—which makes them more willing to keep going and eventually enjoy the subject.

Even Edwards himself experienced this. As a high school senior taking his first speech course, he felt like "a ball of nerves." He had no idea he'd later become a professional communicator, return to the same institution, and win awards teaching speech and writing to students just as nervous as he once was.

Success Doesn't Mean Being the Best

Here's where it gets interesting: you don't have to excel at something to maintain interest in it. People often stick with activities because they help achieve other goals—stress relief, social connection, or personal meaning.

Someone might continue playing guitar not because they're virtuosos, but because it helps them unwind after work. Another person might keep painting because it reminds them of a beloved grandparent, even if their technique never improves.

This explains why access to new experiences matters so much. Without basketball opportunities and training, Bogues' path would've looked completely different. If Bob Ross hadn't decided to take that art class while in the Air Force, the world might never have experienced "The Joy of Painting."

The Opportunity Question

This research raises uncomfortable questions about how interests develop—or don't. If someone never gets the chance to experience early success and encouragement in an area, they might disengage entirely. How many potential passions die simply because people lack access to the right opportunities at the right time?

Consider the implications for education, workplace development, and even parenting. Are we creating enough low-stakes opportunities for people to discover what they might love? Are we providing the support systems that help small interests blossom into lasting passions?

The next time you assume you're "not good at something," ask yourself: have you really had the chance to develop confidence in it?