Our Story

Beyond the Game Journal was created from a moment of reflection, one sparked by a quote from Nikola Jokić:

“If you want to be successful, you need a couple years. You need to be bad, then you need to be good. Then when you’re good, you need to fail. Then when you fail, you’re going to figure it out. Experience isn’t about what happened to you, it’s about what you’re going to do about what happened to you... there is a process …there’s steps you need to fulfill. There is no shortcuts, it’s a journey and I’m glad I’m part of the journey.”

- Nikola Jokić

During a difficult period in my life, his words hit me harder than I expected. They captured exactly what I was feeling.

In high school, a major injury took basketball away from me, a game that had shaped my identity for as long as I could remember. Losing it forced me to confront who I was without the sport. It pushed me to reflect on the mental side of the game, the importance of gratitude, and the reality that life has meaning beyond wins, losses, and performance.

When the Denver Nuggets won the NBA Championship, Jokić spoke about balance, gratitude, and life beyond basketball. Those words stayed with me. They reminded me that personal growth isn’t just something that happens on the court, it happens in quiet moments of honesty and reflection.

That realization became the foundation for this journal.

As I started gathering quotes and teachings from other NBA players and coaches, a pattern emerged, lessons about resilience, mindset, perspective, and gratitude. These lessons helped me find peace and purpose during one of the hardest times in my life.

My hope is that this journal becomes that space for you.
A place to slow down, reflect, and rediscover who you are beyond the game. Whether you're working through challenges, chasing big goals, or simply trying to grow, I hope these pages help you gain clarity and confidence.

No matter what you’re facing, may this journal remind you, just as it reminded me, that there is always something to be grateful for.

– Jack Magoon (The Creator of Beyond the Game Journal)