Three Essential Success Drivers demonstrated by Bobby Simmons.

The Washington Wizards were playing Seattle Sonics and the stadium was in an uproar as the initiative passed from one team to the other, in a tight, fast-paced and excruciatingly tense game. Bobby Simmons was watching from the Wizards bench, a seat he'd lately become all too familiar with.

In fact during that whole 02/03 season, Bobby played only 36 games for an average of 10.5 minutes each. His average points per game stood at only 3.3.

But the fact that he was benched didn't dampen Bobby's enthusiasm, or his spirit. He watched his teammates, out on the court playing their hearts out. Though sidelined, to all intents and purposes he was there with them. Completely absorbed in the game, his eyes never left the ball as it ricocheted around the court. With extraordinary peripheral vision he kept tabs on every man out there, mentally pre-empting their moves, and imagining himself making the winning shots. His concentration was complete.

Bobby continued to demonstrate that same tenacity, commitment and positive attitude every single day. He trained hard--at 7.30 a.m. he'd would be at the gym--sometimes alone, working-out for up to six hours a day. He eagerly joined the on-court huddles; studied game strategy and form, and practiced, practiced, practiced, both on court and inside his head, working that ball from every conceivable angle.

Two years later, The 6'6", 228lb small forward had a breakout season during the 2004-05 campaign with the Los Angeles Clippers in which he averaged a career-high 16.39 points per game. He was rewarded for his stellar play with the NBA Most Improved Player Award by a landslide vote. In 2005, he signed a five-year contract with The Milwaukee Bucks for $47 million.

The message? Well, Bobby's heart of a champion story is a powerful one on many levels. He could have sunk without trace. But Bobby isn't the kind of guy to wallow in self-pity. Defeat is never on his agenda. Yes, he'd attended classes at De Paul University, but long before that, like me, Bobby had graduated from a far tougher school: the school of Winners and Losers, the University of the Streets. One thing you can be sure of: true Streetwise graduates never, ever give up their pursuit of the dream.

I was fortunate enough to be part of Bobby's journey and I'm deeply proud of my little brother. His story is inspiration for us all. Bobby took the best 'conditioning' the streets could provide, and made it work for him. He embraced the three essential drivers required for success--mind-power, positive attitude and persistence--and applied them his life, every single day.

The result? He's recognized as a world - class basketball player, and takes his place beside some of the wealthiest young men in America. In short he converted his Streetwise lessons into SUCCESS. Believe me, I know my brother Bobby well, and this is just the beginning.

Check out Bobby's foundation, The Rising Stars.