Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Each day brings a new opportunity to succeed
With the right motivation, we can do almost anything. I've had some experience with this and would like to share a story. It happened when I was playing soccer.
Every day before practice, the coach had us stretch and warm up. Then he made us run a mile. It was competitive and I'm happy to say I routinely finished second. The guy who always won was a long-distance runner on the school track team. He had won the county meet the year before and was only on the soccer team to keep in shape. I was happy.
Then one day in science class, I heard a girl (Harper) ask a fellow from my team why he lets me beat him. He explained everyone tried, but that "Rick wins." {No one considered the track fellow part of the race} Harper pointed out that "Rick comes in second" and started teasing me about losing. She was trying to get my goat. It worked. So I decided I would beat that guy.
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably know what happened next. Every day I pushed harder and harder. Then, finally, it was our last day of practice. That would be my day! When it was time to run, the track man and I were both practically sprinting from the start, both determined to win. He pulled ahead. I pulled even, back and forth. He was ahead of me coming into the last 50 yards. I gave it everything I had and pulled even again.
Then he gave it everything he had and he beat me! Again!!! You thought I was going to win, didn't you??? Me too! LOL, but not that time. (I did say with the right motivation we can do ALMOST anything.) The scrawny long-distance runner beat me every day, fair and square. :D
But it was a good lesson. That's how it goes sometimes. We can do our best, do everything right, and still not come out on top. But we keep trying because each day brings a new opportunity to succeed.
Remember that. If you had a bad day, week or year, it's okay. That can change tomorrow.
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Too bad it wasn't a made-for-tv ending but you were faster than yesterday, so that's great!
ReplyDeleteThank you! You're right, improving is an accomplishment regardless of who won.
DeleteI forgot that I had a secret for running faster--new shoes! At least it worked when I was 6 (I need to do a post on that). If only I'd had a new pair that day. :)
This is SO freaking true. It is how it goes sometimes and we can try as hard as we possibly can and things can still not happen for us. It's life and a good reality to face. But it shouldn't prevent us from trying the next time
ReplyDeleteHope should spring eternal. And if something doesn't work out for us, it doesn't mean we failed or are deficient. Like you said, it's life!
Deletegood lesson. we get this message every day now that if we just try hard enough, we can get everything we want or reach any goal. but that's simply not true. which doesn't mean we shouldn't try. because we never know which situation can be dominated and which cannot. so we have to navigate uncertainty...
ReplyDeleteLearning how to lose and carry on is crucial. I'm not a fan of the trophies for everyone, let's not keep score approach that is used in some little league sports now--of course, I'm not a fan of jerky, hyper-competitive coaches and parents yelling at the kids either.
DeleteThis is a good story. We should all learn that sometimes it's just not in the cards, hard as that is to swallow!
ReplyDelete