Have you seen the post-game interview with Apollos Hester, a high school football player from Texas? I know, I know. How did I go from ballet to football? For one thing, I enjoy football. (Go, Eagles!)
But bear with me. This post is not about the game of football but the spirit of the players. Think Friday Night Lights (the movie, and the television series), The Blind Side, and my favorite, Remember the Titans.
Although these stories revolve around football teams, they are about so much more: facing adversity, looking out for your friends, overcoming prejudice, and succeeding against all odds.
Take a few minutes to watch the video. I’ll wait.
I’ve watched this video over and over. It just makes me smile. Hester is obviously on a post-win high. But think about what he says.
All it takes to be successful is an attitude.
Hester is talking about having a positive attitude. Be positive you will succeed. Believe in yourself. How many of us operate from the flip side? I can’t do that. I never tried that before. I tried that once and I was no good. Of course, you couldn’t do it. You convinced yourself that you would fail before you even began.
It’s gonna be tough; do it for yourself.
My mother told me that nothing worth having comes easy. I face that daily when I write.
Writing is hard work. I don’t say this to brag or to dissuade anyone from writing. It’s just that so many people have told me how amazing it is that I can write. They tell me that they don’t write because “it’s too hard.”
I’ve got news for you: except for a few geniuses that I don’t want to know about, writing is difficult for everyone if you want to do it well. And that’s true for anything you want to excel at.
You can do anything you put your mind to. Never give up on your dreams.
Do you want to compete with Apollos Hester? You’d better spend time in the weight room, do the drills, and listen to your coach. Do you want to join the American Ballet Theatre someday? You’d better get to class every day, perfect your technique, and learn from the masters.
We can all apply these aspirations to whatever we do, whether it’s sports or the arts, getting good grades or getting along with our family and friends. The surest path to success is believing in yourself. When you start doubting yourself or thinking you must be perfect, you will be afraid to try anything.
What’s the biggest challenge you have faced?
