When the Going Gets Tough . . .

With the U.S. women’s national soccer team winning the 2015 World Cup championship and ballerina Misty Copeland rising to the rank of principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, it’s been a banner summer for pioneering women and girls.

"The Ballet Class" Edgar Degas

The Ballet Class
Edgar Degas

Achieving the rank of principal dancer is difficult for anyone. Misty Copeland faced additional obstacles as an African American. On top of that, as one of six children living in poverty with their single mother, she had no opportunity to attend the ballet let alone take classes.

Many others have written about the significance of Misty’s rise to the top of the ballet world. (Search for “Misty Copeland” and you will find additional articles and interviews.) For me, beyond the issue of race, a key part of the story is her faith in herself.

As an African American, Misty had few role models. Although she had a gifted and supportive mentor in Raven Wilkinson, she saw a world of white when she looked at the stage: white leotards and white tutus, white skin.

Despite that, she refused to allow others to dissuade her from becoming a classical ballerina. In an Under Armour commercial viewed by nearly 9 million people on YouTube, we see Misty dance as she reads from rejection letters giving a litany of reasons why she could not be a ballet dancer.

I don’t know that I could overcome such devastating rejection. She was the wrong body type and had the wrong feet? She was too short? Everything the ballet academies rejected about her were essential to who she was and what she looked like. They could not see her as a ballet dancer because so many of her component parts did not fit the classic ideal.

Misty finally had the opportunity to take ballet class when she turned 13. Although many considered her “too old to be considered,” she had caught a glimpse of a wondrous world, and her hard work and talent soon won her both critical acclaim and scholarships to continue her training. By the time she was 15—two short years after beginning her training—Misty was performing and winning recognition as an up-and-coming ballet star.

Misty Copeland as Swanhilda in "Coppelia" By Gilda N. Squire Gildasquire

Misty Copeland as Swanhilda in Coppelia
By Gilda N. Squire Gildasquire

She didn’t stop there.

She set her sights not only on becoming a professional ballet dancer, but also on dancing for one of the world’s premier ballet companies. Even after she achieved her dream of dancing with the American Ballet Theatre, she still wrestled with doubts about herself. Yet she continued to work, she never gave up, and she set new goals.

We all fall prey to self-doubt whether we’re the student waiting to hear if he’s been accepted to his dream college or the athlete hoping to make her varsity soccer team. It’s how we face those self-doubts that defines us.

So often the difference between those who achieve their dreams and those who fall short is not a lack of talent but a lack of faith. In a previous post I quoted philosopher William James who said, “People by and large become what they think of themselves.”

What dreams do you nurture for yourself? What obstacles have you faced? What do you think of yourself?

Never Give Up on Your Dreams

football-152827_640Have 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.

dance-271108_640You 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?