This is the second in our series on the 10 C’s to Building Momentum.
A few years ago, a very compelling movie made its debut. The Pursuit of Happyness was based on the real life story of Chris Gardner who went from being homeless to being a millionaire. Chris had all the odds stacked against him from an early age; and the reality is, he had plenty of legitimate excuses for failing – yet he refused to give up. He got knocked down many times, but he just did not give up. He believed he could succeed. He believed he could learn what he needed to learn to do the job he needed to do to earn the living he wanted to live. He believed he could be the father to his son that his father could not be to him. And he did it.
Many will remember the 1996 Olympics. You could see it on Kerri Strug’s face – a look of utter determination like you seldom see. Her team’s chance for a gold medal depended on her taking one final run on the vault exercise and nailing the landing. She was experiencing agonizing pain from an earlier ankle injury, but was not about to give up when her team needed her most. With amazing resolve, she sprinted off, cleared the vault, and nailed the landing…and then collapsed from the excruciating pain. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, and eyes all around the world welled up with tears upon seeing that young girl give all she had for her team and her country.
In life, there will be obstacles. No one is exempt. The ability to roll with the punches, persist through the highs and lows, continue to work on yourself, focus on the mission, and set correct priorities is of utmost importance. Most can perform well and succeed in an ideal environment, but heroes are those who perform well in the most challenging circumstances.
I challenge you to be a “comeback kid”. It will inspire those around you, and it will help you to become a stronger and better leader.