Just striving to be all I can be.
Today we’re going to switch it up a bit. I was a little bored last night, so, instead of writing a regular The Serious blog post, I decided to write a fable (which I wrote really quickly, so give me a little grace here). But I think you’ll still find that there’s a lesson.
So without further ado:
Michael Jordan’s flu game, a significant amount of J.J. Watt’s games, and Isaiah Thomas’ continuing to play after losing a tooth; there’s a reason we praise them. Playing through pain is an admirable quality that we don’t take for granted. In fact, it’s a quality that many seek to attain and grow. But pushing through pain isn’t just limited to sports. In fact, pushing through pain is necessary for one to live their fullest life.
At some point or another, most everyone does it. We keep putting off that one thing, or things, until the last minute…if we even get to them at all. Typically it happens with work (academic or otherwise), but sometimes it stretches to the everyday parts of our lives. Either way, procrastination is the thief of time, and thus something we could all stand to get rid of.
But I’m not going to tell you how to do that. There are
The NBA season starts today, and I can’t wait! With all the big moves this offseason, there are tons of matchups I’m anxious for, and even more individual and team journeys I’m excited to watch (especially the Timberwolves). The NBA offseason wasn’t just about moves within the league, however, as it also contained responses to unnecessary moves and words by President Trump and verbal support for Kaepernick and other’s who’ve chosen to take a knee during the national anthem. Yet the verbal and non-verbal political statements made by athletes of all sports throughout America this year, let alone those throughout the world, are far from unprecedented. In fact, if it weren’t for such racial, political, and cultural statements made by some of the world’s greatest athlete’s, America, and therefore the world, could and would be a very different place. That’s why I believe sports history should be a required high school class.
Between Shark Tank, high school seniors, college graduates, and more, everyone’s witnessed another person make a big decision. More than that, most everyone has had to make a big decision in their own life. These decisions are exciting, often utterly nerve-racking, and typically result in an immense change in the decision-maker’s life. But while these big decisions can be life-altering, we often overlook the even more important small decisions.
Sports are almost in full swing. The NFL regular season is already a quarter of the way done, the MLB postseason is about to start, and two weeks from now the NBA season will begin. Even without being a college sports fan, this is enough reason for me to love October. But unfortunately, each time we get to this time of year, I can’t help but think of this one simple fact: right now there are sports teams planning more for their next game than many people do for their entire lives. That’s a travesty.
Do What You Can – A Call To Act
America is a wreck right now, even more so than usual. The country is falling, divided because the President’s tweets and actions cause us to take sides on things that shouldn’t be an issue. These times are trying, and when looking about ourselves it is hard to be optimistic. Instead, we often cast blame and voice our irritation at the chaos that permeates the country. But perhaps the dismal state of our nation can’t be attributed to Trump’s flamboyant tweets, Collin Kaepernick’s anthem protest, or anything else of the sort. Perhaps the problem is deeper than that. Along these lines, allow me to ask you a question:
You are going to die. At some point, you are going to leave the land of the living and join the buried at the graveyard. Death is an inevitable part of the human life, and sooner or later we will all experience it. The precious time we have to live a meaningful life is fleeting away second by second, and the best thing we can do with our time here is to achieve that which we can, while we can. And to do that, you need to determine what exactly it is that you want to achieve while you’re still breathing. After all, it’s hard to reach a destination you can’t name.
Entrepreneur, student, professional athlete, lawyer, doctor, district manager; in today’s society, there are plenty of titles people have and others seek to attain, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. In fact, wanting to be an entrepreneur, a lawyer, etc., is a very commendable thing that most everyone can appreciate. But, as is often the case in our American society, there’s a problem. That problem is when people simply want the title but none of the responsibility that comes along with it.
How will you be remembered? When it’s all said and done, what are the things people will remember about you? What will your legacy be? What do you want your legacy to be?