I love sports movies, which is ironic because I’m not much of an athlete. But the stories of adversity, endurance and triumph are so compelling and moving. They inspire and speak to me in a way that mere words cannot. Whether it is the naive, chatty Rudy or the quiet, resolute Vince Papali, they do not give up and they do not back down.
I only played one year of high school football, and I was terrible. Lanky, uncoordinated and inexperienced, I struggled to keep up and understand plays. I wanted to be starting quarterback but was nearly the water boy. I was the guy you wanted to lead a musical cast, not a defensive line.
Despite missing summer practices and two-a-days, not to mention my musician hands and athletic disabilities, I started on the kick off team every single game. How, you ask? I didn’t give up. Trite as that may sound, it is true. I ran hard, worked hard, and ran hard. I finished every running drill and exercise out front with the fastest guys on the team. Yeah, they could probably beat me up with one hand tied behind their back, but they couldn’t shake me on the field.
While I never won the game for my team, I found one thing I could do and did my best. You can do the same. You may find yourself outside your comfort zone, outside your vocational expertise, but you can still do your best. You can still run. You can give it everything that you have and play this role at this time in your life and do a good job. Just don’t give up.