Some of you may be aware that I have been struggling big time of late, self doubt has crept right in and really done a job eating out on the foundations of my optimism and, dare I say it, the mojo. It got to the point last week that I seriously considered pulling out of the Spartan Race series all together, felt that the stress to perform (I may perform badly, but I still fire on at least 2 cylinders) and the weight on my shoulders was too much to bear! Way more to it than that, but you get the picture! Grumpy was out in force, the little voice telling me constantly to quit Vermont, forget the goals and start to act my age ..... pop smoke and mag off, pack off, f&%$ off ..... dustoff was called and choppers were inbound ..... the heart was bleeding out ..... Cardiac arrest? No ..... but several things happened ..... a conversation, albeit brief ..... reaching a hand out instinctively to assist a stranger ..... a light at the end of the tunnel ..... the briefest glimpse of a friend ..... plans coalescing ..... a knowing grin from a mate ..... and I looked deep into my daughters eyes late at night as she sat on her bed in abject anguish and said, but Dad, I have to study this stuff more, I have a goal! I dont know what I am, what I can be, what I will become ..... I dont know how I will get there, what I will find there or how I will return ..... I just have to try A mate sent me this reminder, a speech delivered by a great man over a century ago and continents away ..... an era so different for this, yet the words are still necessary now and something for us all to aspire to ..... It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Strive my friends. No Retreat No Surrender No Prisoners
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 09:45:55 +0000