Knocked like we all are
Down and out, done
He lay not where he fell
He sat not to brood his lot
He waited not to be picked up
He worried not for what next.
Up he stood, dusted away
The shame of failure
And began to walk, again;
Past unbelief far and near
Past the ridicules of “know-it-alls”
Past rejection and dejection
Way past his doubts and fears
Eyes fixed on the goal:
Failure dared again and again
But never could steal his will
To keep trying again and again
Until he took his place in history.

Another fascinating story I learned during the same time was the history of the man known as “Eddie the Eagle.” What a name right? The remarkable thing about Eddie is that when he went the regular way, failure knocked him out. There are too many people who are so good we really don’t stand a chance competing with them. Any wonder the Good Book says it is not wise to compete with others? Your best competition is against yourself. That way, you don’t measure and limit yourself by the performances and results of other. Instead, you keep challenging and pushing yourself to beat your own record.

Winter ’88 Olympics must have been quite a combo! Like the four Jamaican’s in one part of the world, Eddie of Britain equally set his eyes on that event. He did his best in what he knew to do but as usual, there will always be people who know better, who do better, who have it better.  And beat him they did in downhill skiing. Rather than go home and lick his wounds, he decided to travel the road not often taken – he elected to compete against himself in ski jumping.

Unlike many Olympic trainers, Eddie had no sponsor. His weight was considered a disadvantage and his eyesight was not fit for that sport. Count all that was against him and behold the “ridiculous courage” of a young man who believed in himself and in his dream enough not to be discouraged or intimidated. Against all odds, Eddie borrowed to train, worked and lived wherever he could to support himself and continue to train in preparation for his dream. And guess what? His only competition in Britain was himself! How smart is that?

He made it to the Olympics. He didn’t return home with any outstanding medal for that matter but by courage, he lived his dream. He made it not only to the Olympics to compete among the best the world had to offer at the time, he made history for himself and for his country and was recognized as the best British ski jumper.

I don’t know what your limitations are (O by the way we all have them); I don’t know who your competitors are (at least now you know who it should be); I don’t know what your dream is, for how long you have hoped and what you are doing about it, but I do know that what you focus on becomes you. Focus on the odds against you and you may never be able to rise above them. Compete with those around you and the best you’ll accomplish is to catch up with them. But if you will define your dream, inscribe it in your heart where it never misses your view, and focus your energy on getting there: you surely will get them.

I know so because I am dreamer. I have lived the ridiculous and the impossible simply because I believed enough to channel my energy accordingly irrespective of what everybody else believed and voiced. Your change is in your hands: if you will believe it enough to work it, you sure will live it. As I round up this series, may they stand out as reminders, saying to you: Nothing is impossible if you believe your dream enough to work it into reality.

Glory!