Some of the most challenging times in my life have also turned out to be the most rewarding. Those moments showed me what I was capable of doing. I learned from the struggle and came out stronger on the other side.
During high school, I ran cross country because I knew it would help me be more physically fit in preparation for my arrival at the Air Force Academy. The start of a cross country race is always exciting since everyone crams in together, trying to vie for a spot out front. As the starting gun sounded for our district finals, I sprinted to make my way through the maze of runners. Somewhere in the middle of the pack, another runner stepped on the back of my shoe, and it came off. 👟
I had a split-second of hesitation . . . do I stop and try to find my shoe in the chaos and then take the time to put it back on, or do I keep running? Stopping would take too much time. I kept running. I would run the entire race without a shoe. I didn’t win, but I still made pretty good time all things considered.
That cross country race wasn't the hardest thing I've ever faced in my life, but it was certainly an early lesson in grit and determination. When faced with challenges, we must demonstrate grit, fortitude, and perseverance. When things don’t go our way, when times are tough, we must show up with our words and actions, making it clear we will face adversity and overcome challenges. We will get back up again when we get knocked down.
#Motivation #Grit #FlyingInTheFaceOfFear
The NC Global TransPark is a great asset to the EDR region!