You Are The Strength You Need
I’ve always been fascinated with human stories…the great ones.
To see how they were able to defeat the odds and thrive is the most fulfilling moment for me as an avid learner of life. But, how do these real-life heroes do it? How can they be so strong if they’re only human? Do they have an advantage most of us don’t possess? Is there something special about them to begin with? Maybe it’s their “destiny.”
One of my favorite analogies in this aspect is Olympians. They are the pure epitome of what it means to be superhuman. I guess I’m a frustrated athlete, to begin with. Still, the way they were able to train their mind, body, and spirit to move towards an impossible goal is impressive. I try to do like ten rounds of running, and I’d end up just walking for the eight rounds of it. Then, I’d try the next day again.
What I learned in developing my “inner athlete” is the fact that improvement comes in small increments. My eight out ten rounds would become 7.5. Then, I’d be able to do like 4 out of 10. Then, I’d finally push my limitation and not only run the entire ten rounds, but also squeeze in two more.
In physical development, you do it every day. You increase just a little bit every day. There are some days when you don’t see progress and other days when you feel like the king of the world for merely being able to run 30 seconds longer.
I think back to the Olympians I admire the most and sit in awe of their accomplishments. This was when I realized that every human is created equal. Yes, we have differences in background, culture, and language, but each of us can mold ourselves to greatness.
So many times, we look for strength from other people as we face challenges. The dependency gives us comfort in knowing that we’re not in this battle alone; there is someone who is going through it with us. However, too much dependency may cause us harm.
If we think another person is going to fulfill our dreams for us, we’re going to be very wrong. Yes, a strong support system will be necessary for your growth, but it will ultimately come down to you and only you.
Your goals are your own, and you have to face the fact that others will never be responsible for giving them to you. Olympians know it, too. They have people who support them. They have professional coaches that guide them along the way, but at the end of the day, it’s just that one person looking at the finish line, thinking of how he/she can be 30 second faster than the record. When it comes to the actual grueling part of practice, proper diet and tons of exercise, that Olympian is battling his/her mind and spirit.
At the end of the day, however big the crowd is or how great your coach is, if you don’t put in the work and endure the process.
CONCLUSION:
We can read all of the self-improvement articles and listen to podcasts that are supposed to shift our mindset radically, but if we don’t ACT on what we believe in, nothing will happen. These “tools” are necessary for our success, but we have to understand that the strength we’re looking for is already within us. We are innately made to endure, to thrive and to evolve. Usain Bolt does not have any special magic skills than most of us, but he has a strong belief that he already has the strength to overcome the challenges of life. And when he understood that, the only thing left to do is ACT.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pat Villaceran is an author and social entrepreneur. She builds companies that foster excellence and social responsibility. She focuses on finance, media, publishing, and other ventures. She also mentors entrepreneurs and career personalities on success, high-level business strategies, global market expansion and more. She speaks at events to share her knowledge on entrepreneurship and social awareness. Pat is also an independent publisher and her books are available at THE REVOLUZIONNE Library.
