The Eagles recorded their hit song "Take It to the Limit" in 1975, a song that tells the story of a downhearted soul, with no one to lean on out on the road. As the song is spinning its story of missed opportunities and lost relationships, a glimmer of hope appears with the song's title echoing "take it to the limit, one more time" Now if you aren't reminiscing that one in your mind about right now you probably didn't grow up in the 70's, 80's, or 90's, and you probably do not ever tune in to classic rock on your music app. But, that's beside the point, if you don't know this song I recommend you get it on a playlist, it's a classic. Our FTM thought today isn't really about Don Henley, Glenn Frey, or even Joe Walsh, instead it's about that message of taking it to the limit one more time.
Take it to the limit one more time, I guess you could paraphrase that as "Don't Ever Give Up and Never Quit!" one of my frequent coaching mantras I have leaned on heavily throughout my coaching tenure. I guess shouting that phrase out over and over, tens of thousands of times on the wrestling mat and on the volleyball court, kinda implanted that mindset into my head. In other words, I guess the coach got coached! Call it osmosis or believing that's part of my DNA, I sincerely feel like that is a big part of who I am and how I approach life's ups, downs, and all the way arounds. I do feel like being involved in sports had a great deal to do with that which is why I make that such a big part of how and why I coach.
Nature or nurture? Are you just born with that never say quit mental mindset or is it something you develop over time by overcoming and enduring setbacks and failures? I can't really answer that, but I do know that the more you overcome, the more you get back up when you get knocked down, the more resilient you get and the more likely you are to give it just one more try. I believe everyone is on that spectrum somewhere, either you are someone that gives up when the wind startles your sail just a bit, or your experiences tend to push you towards the other end of the line where when the F5 tornado has been spotted you proclaim buckle up your straps, it's going to be a doozy! But why is that true? Why is it that some people get stuck in reverse when adversity rears its head and others seem to relish a challenge even when it is rocking the very stability that makes their house a home? I'm not sure if this is scientific, but this is my hypothesis and I'm sticking to it.
Faith breeds perseverance, and perseverance produces character and character creates a sense of hope that will not ever fail you. Romans 5:3-5. But how does someone build that type of hope you ask? It is done through a relationship that is tried, tested, and found to be true and sincere. You won't have a true hope in life if you don't have something in which to place your hope, and that is where faith lives.
I believe there are different stages in the development of grit and resiliency. Unfortunately, for some, you are stuck in the "I can't" stage of life, whether you are 15 or 55 something has happened in your life that has you convinced you are not meant to finish anything and that you are going to be at the end of the line if only you make it to the line! Sad, but so many people feel this way, consciously or even in your sub-conscious you believe you are just supposed to lose. I can assure you of one thing, that is not true. God didn't build you to be beaten and defeated. Your life has a purpose and you matter. You have a victory to claim, get up and go get it!
At the next hash on the resiliency chart there lies the person that has won some victories, but either believes that their victories are a product of self-reliance, you know the master of your own journey, or you could be that person that believes you have won more than you lost because God is on your side, coaching you from the sidelines. Well you got a little of it right at least. God is there with you, He is always and has always been there with you, and God does deserve recognition for your victories. He is there with you, and even if you fall God is still there with you. His love is not dependent on us being victorious, but regardless of the outcome, we must be connected to God to grow into that gritty person I am describing.
The last type of person I want to describe is the one that has been through the mill, they have won some of the battles, they have lost some of the battles, and it is safe to say that through all of the battles it has been an uphill surge in which giving up has just never been an option. The people on this end of the spectrum know that God is in control, God has a plan, His plans are bigger than anything I could ever conceive, and whether I feel like a winner of I feel like a loser, I will never give in or give up because my God is with me and He will see me through any and all battles. Praise God! For this person, overcoming roadblocks in life and moving forward is not about feeling like the winner, but instead it is all about knowing that God will be victorious in me, thru, me, or in spite of me!
We have a promise, that promise is not that we will not be challenged to the point that we think we can't go on, that is exactly where we need to find ourselves. For when we get to the point that we don't think we can go on alone, we realize that we are not alone and that we can go forward, because the One that goes with us is bigger than us, and that we can do all things through Him whether it is what we want to do or believe is what we should be doing. The key is when we rely on God, we will be at a place where all that matters is that we don't give up because we know God has a plan for us and that plan does not include anything about giving in or giving up! I Peter 1:6-7 tells us "So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -". So, tune in to the classics and crank it up as the Eagles challenge you to "take it to the limit one more time!"
Coach Carter
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