Quitters Never Win
When you quit the person that loses the most is you. ~ Dr. Donna
As a sophomore in high school I quit the track team because I was not good at running. Of course my story was that my grades were slipping because of track. Everyone knew that the story was a lie. The truth was that, I sucked and it was very apparent.
During the summer of my junior and senior year of high school I went to the Army and attended Basic Training for six weeks. Upon returning home I had grown mentally, physically and emotionally as a result of the experience. The new found strength caused me to want to go back to school and run track again. I did not want to graduate from high school having quit the track team.
The first day of school registration the meeting with the track coach went well and she could sense that this time around things were going to be different for me. The first day of practice everyone was shocked by my presence. I was not back for their approval so their stares went unacknowledged. Coming back was to prove that succeeding was a possibility.
The season approach taken was totally different, I worked hard during practices and pushed myself to new limits by lifting weights and changing eating habits. More focus was placed on lettering and winning races, which was something I was not successful at during my sophomore year.
At the end of the track season the following goals were achieved, lettering in cross country and the regular season, 3 bronze medals and one silver medal, one second improvement in the 200m and 2 feet improvement in the long jump. By staying focused and not quitting a new standard of excellence was accomplished. The proof was in the results I was not a quitter and the season was a great success.
A couple of years ago I was visiting a city track meet and the coach for the men’s team was still coaching at my old high school. He told me that even though I was not the best runner on the team, I had heart and never gave up. His statement made me feel good because he remembered the tenacity demonstrated.
Looking back at the photo’s of me competing sparks a since of pride. I could have graduated from high school and went to college and never ran in a track meet again. It really would not have made a difference. But, by going back I gained the experience that organized sports encompassed. The friendships made were invaluable as well.
I am not suggesting that you go back and right the wrongs of your youth however, you need to see things through until completion. The lesson is in the experience. Trust me you will excel more in the areas that you are strong in. But, you will learn more when you are presented with a challenge that is so difficult it makes you want to quit. When you push through the anxiety that comes from feeling like you will fail, success is waiting for you on the other side.
REAL Leaders push themselves to a higher performance. They are winners they don’t quit.
Dr. Donna
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