Tag: effort

The Power of Hard Work

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Note: This piece was inspired by a quote found in the book The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II. I originally shared this passage with my teaching staff.

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The Power of Hard Work:

 “I would not go through Pre-Flight (training) again for a million dollars,  but I would not trade the experience for ten million.”  Ed McMahon 

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Think about the biggest accomplishments in your life. 

No, no, no.  Stop reading and think about them.  This passage will still be here when you’re done. 

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Chronicle of a Comeback (vol. 16)

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A few years ago, no longer being a guy that could literally jump into his running shoes and bang out (seemingly, at least) any amount of miles, I invented a little running trick that I employed today.

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Living The Dream

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Those of you who have known me long enough have read stories of my hopes to be a published author and all of the trials, travails, failures, and bumps along the way I have faced as I pursue this dream.

Along the way, there have also, of course been some successes, but these only came after much failure, many rejections, and more than a few (sometimes harsh) criticisms from those in the business of publishing. 

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At 50, I’m Back To 40

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It may seem like this passage is about running, but it’s not.  It’s about me and you and all of us.  The place where the idea was born, though, came out of running.  Stick with me, you’ll understand in a moment…

While I have always tried to push myself to do things that I didn’t think were possible, and sometimes succeeded (but just as often failed), and while I have always believed that I could do anything (and I do believe we all can), I am sometimes (believe it or not) hampered by self-doubt.

This all might sound like a contradiction, but it isn’t.  As we push to attain new goals, part of us often wonders if that new goal is possible.  I’m a big believer in trying.  I like to go for it, but as I do, there are times when I wonder if attaining the goal is even possible. 

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Half Way Is A Start

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I began my Labor Day weekend by pushing through the pain and self-doubt that accompanies any great effort and ran a half-marathon on my treadmill.

It took 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 32 seconds.  

It’s not a marathon, but half way is a great place to be.

Most often, it’s not about the end result, it’s more about the efforts one takes to get there.

June 11, 1995

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This is one of those stories that, at once, is hard to believe, but is the absolute truth.  This is one of those stories that remind us all that failure is part of success.  This is true even for people who are considered the greatest of all time, for, you see, they weren’t always considered as such.

This seems like a story about baseball, but it’s not.  It’s a story about failure.  And success.  Great success. 

Great success that came only after dismal failure.

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A Bolt…

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I will begin this post by stating an obvious point:

             Usain Bolt is an amazing sprinter.

As a runner who (more and more) plods through training runs and marathons, I am in awe of Usain Bolt’s speed, grace, and magnificence.

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Fail Thee Well

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I had a great idea for this blog post, but I just couldn’t put it together in a coherent way.  As such, I was forced to scratch the original and find another idea to write about.

I tried a second time, and the words, again, just didn’t come.

If you can’t get it right the first time, try again. 

And again.

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The Mystery Tour

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This is the third installment of a three part series that discussed the creative competition between the Beatles and the Beach Boys in the mid-1960’s.

Please click here for Part One – Getting Better

Please click here for Part Two – The Power of the Individual

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