This week’s journal entry is gonna be a bit different from the usual — way less formal, and a bit more personal. It’s going to be a relatively short one too.

In the past few weeks, I’ve had to remind myself to keep my head up amidst all I’ve had to navigate lately. So I decided to write a letter to this effect.

To whom it may concern.

Hey Champ,

Today, we’re taking some time out to acknowledge all your efforts, and at the same time, administer some dose of motivation to propel you even further. I’m cautious of my use of the word “motivation”, as it has been understood to connote an unsustainable —and sometimes exaggerated — hype that gives an ephemeral burst of adrenaline, enough to cause some level of excitement but too little to carry you to the finish line. That is not my mission with this.

It is also not my goal to invalidate your fears by simply telling you to discard them and believe you can do everything. Nah, far from that. Your concerns are valid, your fears are legit, you don’t have to deny them. All I’m seeking to do is convince you that it is possible to make progress regardless of all these constraints.

Motivation in this context goes beyond all the hype. In reality, the hype can sometimes be counterproductive, as it has the potential to magnify your insufficiencies as much as it has the potential to eliminate them. At times, all you need to get you back on your feet is a simple reminder of how much capacity you possess.

It is easy for our innate strength to be shrouded by the multitude of challenges we get to face across various aspects of our lives. It is often easier to succumb to life’s constant pressure and coil back into our shells, believing that we’re no match for the battle. Well, I’m here to tell you otherwise.

Truth is, everyone wants to win, but not everyone gets to win. And sometimes, the singular factor that determines who leaves the ring a victor and who doesn’t is simply the ability to stay in the game for as long as is required for victory. None of us is entirely insulated to getting hit by life, although, admittedly, some folks have it worse than others. But the weight of the blow isn’t what decides the match as certain people have risen from the worst of circumstances to make huge impacts.

What matters most is how you react to the blows life deals you. Do you tap out or do you come back for another round?
Of course, it’s gonna hurt real bad sometimes, and you might be tempted to tap out. In fact, you might even be justified for doing just that. But you probably might have dealt your opposition a knockout blow in the next round if only you stuck around much longer. In the words of Claude M. Bristol, “To win, you’ve got to stay in the game”.

As I said before, I am in no way trying to discredit your fears, challenges, concerns, and all of that. I’m only attempting to let you know that every cloud has a silver lining, and if you wait long enough, it’ll sail past revealing the sun in all its glory.

And if you’re currently on the receiving end of life’s cruel punches, you don’t have to feign numbness. If you have to take some break to nurse your wound, please do. If you need to cry to feel better, by all means, go for it.

But in all of it, make sure you don’t leave the ring with your head hanging low. Keep your head up and stay in the fight until you win.

You’ve got this Champ!

Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

~ Vince Lombardi.