One of my teammates wrote this, and circulated it to our powerlifting team for some motivation leading up to our national competition. It was very profound to me. When I consider all the time I have invested in the quest for a bigger total, this real puts it in prospective. So here it is for you guys, I am not asking for opinions on it ,but just hope it inspires and motivates others as much as it did me. It is not every day you read powerlifting specific Motivational material.
Love Of The Game
Iâ??ve watched as men became titans and the small man take on giants.
I’ve watched boys lift three times their own body weight as well as
grown men facing down their demons. I am witness to many men and women alike become the David staring down their Goliaths. I’ve seen sweat turn to blood and passion turn to tears. I’ve seen iron bend by the hand of man. I’ve watched as doubt transformed into a confidence that could move mountains. I’ve seen the girls that could keep up with the boys and watched as even the littlest person could pull his own weight for the gold. Yes I’ve seen how victories are won and champions are made. It’s called powerlifting.
P for Passion:
how else can one find the will to push on when the battle is to fierce? Its that hunger for the rush and that moment when competition becomes so intense that you can feel the energy radiating off of someone. how bad do you want it?
O for Optimism:
when you are facing down your demons and you just feel like what you are doing isn’t enough, it’ that little ray of sunshine that helps you feel so hopeful you know the world is at your fingertips. You can do anything with enough positivity and care.
W is for Will:
it takes a brave person to handle the road ahead and the possibility of failure. But every journey requires that first step in the right direction. It’s when you have that one bad day but you shake it off because you know tomorrow it’ll be better. By taking each lift at a time, you know you’ll be able to do anything because of the sheer drive in the right direction to succeed.
E is for Enthusiasm:
It’s all about the love of the sport and the urge to prove yourself. Sticking to it even when the weight is to heavy and the burden feels to hard, but the love to do something that has the potential to crush them powers through that weakness. Excitement for the goal at hand and the happiness when one small battle is won in the name of the war
R is for Respect:
respect for one’s teammates, coaches, one’s self, and most importantly the team. It’s seeing everyone as your equal because you each stand for a common goal. you work together and you push together but you respect that person because they work just as hard as you.
L is for Leadership:
lead by example. it’s about staying cool under pressure and taking one for the team if that means its for the betterment of the team. It’s about inspiring people by the smallest of action and holding that presence that encourages people to be just like you.
I is for Inspiration:
everyone looks up to someone. Heroes aren’t born every night, but role models are made everyday. It’s the need to motivate others even if you cannot motivate yourself. By lifting someone up to do their very best and helping them to move mountains
F is for Fight:
In the heat of competition when you feel like failure is knocking at your door, it’s that little bit extra left stored away safely for when you need it most. It’s the difference between first and second
T is for the Team:
ITs a family. An army acting as one. Individually we’re strong but together we’re great. As one single working unit we can achieve extraordinary things. Cheering and leading anything is possible. AS a family we may give each other hell but that’s part of the beauty of it. I know that my family has my back both in the gym and out, not because they are actually my family, but because i know i can rely on my team. Everyday the underdog becomes the champion and I believe it all has to do with the support of the Team.
I is for Individual:
It’s all mind over matter. If you don’t mind then it doesn’t matter. The fate of the team is riding on your shoulders. What do you need to do to be an asset? Better yet what do you need to overcome? How will you prove yourself? Will you fall and crumble when it gets too hard? Or will you rise up above the pressure and push yourself to be all that you know you are capable of accomplishing? It’s not about the total; it’s about the heart. How bad do you want it? How bad do you LOVE it? What are you willing to do for the team, if not for yourself?
N is for Never:
Never give up; never surrender! No matter how many times you think you can’t do it NEVER SAY NEVER! Never let your reasoning triumph over your heart and never stop. What can you really do if you walk around like you’ve got to prove something? You take the fun away from the sport and the passion for lifting out of it, if you forget why you started. Never let the fame overcome you and never forget that you are a part of a team. Never feel like you must rival someone that you are working with; save that for the platform. There are so many nevers in this sport but the most important is Never say you can’t because you can but you won’t.
G is for Grace:
By the grace of God you can do anything. You are a David and that bar is your Goliath. Take everything that ever deterred you from the goal at hand and box it up. PUt it away and push forward. God gave you a healthy body to be strong, and a sound mind to use. Don’t think that for a second you can’t do what is expected of you because eventually, maybe not today or tomorrow but one day, you can. The Lord never gives us a battle we can’t fight or an obstacle that cannot be overcome. That bar is a temporary thing that will be over before you know it. God will lift it for you if you only have FAITH in yourself and him. Philippians 4:13 “I can do ALL things through Christ [or God] who strengthens me.”
Strength is a remarkable thing. Only the strongest will survive; but as a team we are a chain, and we are only as strong as our weakest link. Persevere over all and you can do anything.