GOOD ENOUGH

Going into a competition, event, performance, you can come up with any number of excuses for a poor result. I’m injured, I’m tired, they have some unfair advantage… It’s actually not that hard to get creative to have a reason handy to explain a failure. I’ve done it, we’ve all done it. 

It’s a special person that does not stretch to create an excuse. It’s an even more special person that does not use an excuse, when there is a very legitimate one. Those who have a sprained ankle but do not give themselves any reason for falling short. 

Remember Kerri Strug who inspired all with her performance at the Olympic Games 1996. The US needed Kerri to land her vault to win its first gymnastics gold ever. But in the vault just before, she landed awkwardly and severely sprained her ankle. But the US needed her and she rose to the occasion and hit her vault on a wobbly ankle to give the US that gold. 

She could’ve stopped. She could’ve used a very legitimate and obvious excuse. But she didn’t. She did her best and is forever a hero. 

Talking to AC recently, we were talking about that day’s swim meet. She had a grueling meet just the day before and I knew she was tired and beat up both physically and emotionally. As she left for her meet that day, a very important meet, I asked her how she was feeling. 

She could’ve given me any excuse, something to prepare herself and her supporters for a let-down of a performance. But she didn’t. She said, “Good enough”. 

She didn’t say good. She didn’t say bad. She said, “good enough”. Good enough to compete and give her all. And in that way, she inspires me and she’s one of my heroes. 

Give what you got, it’s good. And I promise you, by doing it when you have or can make up some excuse, it’s already good enough to do something special. 

Get Gritty!