As I enjoyed a relaxing Saturday afternoon, I watched a television documentary on Olympic Hurdler LoLo Jones. Jones graduated with a Business degree after having a stellar Collegiate Track and Field Career from Louisiana State University (LSU).
After her college days, she trained hard to take her shot at the Olympics. Prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympic 100 Meter Hurdle Finals, Jones was chosen as the favorite to win the Olympic Gold Medal in the event.
After a strong start in the finals, three-fourths into the race she flew down the track as if it was promised that the Olympic Gold Medal would be hers. Then on the ninth hurdle, two away from the finish line and her first gold medal, she tripped. She lost the race and the gold medal that she had dreamed about receiving. The tears flowed down Jones’s face as she sunk down to the track in disappointment. The devastation started to sink in that at the age of 26, her dream of obtaining an Olympic Gold Medal and her track career was all but over.
Jones’s has overcome so much more than just a track and field disappointment in her lifetime. She had to overcome a father that was in and out of her life at a young age. Jones had to overcome growing up with four other siblings and a mother who was working all the time.
Moving from home to home, she lived off governmental assistance and shoplifted as a young girl. Jones’s life had prepared her to stand up to such challenges of defeat. It taught her to push above to overcome it with focus, determination, and maximum effort in hope of taking another shot at her dream.
At the age of 29, Jones is now in training to make the 2012 London Olympic Hurdling Team. She is looking better, faster and stronger than ever to make that dream of a gold medal come true!
In my Book, “The Art Form of P.A.S.S.I.O.N.”, in the conclusion I discuss different individuals who had to overcome tremendous odds just to achieve their passion and dreams. I share how even my mother – who was going through a divorce, raising two boys, and working two jobs- completed her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Marian College (now Marian University) in Indianapolis, Ind.
She not only told me that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, but she showed me through her efforts in completing college that just as she made her dream come true, I could make all of mine come true as well.
We have to realize as a people that our lives are filled with so many obstacles and circumstances that can truly take our focus away from the passions that we want to accomplish. We have to also realize that our past downfalls, shortcomings, situations, and disappointments are not excuses that can be used to why we are not able to make our dreams and goals a reality.
We always seem to meet certain individuals who hold on to their past for years as excuses to why they cannot make anything positive happen in their futures. Do not let one of those individuals be YOU! Nothing is so big and deep in your life that you cannot overcome to become successful in life!
There is no one in life, whether business guru, entertainer of any kind or world class athlete that has not had to overcome SOMETHING to become great; whether it was a childhood filled with tons of hurts and tragedies, dealing with drugs or alcohol habits, having to overcome a legal situation, relationship situations, or unexpected events like untimely births, divorcements and deaths.
You can even be looking at yourself and saying that you are too old in your life to make that dream happen. That is definitely not true! You have the ambition, drive, and desire inside to make anything in your life happen. Individuals make up in their minds everyday to go back to college, start a business, and even write that book they always wanted, no matter what the situations may have been or currently are.
You take that disappointment, get over that situation or person and let yourself know that your passion will happen no matter what! The great Chicago Bears Running Back, Gale Sayers, was quoted in saying: “I learned that if you want to make it bad enough, no matter how bad it is, YOU CAN MAKE IT!” Take a shot & chance to make your dream happen!
No matter what happens and what has happened in your life, you have the talent, fire, and excellence inside of you to turn your passion into action!
© 2012 – 2013, John C. Turner. All rights reserved.
John is an author, speaker, higher education professor and adviser that works to encourage people to live towards their greatest dreams and successes.
