“If you can throw 70% or better in this scrimmage, you’ll be the starter this year.” The coach yelled as #10 entered the stadium. The challenge that meant everything to him. Senior year. Starting quarterback position – his for the taking.
Fast forward to the end of the scrimmage, 74% completion percentage with five touchdown passes. Feeling on top of the world, as every 18-year-old boy does in that moment… Until the week before the first game. Where he was told they’d be going a different direction, no longer the starter… talk about a shot to the heart. For him, at that moment, football was everything. It was the ticket to follow in his father’s footsteps, play college ball and reach the dream of playing in the NFL. He had done everything he was asked to do and beat the challenge put in front of him…or so he thought.
At home that day after practice, left feeling broken, he was ready to be done with football. Ready to transfer schools. Quit on what he’d worked so hard to achieve. For that 18-year-old kid, his world just got flipped upside down. Later that night, his dad walked in the door and without saying anything else, said, “Get in the car. We’re going for a drive.”
And that they did. Drove around town, to Chick-fil-A for a sweet tea, and home. His dad created space to navigate the adversity; to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding the news of not starting. They talked about making the most of the opportunity and using it to show everyone that he’s different. That he is a strong leader, who is able to overcome these trials. But what stuck out the most was one word in particular. Adversity.
This word came with the verse James 1:2-4 says,
“Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
That night, my father was answering the call to help his son through a tough time, but the impact it left on me transformed my perspective far past my senior year of high school football. It’s allowed me to overcome many obstacles and roadblocks faced later in life too, from getting the chance to still play college football despite not starting my senior year, to starting my career with my first real job in a big city, to now being in the family business, growing our company.
Every day we face challenges and trials. It looks different for everyone. Maybe it’s the loss of a job, or the news of a loved one falling ill. Maybe it’s moving to a new city. Or a boss that just won’t stop haggling you for due dates and unrealistic expectations. Whatever it is for you, it’s there and it’s real. I believe the beauty in adversity is what comes out of it on the other side. Strength, newfound purpose, relationships, a different perspective. I firmly believe that people won’t always remember the trial you faced, but they will remember how you responded. So how will you respond?
There is strength in adversity. All around us we see examples of it. From influential people like David Goggins – who became the 36th African American Navy Seal and then went on to break records as an ultra-marathon runner. To athletes like Shaquem Griffin making it to the NFL with a disability that left him with one hand. To the unsung heroes like single mothers working multiple jobs to put their kids through college. All these examples show that people responded with action in the face of adversity. Overcame the odds because of hard work and dedication and stand today able to reap the benefits of their labor.
So, when you face trials, don’t let it keep you down. We’ve all heard the saying “get knocked down seven times, stand up eight.” Use the trials and tribulations as motivation. The adversity only lasts as long as we let it. It starts with a decision to look at the trial as an opportunity. That’s the starting point. From there, build up on the base you’ve already built. Reach deep into the core of who you are, use some of the resources around you, past blog posts, whatever it is for you that gives you the push of determination and hard work needed to overcome and set yourself up to grow as an individual.
When we can change our perspective of adversity, stare it in the face and seize the moment, we create more opportunity for ourselves. We grow and strengthen our character, and almost always, we are better because of it. So, take on the opportunity, attack adversity. I promise you the reward on the other side of adversity is much greater than the pain you may endure during the trial. You can do it!
WORKOUT
Adversity is all about overcoming an obstacle and the reward gained on the other side. For this workout – let’s focus on some exercises that challenge our bodies.
Set-up: Go through each block 3x
Warm-Up
Block 1:
-Single leg squats – 5 ea. leg
-Burpees – 8-10 reps
-Squat hold – 30sec
Block 2:
-Diamond Push-ups – 10-15reps
-Plank Hold (pushup position)
-Tricep Dips – 10-15 reps
Block 3:
-Beast crawl – forward/back – 5 times
-Kick Thru – 5 ea. leg
-Mountain Climbers – 30 sec
Block 4:
-Alternating Leg Lifts – 10 ea. leg
-Crunches – 20 reps
-Russian Twists – 40 reps
Cool Down/Stretch
Hammer and Anvil 