The boys and I went to the state semifinal high school football game yesterday to support one of our local schools. Specifically, we wanted to cheer on Pax and Finn's former flag football coach, Dawson (yes, this guy.) Unfortunately, the game didn't go as hoped, and our team got thrashed by a tremendous opponent. Dawson, among other seniors, experienced the death of one of their dreams: winning a state title.
Many of you can relate to this experience. Coming so close to achieving a dream, only to realize you'll never have another chance to make it happen. It can be a soul-sucking experience. However, this is where perspective matters. Yes, indeed, that dream will never materialize; there's no way around it. However, we have a choice to make:
Continually dwell on the fact we lost our chance to achieve that dream.
Parlay that experience into a new dream.
The first option sends us down a perpetual road of wouldas, couldas, and shouldas. We replay it in our heads over and over and over, preventing ourselves from truly moving on. We carry the weight of our failure and never fully live up to our potential afterward.
The second option, while not feeling much better in the near term, makes us better. We learn from our experiences, using our past shortcomings to fuel our future successes. We grow from the pain and find ways to establish new, better dreams. While the recent loss feels like the biggest deal in the world today, down the road we'll view it with a healthier, more holistic perspective.
One dream dies, another is born. It's not a fun dance, but such is life. My heart breaks for Dawson today, but his best days are yet to come. One day, he'll be able to look back on this experience with joy. One day, he'll see the beauty in the pain and recognize that this experience was the springboard for many powerful and successful endeavors in his life. This is how leaders are shaped. This is where champions are built.
Proud of you, Dawson. You gave it everything you had. The next dream is gonna be even cooler than this. Don't let up. Don't back down. Keep moving forward.
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