The Power of Not Giving Up

Derek Anthony Redmond is a British athlete and a record holder for the 400 meters sprint, and won gold medals at World, European and Commonwealth levels. He will always have a special place in the heart of the public for he is best remembered for his performance at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. When injury forced him to pull up in the race, Derek got up and his dad helped him finish the remaining 250 meters. It was a very emotional moment when he received a standing ovation from a crowd of over 65,000. What touches me the most is that, he put his heart and hard work with a great expectation of winning and when tragedy struck into the race he never think of giving up. He still finished the race even he knew he had already lost and to me that makes him the real winner of that race.

At some point in our lives, we get to a part where we feel like giving up. We give up because we feel disappointed, hurt, betrayed, unwanted and worthless. Sometimes we give up before we even start and other times we give up just before we are about to make that huge break-through that we have been putting so much effort in to achieve. But do not sell yourself short. Keep in mind that you deserve to be happy and you deserve to have success. In life there are going to be many people who will try to bring you down and tell you what you want to achieve is not possible. They will speak negative words that tend to rob your spirit and put your heart down so don’t let your negative emotions consume your life and your dreams. Don’t let anyone destroy your dreams and never give up until you reach your destination.

I believe many battles are won and lost inside our minds. If we train our mind to never give up and go on, our body will follow. Think positive and stay strong, don’t let one little setback stop you from achieving your goal. Neither ten, hundred or thousands. Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. They’re all part of the learning experience we call “life” Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things don’t go the way we plan or we want it. If you don’t get a job that you wanted, a promotion you expected, a car that you like or relationship doesn’t work, it only means something better is out there waiting.And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it. Muhammad Ali said “Champions are not made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision.”

Manny Pacquiao, a professional boxer. Named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 2000s by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He is also a three-time “Fighter of the Year”, winning the award in 2006, 2008, and 2009. Has 53 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws.This is a guy who literally knows how to get knocked down and get back up.

Michael Jordan, “By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.” He was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. He attributes his success to all his failures. He just never gave up even when he knew he had missed over 300 shots and had missed the winning shot of the game many times. Every time he got knocked down he got back up again.

Christopher Paul Gardner, an American entrepreneur, investor, stockbroker, motivational speaker and philanthropist. Have you seen the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness”? This is about his story on how he struggled with homelessness while raising his toddler son, Christopher, Jr. He experienced life from the lowest of the lows in an environment where most people would give up due to no money, no job and no shelter. If you ever think about giving up, watch this movie!

Let the people you love and who mean the world to you be your inspiration to persist and persevere. Maybe you need to try a different angle, study more or practice more but don’t give up! Be an inspiration to others as well. You may not notice it but sometimes, some people look up to you and who knows they can achieve their own dreams because you inspired them and show them to refuse giving up. This person perhaps is your friend, your daughter or your son or maybe a neighbor. Let’s make the positive attitude or “can do” attitude contagious.

You may feel as though nothing is happening in your life and that none of your dreams are coming true. But believe me, God has a way of fulfilling the dreams in our hearts in the best way possible. We don’t have to understand it all. All we need to do is to surrender our dreams and believe in His will and in God’s time the best blessing will come our way. Just don’t give up, because God doesn’t give up on us.

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”