When Life Gives You Lemons

There are times in life that I need a little extra boost of confidence or encouragement.

Like when I get a rejection from a bucket list publication. Or a project falls through. Or the scale keeps going up no matter how much I diet.

This is when I seek the type of encouragement that borders on divine intervention.

Not the kind that parents or close friends give you because they love you and want you to feel good. But the kind that come from people we look up to, but don’t even know:

Superstar athletes.

That’s right. I seek inspiration from sports quotes. And they never disappoint.

A few taps on my phone and I’m in inspirational Twitter heaven. Soothing my soul, my sore self-esteem and weary heart. Guiding and lifting me to put pen to paper again. Or to brave any other struggle I’m facing.

Author and journalist, Malcolm Gladwell, who wrote the best selling book Outliers: The Story of Success, tells us that true mastery comes from sacrifice and hard work: 10 thousand hours to be exact.

That’s a lot of hours.

In an interview, basketball great Kobe Bryant, said that he used to practice basketball several hours a day after he got home from school, and that was even after he already been to practice. He went above and beyond what was expected.

Olympian Dwight Stones shared with our sports writing that he practiced harder and longer than his teammates. That’s why he is an Olympic medalist.

Nothing comes from just wishing.

It is hard work. Long hours. Rejection. And coming back for more. It’s never giving up no matter how much you want to.

So when in doubt I look to the greats.

The ones who pushed through pain, disappointment and setbacks to become the champions they are today.

Their words of wisdom apply not just to sports, but to anything you do in life. They fill me with inspiration to keep moving forward. To never give up.

Maybe their words will do the same for you.