I grew up in small town, in a real friendly neighborhood much like the one on "Leave it to Beaver." My neighborhood was full of kids running around playing kick the can and many other games to exert our energy. In my back yard my father built the headquarters for the neighborhood: Ford's Fort. Anyone who was lucky enough to step foot in the palace was by invite only. This is the Virtual Ford's Fort, and you my friend...are VIP.
Please forgive me, for it has been far too long. I try to write only when I truly feel it. I have to feel like the content of my blog should be relevant and above all, inspiring. I am not a man of excuses, but I guess as of recently… life got real. I suppose you could say I am facing a lot of defining moments in my life. Lately I feel pretty alone. I joke that I’m in hibernation or something, but with such a short time left in such a defining window of my life, focus is the essence.
Through running High School, Division I, and Division II track, I have had the fortunate opportunity to learn from some incredibly talented and knowledgeable coaches; Coaches who are on top of current knowledge, but also have competed at level’s I only dream of. At a track banquet a while back, one of the coaches talked about Blind Faith.
At the time he mentioned it, I kind of brushed it off and I guess it didn’t hit me until recently. Athletics, and life in general, are filled with constant doubts from the outside and from within. Many of the goals in life we strive to achieve are big, complex, and sometimes seemingly impossible. There are a lot of people out there who simply hate on ambition (my friends and I see it daily as we run around in short shorts and spandex), mostly because deep inside they are jealous that you are actually bold enough to follow through with your dreams.
If me and my teammates were to yell back at every person making fun of us running, we wouldn’t be any closer to the National Meet, and we may even get beat up along the way, if they could catch us ; ) If I were to debate every pessimistic naysayer who told me I simply wasn’t good enough for Division I, I wouldn’t be any closer to where I wanted to be.
The same theory holds true for internal doubts. Like the grass is greener saying, how are you supposed to truly focus on your grass if you spend all your time worried about your neighbors? That is where Blind Faith truly hits home for me.
My coach and I have had a lot of talks about ignorance. Some of the greatest athletes ever are simply ignorant, or should I say fearless? Blind Faith is confidently walking into a situation despite not knowing the outcome. Blind Faith is stepping onto the track, the court, or the classroom knowing that you’ve done everything in your power to succeed. The fact that others may be more talented and possibly even more prepared than you are is entirely irrelevant. You are so focused that naysayers should be speaking gibberish to you at this point. You are the fastest, strongest, smartest, and most prepared. Focus is a pretty lonely place, but someday your successes will overshadow your sacrifices.
Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. The only person who can decide that is you.
Blind Faith is intimately listening to the only voice that truly matters, yours. Anything else is simply gibberish.
