I started my Sunday morning about as well as one possibly could. On Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, Diana Nyad, the first person to ever swim from Cuba to Key West, was there to shed light on her miraculous feat. Did I mention that she is 64-years-old? Did I mention that it took her an agonizing 58 hours? I sat there in awe of this incredible woman and her sheer determination, but there was one thing repeated over and over that stuck with me. Miss Nyad kept telling Oprah and all of us viewers to, “Find a way.”
We often find ourselves scared or nervous to take a step towards a goal. We often find ourselves ready to give up when things get too hard. In the face of anything we deem as impossible or insurmountable, we must find a way. We must because the only other option is giving in.
Whatever your story, your problem, your dream is, find a way. What is inside you makes what is on the outside look puny. You have an unbridled strength and courage that is never fully tapped into because, like many, your body says, “No.” It says you can’t get up, can’t take another step, and can’t go after that elusive dream, but the truth is that your spirit is capable of the impossible. If a 64-year-old woman can swim 58 hours from Cuba to Key West, I promise you that you can.
I have wholeheartedly adopted this motto into my life. In my classroom, I will find a way to help my student see their full potential. On the volleyball court, I will try to inspire my players to find a way to play at their level of greatness. In my personal life, I will find a way to reach my ultimate dream, working for Oprah.
“I can’t” is just an excuse, in my opinion. We can do so much more than we believe. We can push so much further than we think. All you have to do is find a way. Everyone’s “way” is different, but it is built around the same premise. It’s going to take an awful lot of work, belief, strength, and perseverance. The next time you want to give up, just remember Diana Nyad. If anyone deserved to give up, it would be her, but she never did. Through extreme fatigue, exhaustion, and dehydration she found a way. If she can, so can you.
Go be great,
EP