Short Story : How One NFL Player Stays On His Feet

I have one story for you which I read today. Life has a way of knocking us down. As humans, we have a propensity for intolerance. And sadly, sometimes people release all that ugliness on the nearest victim. It seems at times, others don’t like it when someone is trying to advance in life. So as an individual we have a choice. We can go with the flow, or allow the opposition to help us rise.

My attention was captured this week by the heart of a young NFL player named Danny Woodhead. Now I’m not a follower of sports. And truthfully, I have learned to hang loosely to those who lead. Because we are all human and are bound to disappoint one another at times.

However, this young man has some admirable qualities. And those qualities have enabled him to rise to the highest competitive level in professional sports. Danny has had to overcome many obstacles to attain the status he now is enjoying.

When you watch this athlete fly down the field, he looks like a hobbit out of Tolkien’s, Lord of the Rings. But I assure you, he is no furry footed Frodo Baggins. He is a fighter, and a relative new-comer to professional sports. But he is one whose name is going to begin to rise.

Though he is small in stature, standing at a full stretched 5’7½” tall, he can maintain balance in a land of giants. I became fascinated with this young fellow, not just because of his athletic ability, but the principles deeply embedded within the heart of this guy.

I listened in on several interviews, and quickly realized there was a consistent philosophy that helped Danny stay on his feet, on the field and off. These three life principles are a sampling of sound bites from numerous interviews.

Prepare Yourself - The only way we deal with adversity is through preparation. It is the activity behind the scenes of life, that enable us to face the challenges in the scenes of life.
Stay Focused - It is so easy to become distracted. But it is this ingredient that enables us to maintain, when others are falling around us.
Execute - Nothing happens if we don’t take action. And it is in the focused action, that enables us to plow through the obstacles that come our way.

I’ve found that little concepts go a long way in helping me maneuver through life. Take these ideas to heart and you will be able to stand when others fall. I know this NFL player is one guy I am adding to my list of motivational stories.