MESSAGE #769 WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM A GIRAFFE…

“Fall down seven times, get up eight.”
-Japanese proverb

Life brings you challenges. I experienced a big one this week, but I got through it.

I really like the quote above. It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, or fail. It doesn’t matter how many challenges you face. All that matters is that you get up one more time.

When baby giraffes are born, they sometimes fall ten feet to the ground. If that isn’t tough enough, as the baby giraffe learns to stand, the mother kicks it off its feet. Then, something amazing happens…

As the baby giraffe gets up, she kicks it off its feet again!

Now this may seem cruel, but there’s a reason for it. Baby giraffes in the wild need to get up quickly and stay with the herd, to stay away from predators. It’s a matter of life and death.

In your life you may get kicked down, by certain events, opponents, other people or your own negative thoughts. But this is normal. And it’s not a matter of life and death. Be like that baby giraffe and get back up. Then, after a while, you will be ready to take on anything that comes your way. It’s all in your perspective and reactions. Just be glad you’re not facing lions, hyenas or leopards.

And as a coach, you shouldn’t kick your students, but if you incorporate challenges into your practice sessions, your athletes will perform better in competition. They will be tougher. But make sure they know your philosophy and you use positive reinforcement. Militaristic coaching is a thing of the past.

Now go out and be a giraffe today…


Thanks for reading.