Every four years, the world comes together to watch amazing athletes do amazing things. We sit and watch and cheer for our country. When they stand on the podium and hear their anthem we stand with them. Their story becomes our story.
There is no other Olympian that has captured the hearts of America and the world during the Summer Olympics than Michael Phelps. The Baltimore native has won gold for over 10 years and counting.
During the last Olympics, London was a bit of let down, but this year in Rio, Phelps has gone viral but not just for his wins and medals added to his legacy, but for his fierce game face in the waiting room before his big race.
Michael Phelps in a hooded scow reminiscent of a Jedi master before battle as a fellow competitor, Chad le Clos from South Africa who beat him in London, mocked and danced about trying to psych Phelps out. It was meme heaven, greater than crying Michael Jordan.
Phelps went on to win the race he lost four years ago, and he beat his cocky competition from South Africa to reclaim his gold. And then like only sports can the story got even better and went viral again after the race. A picture of le Clos with his head turned to look at US hopeful, but Phelps looked ahead at his goal.
Instagram was a blaze with pictures and inspiration quotes of how, "losers focus on winners and winners focus on winning."
The match was won in the pool, but it did not begin there. The win began in the waiting room. Phelps was focus and unfettered on his goal and wouldn't let anything or anyONE distract him.
We may never swim in the olympics or race for the gold, but we all have goals and we all have experienced scows and words from haters.
I remember an event, when I first started the church I pastor in NEPA, and we partnered with another local pastor in Hazleton for a patriotic community celebration. It was a nice event but his words he said in passing towards the end of the day cut like a knife.
"Today was ok, I expected more of a turn out, but that's how it is around here. We'll see how you'll last pastoring that church of yours," he said.
Ouch! Really!?
I thought to myself, "Aren't we supposed to be on the same team?"
There are many times I think of his cavalier words, not to bring me down but to lift me up. As motivation in the tough times not to quit but to keep going. Athletes call it bulletin-board material.
In this life we be judged and criticized, you can't control that, but you control how you handle it.
Aristotle once said, “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing."
May we be strong in the fight and not let insensitive comments from a coworker stop us from that promotion.
May we ignore the negative social media feedback and not let comparison or commentary steal our joy.
May we stay in our lane and stay focused to win the race set before us, and turn a setback into a great comeback.
