Lessons for Champions: From Gabby's Mom

Last week the eyes of the world were transfixed by the gifts and talents displayed in the Olympics, including yours truly. All sports were so amazingly exciting to watch. And, of course, Gabby Douglas won the hearts of thousands, perhaps millions, known now as America’s sweetheart. Gabrielle Christina Victoria "Gabby" Douglas won gold medals in both the individual and team all-around competitions. Gabby is the first African-American and first woman of color in Olympic history to become the individual all-around champion, and the first American gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same Olympics.

The results of six years of training away from her family have paid-off tremendously.

Yet while on any road to realizing your dream, there are sure to be bumps, bangs and blows along the way. It just goes with the game. Amazed by the motivation and inspiration of Gabby’s mother, Natalie Hawkins, there are directions we can take away and develop while sprinting on the pathway to realizing our dreams.  I want to share with you four of many directions we can garner from Ms. Hawkins.

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Don't Stay Down: You can Get Back Up!

 While outside I watched a bumble bee land on its back on top of my trash can. This bumble bee squirmed and struggled to flip over. It was trying its best to wiggle its wings and launch on its legs to fly. Watching this, I suddenly caught myself silently cheering this bug onward.  I really did! It looked so pitiful. “Come on, you can make it!” I wanted to shout, but it was giving up. In the next few seconds it moved in what seemed to be slow motion. Then it didn’t move anymore. The trouble it found itself in had kept it down.

Don’t let trials and trouble get you down. Don’t give up on your dream. Don’t give up on your life. When life knocks you out and you feel as though you’re down for the count, remember, “Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (see Hebrews 12:1).

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Bounce Back, Fast Forward Like Never Before

Here’s something to think about. Mary Kay Ash’s mascot for her cosmetic company is a bumblebee.  She said, “Because of its tiny wings and heavy body, aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly. But the bumblebee doesn’t know that, so it flies anyway.”

And further, Dr. Martin Seligman, director of the University of Pennsylvania‘s Positive Psychology Center says, “Bouncing back from bad times depends on the ‘stories’ you tell yourself.”  This aligns with the what the writer of Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

My question then is this. What are you consistently telling yourself about you?  You are in control of your feelings and therefore of your choices.

Life presents us with choices every day. We can be weak, or be strong. We can be sad or we can be happy. We can be negative or we can be positive. We can live in the past or we can prepare for the future. We can remain in the consequences of life’s perplexities, or we can bounce back and fast forward like never before.

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