I was watching a college football game this past weekend and during a report on one of the teams, I heard the journalist state, "A great story never lacks times of adversity." When I heard the statement, I had to rewind it a few times to let it sink in, which not only allowed me to really process it, but also gave me a little time to fast forward through future commercials. The journalist went on to talk about how the team had gone through some difficult times during the middle of the season, but ultimately overcame them to get to the championship game. I'll admit, I wasn't too invested in the overall story because it was about the team I was cheering against, but it did inspire me to really think about how most stories of success we hear often involve someone going through a bout of adversity that set in motion the great things that were to come. We have all been inundated with stories of folks who have overcome the impossible to achieve something great. I'm pretty sure that as you are reading this, you are thinking about one of those stories in particular. The reason behind this is that the formula works and reminds us that there really is no epic without adversity.
In the most "education" introduction possible, Merriam-Webster defines adversity as "a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune." It is something or someone that is a hindering a person's progress towards something. I have yet to meet someone who hasn't faced some adversity at some point in their lives, but there are mixed reviews when it comes to people actually overcoming that adversity. As Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) says in the movie A League of their Own, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." Pretty powerful words, but the impact isn't unanimously felt across all people. There are some that persevere through the process and others that give up and choose to move in a different direction instead of doing the work to overcome the obstacle. Therein lies the difference between a good story and an epic and the choice we decide on makes all the difference.
#OwnYourEpic is most certainly a hashtag, but it is more than a slogan and not for the faint of heart. It is a lifestyle that one chooses to hitch their wagon to and requires that people who choose to live the mantra do the "dirty work" that is required to climb the proverbial mountain. It requires grit, intestinal fortitude, and most importantly conviction that your voice and story matter. It means that you won't settle for anything less than what you feel you deserve and will work towards no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel and the process that it takes to get there. The work is hard, but it's the hard that makes it great.
Now is the time to make a commitment and investment in yourself. Use the choices you have made in the past and commit to developing your epic for the future. Have the difficult conversations, embrace the unknown, and step forward when you would normally take a step back. Your voice and your story matter. Don't let someone else take credit for the hard work you do to write your epic. Lean in and get to work. There is no epic without adversity.
#OwnYourEpic #Connect
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