Today I observed a minutes silence for remembrance day, a guy from the army, Sapper Clive Smith, who served out in Afghanistan brought out the match ball and spoke at half time. Very inspiring words which will stay with me for a while. He was asked about the accident where he had been blown up/stood on a mine which has left him without a leg and severely injured. His responses were unreal, Smith said, 'I could have lay on that hospital bed and given up, felt sorry for myself, sat in a field of depression.' I'm sure a lot of people who have these injuries may do that, he carried on, 'I decided to get on with my life, pick myself up and keep going.'
His words nearly brought tears to my eyes, how someone could go through such a trauma and come out the other side so positive. He spoke of all of the physio he has had and still has, the prosthetics work he has had.. how much hard work it has been. He could have taken the option of being in a wheelchair and never walked again, but he didn't. I watched the guy walk on and off the field twice. He used the words, 'the hard work is paying off.'
Granted, you're reading this thinking, 'Sarah, this is your Football Futures blog, why are you whining on about Wolves and telling me about a guy from the army?' Well here it is, everyday, we have a choice to make- the minute we wake up. What attitude are you going to have today? Choose a positive one that's how the day will turn out, understand that things will happen and try to rinse you of you happiness, but you've got the choice and control stay positive.
With the Football Futures programme we see, get offered, apply for and take opportunities. On the other hand, we don't always get the opportunities we want, and we don't get a chances that others do. If we let that affect us, when we do get the opportunity, we might drop our effort level and under-perform, we might take with us that negative attitude that we didn't get what we want.
What if you take a positive attitude with you all of the time? Understand why you weren't chosen and take the criticism in a positive light? Praise those selected and be a help on their journey? What if you keep working and realise that every opportunity, big or small, is one for you to enjoy, shine, gain experience and develop? Realise that there isn't an elevator to success, use the stairs and savour each step because without the first one you won't ever reach the last.
I've had some fantastic quotes sent to me about the FF programme (which will be used in the next post) a number of them saying the programme has been 'life changing' and that 'hardwork does pay off' in one way or another. This from people who have put themselves out there, retrieved everything possible from experiences and looked to develop personally and professionally. Enjoyed opportunities, not sat back and let them roll by.
Sometimes, inspiration comes from the places you least expect. The guy I heard speak today spoke from his heart and I certainly took it in. The guys who have sent me quotes have done the same, and both of them link. If you're on the end of a setback, treat it as an opportunity, accept the negatives but push them into a positive light.
Accept that everyone is on a different road, paths may cross, do you best to help others and yourself reach the peaks available. Wake up everyday and choose your attitude wisely because it not only affects you, but everyone around you.
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