I never imagined going here, but the rising teen suicide rate in America saddens me and I'm convinced most of us need to be reminded of how lucky we truly are. At the moment of conception, we have each defied odds far greater than becoming an MLB all-star player who goes on to win a decade of back-to-back World Series Championships ... A woman only releases one single egg each month where a man produces as many as 300 million sperm, all with their eye on the ball, each time he steps up to the plate. As those trying to conceive know, it could take many repeated attempts for just one single sperm to be crowned the mvp ... and you thought a batting average of .139 was lousy.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 175 million; which is far more favorable than the chance of you being born.
The fact that you are here reading this means that you have already conquered an astonishing feat. Unfortunately, once born, our chances at ever achieving this level of success again go straight downhill. Life's clock starts ticking the moment we take our first breath.
We may need oxygen to live, but what many don't know or care to acknowledge is that breathing actually kills us. According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, as much as 5% of the oxygen our cells take-in destructively escapes in the form of free radicals that slowly chip away at our health until symptoms emerge. Oxidative stress or oxidation kills us, similar to the way it rusts metal or turns a bitten apple brown, so consider that as food for thought.
Learning that oxygen is toxic is nothing to lose sleep over, as there are far greater problems plaguing the minds and causing many Americans to lose sight of just how incredibly lucky we are to be alive.
"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goals; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." -Thomas Jefferson
There is no denying that some are brought into this world with greater advantages than others. The heated discussions over white privilege and varying social classes with the ceaseless fight for equal rights in America continues to prove this weighs on many of us. Nobody ever said that life was going to be fair and by the time we reach our teen years, many will have learned life is definitely not easy, but we all have the chance to succeed.
Whether you're born with a 3-0 or 0-2 count we all have the opportunity to knock the next pitch out of the park.
Those who succumb to the belief that they are disadvantaged have already been defeated and will have to work much harder just to keep their eye on the ball. Great baseball pitchers and batters place the same level of focus on every pitch. They constantly try to outsmart each other; which makes the count less relevant. Pitchers succeed more than the batters, but the batters are persistent, they work hard and never lose confidence that they will prevail on the next pitch ... or next at bat ... or next game ... or next season.
In the game of life, one thing is guaranteed, life will throw hundreds more beanballs than all MLB pitchers combined. The good news is that life's beanball is far more predictable; which means we can better prepare for it.
Preparation begins with gratitude; which is the one quality that aligns our perspective to a winning attitude. We must cherish the facts we are each one in 7 billion, with unlimited potential to better ourselves and the world around us.
Successful companies innovate ways to make the competition irrelevant. Successful baseball players tune out the heckling of crazy spectators to keep focus. Successful people do not acknowledge those who stand in the way of their dreams.
Never quit, never give up, never stop fighting, and always believe that everything you want in life is within your reach.
Making it in the Big Leagues of life is easier said than done. There are so many distractions, influences, and negative forces to keep us feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, and blind. While society also teaches us to fear change, as opposed to being the change we wish to see ...
Those who find their true purpose develop the inner-strength and resiliency needed to pave the way forward. This level of clarity leads to the pursuit of a more fulfilling and rewarding life. Unfortunately, there is no elixir to bring us here and many never find the courage to try, however, the process does become easier when we surround ourselves by others who share the same goals. After all, being part of a great baseball team will not get a batter out of a hitting slump, but it can allow the batter to experience success from the greater good of the team. So when it doubt, gravitate towards those heading to where you want to be, while always possessing the awareness to move at your own pace.
We have all defied the odds to get here, and now the game is for each of us to find the reason.
From planet earth to the smallest forms of life on it, everything that surrounds us is truly amazing, so how could it ever be too soon or too late for you to be? You were born a winner and have the power to remain that way. Don't ever acknowledge the media, society, or anyone else who may try to convince otherwise.
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