I am a sucker for a good rags-to-riches story, inspirational tales of the underdogs coming up on top against all odds, and especially when the rewards go to a deserving person. It is always good to be reminded that through determination, grit, and hard work, anyone can soar above the circumstances and achieve beyond their limits. It gives us hope of eventual triumph in our everyday garden-variety struggles. Coaching is all about inspiring action, helping others open up to new possibilities and supporting them as they seek to achieve success. It means that I must constantly look for the inspiration to become a better person, and a better coach. Over the years, I have learned to look for and find opportunities for inspiration all around me: in reading books and blogs, in watching movies, in motivational quotes, and in working with clients who inspire me on a daily basis. And this week, it was the Netflix sports documentary Ladies First. The documentary tells the story of Deepika Kumari who was born into grinding poverty in Jharkhand, one of India’s poorest states. As a child she was scrounging around the fields in her village in search of food. Archery was her ticket out to a better life. She worked and practiced incredibly hard, fighting tooth and nail to overcome her poor beginnings, and cultural odds, to become the best in her field. While her arrows go swift and far, her journey to elite world championships hasn’t been as straight as an arrow. It had many roadblocks, speed-bumps, and crossroads. Her first introduction to the sport that would go on to shape her life came at a young age using homemade bows and arrows and being creative in finding shooting targets in her rural surroundings. Despite her lack of training and poor physical conditioning, she talked her way into her first training academy, leaving home at the age of 12 to pursue a better future. With sheer determination, hard work, and willpower she became the number one archer in the world within four years. And yet, as a female athlete in India, she didn’t have adequate training and support to win an Olympic medal despite entering both the London Olympics in 2012 and the 2016 Rio Olympics as a top player. Fingers crossed that she’ll achieve her dream of being an Olympic gold medalist in Tokyo 2020. But the true power of an inspirational story is to fuel the fire of enthusiasm in others, to motivate people to action. For me, it is about doing the deep dive into my life taking a closer look at where I am and asking myself truthfully whether there are areas in my life where I’d been selling myself short, playing small, instead of fighting to achieve all that I can. This is not about being frustrated with unreached goals; on the contrary, it’s all about appreciating all that life has given me but being inspired to do more and become more. It’s all too easy to get bogged down in the daily grind, managing responsibilities and life’s challenges – the “work & life load.” Finding inspiration can motivate us to keep progressing along the never-ending road to living a positive and meaningful life. Motivation and inspiration have no limits and no gender. We are all equally capable of exploring our own potential. So, when you come across an inspiring story remember to apply it inward to inspire your choices and actions. But don’t just wait for inspiration, actively look for it and use it to push yourself into new areas. You don’t have to step out of your comfort zone, just to keep expanding it. Aspire to broaden your repertoire of ideas, choices, and actions to release your potential and fully use your talents, skills, and abilities. Don’t let circumstances and lack of resources limit your options. Find a way to creatively utilize all that you do have (the “homemade bows and arrows” in your arsenal) to pursue your goals and transform your life. I have discovered that this works best if I tackle one goal at a time. It is when I try to do too much, juggling too many balls in the air, that I start to lose momentum. When I stop trying to do everything, spending my energy all over the place, I find I can master most anything. The principle of success is focus. Start small, take baby steps, and build on small successes. And it certainly helps to actively make an effort to keep a sense of excitement and enthusiasm. Being positive and believing that awesome things are coming your way can help you create, identify, and act upon the chance opportunities when they present themselves. Springtime is the perfect time to try new things. May you find and spread inspiration everywhere you go.
