A Bit of Inspiration from Dave Tate

[Lost Dog]

They never seem to post these articles over at t-nation. I got this in the weekly newsletter and found it inspirational.

Pass It On
by Dave Tate

Many years ago, in a dark stairway in the back of a junior high gym that smelled like sweat stained wrestling mats, was a ninth grade wrestler who'd only won one match in the last two years. This same kid wasn't a very good athlete up to this point. He played many sports and always did okay but was never good enough to start or be a standout.

As he waited for his mother to pick him up he decided to run the stairs instead of just sitting as he'd usually do. After about five minutes he was thinking he'd had enough and would call it a day and sit down to wait for his ride. About this time, the head wrestling coach walked by and asked him what he was doing. The kid replied that he was running the stairs because he was sick of getting beat all the time. The coach then spoke one sentence that stuck in the kid's mind for the rest of his life: "If you work hard enough you can do whatever you want to do."

I ran the stairs for the next forty-five minutes and didn't lose a match during the entire season. I went on to have a very successful career in sports. That one sentence taught me how to run for what I wanted and I've been running ever since. One kid, one sentence and a totally changed life.



Why do I do this? Why do I write these articles? Why do I spend so much time helping people for free? Why do I care so much when I know most lifters and coaches will never listen? The answer is simple. Why did my coach care so much when he knew most of his athletes would never listen? Because I listened. What would I be today if he didn't care? I owe it to him to pass on the great gift he gave me. This is why I try so hard.

I'm sure you have the same type of story. Somewhere, some time, someone took the time to help shape your way. You owe it to them to pass on what you know. When we leave this earth, it's not what we take with us that maters, it's what we leave behind. There have been many people along my path and I can tell you today I'll never forget who they were and what they did. This is the greatest success in life one can have.

Vince Lombardi once said, "I firmly believe that any man's finest hour — his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear — is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious."

Do you want to lie on the ground victorious or with your face in the dirt?

What do you want to do?