Persistence Pays Off; Follow Your Dreams

What separates a champion from the rest of the field? How can Tiger Woods dominate week in and week out? Is his natural ability that much greater than the competition?

How about Lance Armstrong? How could one man possibly win the Tour de France year after year? His competition has the same equipment, they have the same work ethic, and they dine on the same diet. Why is he so superior?

Is a professional athlete that much stronger, faster, or smarter than the minor league players? Why are 99% of athletes stuck in the minors?

And in racing, names like Earnhardt, Petty, Andretti, and Schumacher simply outclass the field whenever they strap on a helmet. Is their equipment and the team that much better, or do they have a greater desire to win?

In all of these examples, I am convinced without a shadow of a doubt that the difference is willpower. Winners and champions have the desire to win and the drive needed to be the best. They are persistent and relentless in every way in hope of realizing their dreams.

This life lesson is a personal story of mine of how persistence and willpower overcame the obstacles in the way of success. My story will demonstrate how an underdog can come out on top by simply applying himself and using sheer determination.

Just like the racers mentioned earlier, I was a part of a championship winning stock car team. Winning in racing is something that the entire team and I are extremely proud of still today. Yes, winning is fun and exciting, but it is even more rewarding when you are an underdog, a dark horse, a team with no chance of success.

I can confidently state that our team was without a doubt the underdog in the league. We were racing against big name teams with giant budgets of $200,000 or more while our entire operation consumed a mere $20,000 for the whole season. Our budget was a mere 10% of the competition’s expenditures.

So how did we do it? We succeeded through teamwork, commitment, practice, and perseverance.

Teamwork:
Working as a team is a philosophy that can take a group to great heights. Teamwork will improve a football or soccer team, teamwork will make an office task more efficient, and teamwork will take you to places you never dreamed were possible.

In the case of our racing operation, there were 12 dedicated members on the team. Each team member had his own responsibilities. To make the work fun we all had nicknames. “Half Mile” & “Duckie” changed the tires, “Spike” worked the jack, “Big John” and “Little John” carried the tires, “HO” filled the tank, and “Last Lap” worked the driver’s seat.

Commitment:
Dedication and commitment will take you far in life. In the case of our racing operation, we spent countless ours at our race shop. We would arrive at 6 AM and work straight through until midnight day after day. The hard work would eventually pay off.

Practice:
Have you heard the old cliché, “practice makes perfect?” In racing, sports, playing a musical instrument, or even acting, practice makes perfect. Every time you practice, you hone your skills, and you learn new techniques. You will be that much better than the next guy.

In racing, they call it seat time. The more seat time you have, the faster you become. We never missed a practice session. If there were racecars on the track, our car was one of them. Competitors would regularly comment, “why are you hot lapping so much, why are you using up your equipment?” My response would always be the same, “because we want to be the best.”

Perseverance:
Call it what you like: perseverance, willpower, determination, grit, fortitude, stamina. In this context, the meaning is all the same. It’s a relentless quest to pursue one common goal: to be the best.

Finish First:
Put the whole package together, and you have a winning team, the number one factory, or the biggest whatever. You can apply these principles to anything you do in life, and you will be a winner. Think positive; nothing is impossible. You can and will finish first.

As for the underdog race team, we proved we could compete and, in fact, dominate at times. Three of our major wins the team enjoyed were far from easy. The driver passed the leader in the last corner of the last lap in each of the 3 events, thus earning the nickname, “Last Lap La Tour.”

Many teams would have given up and finished second, but not this team; we fought hard, persevered, and went on to win a championship.

You can do the same!