Tenacity

My body was literally broken.
My mind, exhausted.
Something popped in my hip on the last lift.
I had no idea what it was.
I limped over to the lifters’ area after registering my next weight: 585 lbs. Never mind making a record, I could barely sit up straight on the bleachers. How was I going to make it to my next lift?
Competitive weightlifting is not normal.
Our bodies aren’t made to sustain lifting hundreds or thousands of pounds.
Something will eventually break.
I was told, many times over, “it’s not safe.” But who’s asking for advice?
At this point in the meet, I was done. I didn’t want to give up, but I didn’t have the wherewithal to continue.
A fellow lifter saw me sitting there and offered to help. He gave me an energy drink and some caffeine pills to “pick me up.”
I thought, sure, what do I have to lose?
Minutes later, the caffeine kicked in.
The hip pain was gone. My mind was clear. I was instantly re-energized.
I made it back to the platform for my next lift and smashed it.
Not only did I beat my opponent, I broke the state record.
For those of us who aren’t talented or gifted, make tenacity your superpower.
And accept help when you need it.
Who knows what you’ll accomplish.