The other day, I received an excited call at work from my six-year old son, Hayden.
“I won a race at school Dad!” he said.
“That’s great, mate,” I responded.
“Yep, the girls got a head start and I was behind a few boys, then I struggled with my brain and started to pass a few of them and went on to win.”
I couldn’t have been prouder.
Not because he won the race, but because he won the battle of the mind.
He could have given up, he could have used the girls’ head start as an excuse, he could have just ambled along, but he struggled with his brain and won.
When Karen asked him who taught him that he simply replied, “That’s what winners do.”
He’s right.
Winners don’t make excuses, they don’t take the soft option and they do their best to overcome the messages that their minds send them to give up and accept second best.
I couldn’t be prouder!
Previous post – Two Kinds of Waiting
Next post – Turning Hope Into Expectation
6 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 4, 2011 at 10:30 am
Broot
Ka pai!! I posted about perseverance myself yesterday, when my son went to a karate class and found it harder than he thought. Unlike your son, though, I had to convince him to get up and try again. Good on your son for figuring it out himself! 🙂
LikeLike
May 4, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Darren Poke
Thanks Broot. We’re certainly very proud of him.
LikeLike
May 4, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Debbie
I’m dancing in my seat! “He struggled with his brain.” I just love that! I love to see our kids do that and figure something out and overcome the odds and what their brains are telling them. Tell Hayden thank you . . .he made my day. 🙂
LikeLike
May 4, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Darren Poke
Thanks Debbie, I’ll certainly pass on your thanks. He’ll be rapt.
LikeLike
May 4, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Garrett
Priceless
LikeLike
May 4, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Darren Poke
Thanks Garrett.
LikeLike