Dateline: Los Angeles

Michael J. Herman is the World's Most Ubiquitous Motivational Influencer and author of the globally syndicated column The Motivational Minute!®.

Why Try?

I mean it, why try?

The world's going to hell in a hurry. The game is rigged. There's no way to win.  The Coronavirus is here. The sky is falling!

It's hard to look around and see anything positive happening anywhere. 

What's the point of it all, anyway?

Have you ever felt this way?

Most people have. However, I have not. Not for a single flash of light in my whole life. It must be the natural optimist that thrives inside of me. The voices I hear in my head say things like, "Go on, try it.", "It's going to work and be great!", and of course, "You can do it!" It's probably some sort of personality quirk, I refuse to quit.

The fact is, the above is not true. While disasters may occur, they're temporary. They're always temporary.  We always overcome. We always move on. It's just the nature of things. It's the moment that sometimes seems dark, when in reality, it's just a dimmed light. The bright lights will once again shine!

But too many people can't see the sky because the tree branches obstruct their line of sight. So they quit. They can't trust that just ahead there's a tremendous payoff that makes the whole struggle worthwhile. But what those people don't realize is that their big breakthrough is right on the other side of their breakdown.

This philosophy of mine originated as a young boy.

When I was 5 years old, I fell 12-feet through a platform and landed on my head. I suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and after a 57-day coma I emerged paralyzed, blind, and aphasic, unable to move the left-side of my body, unable to see, and unable to speak.

The world was instantly turned upside-down and I had to find ways to get it right side up. Lucky for me it only took thirty years or so. Despite the doctors, nurses, and teachers insisting I conform to their beliefs of limited recovery and acceptance of the new normal, I refused! After all, the question that kept being posed to me as a little blind boy was "Why Try?"

They may have been right. After all, I was basically a cripple. And I wasn't getting better, either. So I asked the same question, "Why Try?" And guess what happened? That's right. After more than a thousand times banging into walls, falling on my face, and feeling like, "This is never going to work" WHAMMO… SUCCESS!

And here are the 2 things that I learned about Why Try:

1. Things are not as bad as they seem, you may think they are, or as you expect.

It's the persistent that wins. Not the one who goes a single round, gets punched in the face and falls to their knees before quitting. Not the one who goes 12 rounds quitting before the bell rings, but the one who goes the 12 rounds, bell rings, and waits until everyone leaves the arena to see what's next.

The one who goes further than anyone else is willing to go; who will endure what no one else can or will tolerate; and who knows not to quit no matter what the cost. That's the winner in every game.

And,

1. You have to be able to take the hits and keep on swinging. Anyone can play a game as long as they're winning. Anyone can weather a setback or two, but when the chips are down, when the stakes get raised, and the pressure is on the highest setting, will you be the one still competing when the whistle blows?

It's hard to be sure yes with certainty unless you've been pushed to your maximum limits and come through the other side?

Taking the hits means no complaining – no regretting - and no crying.

Have you ever seen a Heavy Weight Champ and a Heavy Weight Contender at the end of the fight? Which one is in the ring crying?

Neither.

They're champions. No matter who wins the belt, they're both the best there is. No one fights and cries. No one makes excuses. They do their best and one takes the loss as a champion.

My friend and colleague Dr. Gerald Jackson says it this way, "Don't complain – don't explain." It means, do your level best, leave no emotion unexpressed and no will left to give, and yours will be the dominion of Champions. Trophy or no trophy.

Can you do this? Do you have the heart? Can you out last the rest of the pack and          still be as outstanding as you can be?

That's all you can do. No one can ask anything more of you than this.

And if you can give it all and leave nothing on the mat, then you've lived your life's mission.

No excuses and no questioning Why Try.

Michael J. Herman is an expert on the topics of Inspiration, mental toughness, and overcoming insurmountable obstacles. His forthcoming book is How to Succeed in College with A Disability; The No BS Roadmap to Your Diploma    due out May 5, 2020. Contact Michael J. Herman for review galleys and interviews, or just for a good word. (818) 441-9288