I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.
– MewTwo, Pokemon
For many, it is easy to focus on all the disadvantages we face, many times overlooking all the opportunity that can be found if we persist. This quote from MewTwo during the Pokemon Movie represents a wide range of stories that can be found in movies, video games, and real life examples.
I love how Jon Acuff compares life to a race when you are pursuing your dreams. We all have a race to run, and while we don’t get to choose the finish line, we can all choose when we start.
This analogy feels personally relevant since I am preparing to run a 5k race in a few months. It’s up to me to train, to get up early, to do the hard work, so that when the day of the race arrives, I will be ready. If I don’t prepare well, I cannot expect great results. It does not matter what limitations I might have, what I do with the time between now and the day of the event is what matters. I can choose to focus on what I can control, and make progress from what I was able to do yesterday.
It’s up to me. It’s my choice.
The same is true for all of us.
Video game quotes, life and leadership lessons and more can be found on ClassicallyTrained.net, the ClassicallyTrained Podcast, and in the book Mastering the Game: What Video Games Can Teach Us About Success In Life.
