What If You Don't Reach Your Dream??? Opening up to a larger platform to make a greater impact
Have you ever worried that you might not be able to reach your aspirations? You’ve worked so hard for something, but still feel you may come up short? If you’re feeling like that, don’t worry—I felt the same way. I had this dream, but despite putting in so much time, attention, and energy into pursuing it, I still fell short.
If 10 to 15 years ago you told me how short I would actually fall of that dream, I would have been heartbroken. I would have felt miserable, perhaps even like a failure. However, as I reflect on it now, I realize that life had a much more profound vision for me. It provided me with a larger platform to make a greater impact and inspire those around me.
My Commitment
In 2008, I made a commitment that one day I would play professional basketball, and that everybody who watched me play would be inspired by the way I played the game. As a kid, it seemed simple: so it is said, so it is done—let’s get after it! Growing up, I was always a very successful athlete. My teams seemed to win every game we played, and there was no doubt in my mind that one day I would play pro.
My First Obstacle
Until a few years later, when I was about 12 or 13 years old, for whatever reason, I stopped growing. For the past 13 to 15 years of my life, I essentially haven’t grown, haven’t aged, and haven’t developed. When this happened, I started to see my dream slipping away. Yet, this forced me to become the hardest worker and the most well-rounded athlete out there. I believed that if I could overcome my lack of size and still play pro, it would make a much greater impact and inspiration to those who watched me play the game.
My First Resolution
So, I buckled down on my training. The summer between my seventh and eighth-grade year, I was in the gym for hours every day: basketball skills training, lifting weights, plyometrics, running around the neighborhood—anything to enhance my physical body. I also watched my nutrition, trained my mind, and ensured I got to bed at a good time every night to enhance my recovery. Any edge I could find, I immersed myself in. As a result, I remained competitive despite my lack of size.
My Second Obstacle
However, this led to me completely overtraining myself and getting burned out. I was so burned out that I had to be taken out of sports altogether to recover. When I was taken out of sports, once again, I saw my dream slipping away.
My Second Resolution
Yet, I decided that if I could overcome my lack of size and now these medical conditions, it would make my story even more inspirational if I still managed to play pro one day.
Once I recovered from my sickness and got back into sports, I went after it again. I remained competitive and believed I could still play pro. But a few years later, when I was preparing to play varsity basketball, I overtrained myself again. At this time, I was waking up at 4:30 AM before school to lift weights and train for basketball. After school, I’d practice, train again, go home, do homework, and then repeat the next day.
My Third Obstacle
This extreme training made me sick and burned out again, to the point where I had to be removed from sports to recover. When I was removed from sports, I felt like my dream was being taken away once again.
My Third Resolution
But I thought, "If I can overcome my lack of size and now these medical conditions twice, it would make an even greater inspiration to those who watched me play." So, I got back after it. Once I recovered enough to return to sports, I continued to be competitive and chase my dream.
The Final Straw
Until a few years later, the third and final time the same situation played out. I was preparing to try out for the college basketball team, training more intensely than ever before. This time, I got injured and burned out to the point where I’m still dealing with the repercussions today. This ended my competitive athletic career. Once that happened, I lost sight of who I was. My dream was gone, and I felt like my platform to inspire others was taken away. I no longer felt like someone who could overcome challenges to inspire others. I felt defeated.
The Greater Vision
Making the transition from being an athlete to being an athlete of life was difficult. But I realized that life had a much more profound vision for me. Looking back now, I couldn’t have wished for a better outcome. Life has given me more experiences, opportunities, skills, and platforms to share my gifts and story, uplifting and inspiring others.
If you are struggling, worried that you might fall short of your dream no matter how much time, effort, attention, and energy you put into it, rest assured. If you do happen to fall short, it is because life has a much more profound vision for your future. Life will provide you with a larger platform to make a greater impact and inspire those around you.
I wish you well on your journey of trusting life and allowing it to show you the platform it has for you … to make an impact and be an inspiration to those around you, and I look forward to seeing you next week.
Inspiring YOU every step of your way,
Kyle
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