Basketball has been huge in my family ever since my son was old enough to shoot some hoops. He even wrote a “song” with drawings for his piano teacher, telling the whole story of Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans in the 2015 NBA Playoffs. Well, he was 6 years old. But I’ve been always amazed by the tremendous level of anticipations by fans and sports analysts leading up to the game — the moment of truth where it really counts.
When was the last time you took on a challenge and promised yourself to do whatever it takes to reach the target? You went through a steep learning curve, you worked on your assignment tirelessly, you pressed forward regardless of the adversity. And now you’re at the verge of experiencing either your happiest life moment or your greatest disappointment. Like professional athletes we can train all day, but until the rubber hits the road we won’t know how good we really are. But is it always true? Does it mean that we would have wasted all our energy if the outcome wasn’t what we had expected?
It depends.
It’s absolutely natural to feel disappointed when we are hit by a negative result, even if we haven’t done much towards the goal. Just like any sports fans we often feel emotionally invested in the game: winning becomes so critical.
Well, any successful athlete can describe the number of times they have failed miserably before they got to where they are today. Perhaps the real question is: Why do we sometimes feel a sense of defeat before the final outcome is even revealed — as if something bad will always happen when the rubber hits the road? But is this always the case?
It also depends.
Charles R. Swindoll, an influential author and educator, once said “Life is ten percent of what happens and ninety percent of how we react to it”. I believe that ninety percent covers not only our immediate reactions, but also our hope, the insights we learned from what happened, and what we’re going to do about it.
Ultimately, it depends on how we choose to respond going forward.
We work hard towards anything we treasure because our efforts, ideas, and theories will eventually be put into practical test. No matter if it’s parenting, professional advancement, relationships, health, or personal growth — there’ll come a time when we need to apply absolutely everything we know to tackle the challenge or opportunity in front of us. If we succeed, the promise will follow. If not, we may find ourselves back in square one. What happens then?
5 Reasons Why The Moment the Rubber Hits the Road Is Not a Big Deal After All
1. If you used to think it’s a big deal, chances are you’ve worked very hard towards your goal. That means you’re already accumulating all the precious experience and learning which will pay off one way or the other.
2. There will always be critics and naysayers no matter what we do. As long as part of our goal is also to gain insights and grow from the experience, the moment of truth is merely another opportunity to excel further.
3. Just like athletes may face different opponents in each competition, our assignments in life will vary from time to time. Achieving or failing in certain areas at any given point doesn’t represent our entire life.
4. True fans will stay with their team regardless. When have you cheered for someone at work, at home, or elsewhere in your life circle? Chances are, they are the same people who are looking forward to celebrating your hard work whatever happens.
The moment the rubber hits the road comes with a brand new beginning — an opportunity where you’re free to choose whether to be stuck in yesterday’s success or failures, or to welcome the adventures in the rest of the course. The choice is yours.
Whatever happens, get ready to enjoy your ride when the rubber hits the road — even if it only lasts for a split second. The fact that you’ve come all the way shows that you’re more than qualified to receive the moment, and all the incredible mark behind it!
You are welcome to share your thoughts and experience below. Until next time, enjoy your course and Thrive on the Learning Curve!