05/23/2022
Ten lessons I learned today while covering for Naptown Scoop:
1) When you're facing a steep climb, start with your base. It has to be strong & steady, with a sturdy foundation. What's your base? You define that, and no one else.
2) The adage "It Takes a Village" can feel overused. It's not. Life, climbs, and toppling a cover truly take a village.
3) We all have our strengths. Make sure your base and your village reflect a diversity of strengths. We also have weaknesses. Make sure you have a tribe that’s strong for when you’re feeling weak, and vice versa.
4) Give generously. Lend a hand, give a hug, take care of your team. Time and attention are sometimes more important than treasure.
5) Just when you are this-s-s-s close, life can get in the way. You lose your balance. Your team wasn't as strong as you thought. Your strategy didn't work the way you hoped. This doesn't mean your fight is over. When you think you can't, you need to try, try again.
6) Life is dirty. It's slippery and sometimes yucky. This doesn't mean it's not also great! Sometimes, even an old, wet tee (or skill, or smile) is all you need to clean up, wipe off, and start again.
7) Attitude is everything. Another adage. Another truism. Optimism. Faith. Hope. These are what get us to the top.
😎 If you're not having fun, you might want to recalibrate. Life is made for more smiling.
9) The effort is truly about the brother/sister-hood. Hug your peoples. Laugh with them. Do hard things with them. Celebrate too. Good friendships are a thick/thin, better/worse, sickness/health kind of thing.
10) Acknowledging the highest highs AND the lowest lows are equally important. We should celebrate not just winning the game, but also the journey that got us to the top.
United States Naval Academy
