more heart
I’m a very competitive person, and it shows through in pretty much every aspect of my life. Whether it be on the basketball court, playing MarioKart, or a math class, I’m always trying my hardest to be the best. As a kid, I absolutely hated losing in any way shape or form, no matter how high or low the stakes were. If the “competition” was to carry the groceries in, you can bet I had almost every single grocery bag on my arms with the weight partially cutting off circulation. It’s been a bit ridiculous at times, and my mom has had to tell me on multiple occasions that I don’t have to “die on every hill”.
As I’ve gotten older, that competitive spirit has stayed prevalent, but I’ve learned that there’s a big difference in being the best, and giving it your best. While we certainly will never be amazing at everything, that shouldn’t stop us from putting more heart in all that we do. However, I think a lot of us, including myself, can be afraid to give more heart at times. It’s hard to admit that we gave it our all. I’ve seen people give their whole heart to something, and when it doesn’t work out, they’ll use excuses like,”I didn’t actually care that much” or,”I didn’t really work or prepare that much for it”. In reality, we all know that these statements are usually just a cover for the hurt that comes with having more heart. We shouldn’t be afraid to admit how much heart we invested, because having heart is far more important than having a win.
If you’ve watched the show Friday Night Lights, I’m sure you’ve heard the famous saying,”Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose.” If you haven’t seen the series before, these are the words of a football coach to his players before a big game. When I first heard this phrase, I figured it meant that if I have my full heart in something, I surely can’t lose at anything I’m doing. If I have a full heart, I basically have the power and strength of a middle linebacker while attacking my life ambitions.
After experiencing giving my full heart to something and still losing, I’ve come to a different interpretation of what Coach Taylor’s words. Giving our full heart doesn’t guarantee a “win” in the traditional sense, but it does guarantee that we can look back on our hard work with pride and no regrets. I’ve come to realize that having a full heart doesn’t equate to a full win, but it usually leads to a partial win. I have no shame in giving it my all and things not working out. In fact, I count it as a win that anyone is passionate and driven to do something, regardless of the outcome. On the other hand, I almost always have remorse when I know that I could’ve done better, but just didn’t have my heart in it.
Giving more heart isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. If you find it difficult or impossible to give your heart to what you’re doing, you’re probably doing the wrong thing. Give more heart in what you do today, and every day.
There’s more heart to give.
There’s more to it all.