Take a hit and keep moving forward.
If you’ve come across challenges in your life, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this advice.
I’m not sure where the phrase comes from. But it likely found its origin in the world of sports.
You see, in football, hockey, lacrosse and a myriad of other sports, you’ll run into some physical contact on the way to your goal. You could get tackled, hit, upended or crunched into the boards by an opponent.
All of these outcomes can abruptly put a halt to your progress. But this stoppage need not be permanent.
If you can shake off the hit, get up and keep on going, there’s a good chance you’ll reach your goal – bruises and all.
All of this provides a good allegory for life as a whole.
If you can handle the adversity you face, unbroken and undeterred, you can reach that which seek.
So, it’s important not to give up when life knocks you on your hind side. It’s better to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward.
Of course, this is much easier said than done.
After all, getting knocked down is humiliating. Demoralizing even.
And no matter how many times we listen to that Chumbawamba song, out first instinct is likely not to get right up again.
But yet, we do.
What drives us ahead? What propels our forward motion, even at times when every fiber of our being wants to grind to a halt?
The answer varies.
Some of us are driven by persistence. By locking in on the end goal in moments of struggle and shaking off the setbacks, those of us in this boat take the long view.
Some of us are driven by retribution. By turning a no into a yes, proving the doubters wrong and showing it can be done, those of us in this boat take an adversarial tone.
And some of us are driven by necessity. By heeding the fear of being left high and dry – by recognizing that folding to all instances of adversity gives them no viable path forward – those of us in this boat rely on survival.
These are three very different approaches. But all provide the same result.
We are inspired to ride on. We are encouraged to propel ourselves toward something greater. We are driven to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move forward.
And in the process, we learn, grow and experience in ways we never would if there were never those bumps in the road.
Yes, while the destination remains the same, the journey becomes ever more valuable.
So, even if we fall down seven times, we owe it to ourselves to get up eight.
Forward motion is worth the effort.