Be Something Greater

Christopher Chaffee

What if a child dreamed of becoming something other than what society had intended? What if a child aspired to something greater? – Man of Steel
You are standing face to face with adversity and it’s not going to let you get through. In this moment the challenge is staring right in front of you, not backing down. In a moment of truth, it is forcing you to make a choice. The challenge is standing in front you not backing down. You are nervous, you are scared, you don’t won’t to fail, you don’t want to lose. However, something inside tells you to hold on. Just hold on and fight. You close your eyes and take a deep breathe in and suddenly start to feel all the outside distractions and surroundings around disappear. You breathe out and you feel relaxed. Now you are calm, strong, and focused. You feel excited, strong, and determined inside. Ready to step up and strive toward your hopes and dreams. Nothing is going to stand in your way and suddenly you believe. Open your eyes.
We are faced everyday with moments like this. Whether it is in life or sport, it reveals who we are on the inside. Tennis is a sport that reveals who you are from the inside. A sport where talent alone will only get you so far. You have to work hard, you have to want it inside your heart. It is a unique sport because it doesn’t give you anything. Everything you have to do in practice takes hard work and self belief. Tennis is a great metaphor for life because just like in life you have to be a person of action. A person of action set to try to succeed in this world and in everyday life. My mindset is to wake up every day with a purpose and a goal to improve. You have to put the hunger, self determination, and motivation to set your soul of fire. It isn’t easy. There are many obstacles in our way that make us stare at adversity. Adversity has disappointments, insecurity, fears, failures, that can beat us down and strip away our confidence. We have to have the courage, the strength, to be brave and face these challenges. We have to fight. I think one of the best ways to learn is from being inspired. Being inspired tugs at our heart and gives us goosebumps to achieve greatness. One of my favorite tennis players and role models is Andy Murray. When I think of Murray I tend to think of someone who is the definition of inspiration. The transformation he has done is remarkable. He is my hero because he has shown the inner strength to never let any challenges or past failures get him down. He finds the courage to get back up on that saddle and keep fighting. Murray is a perfect example of how I learned to make myself more than just a man. That if you devote yourself and believe in yourself to get your best of out yourself than that is all you can do in this life. Andy Murray has become a legend because of the way he conducts himself as a professional on and off the court. He is an elite, incredible athlete, and champion.
Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”
-William Faulkner
Andy Murray throughout his career was known for having tremendous talent. He had a great court sense, strokes, movement, and genetics. Early in his career he had issues going long marathons matches. His body would let him down and he would cramp because he just wasn’t fit enough. He didn’t want to limit himself just based on talent. He didn’t want to be remembered as someone who had so much talent, but never popped. He never wanted to lose a match because of his body breaking down again. He decided to make his body a machine. He did everything in his power to become self-discipline. He followed a strict diet and did long grueling hours of physical training off the court, and endurance drills on the court. This made Murray even tougher because now he could go the distance. He trained for not only tennis, but in life. Tennis is not only physically but mental. You have to work on both and put in the extra effort. Just like in life you can improve physically and if you are improve physically it will help you mentally. Positive thinking overcoming negative thinking is just as important. Murray now had set an example there maybe people who have more talent than you but there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you.
Andy Murray had done everything so far to improve. He was winning titles, was inside the top 5 tennis players in the world. He even made it to a few Grand Slam finals. But, he always fell short of winning the Big One and was criticized for it. He always seemed to come up short in the finals no matter how hard he tried or how much he wanted it. There were other players out there stronger than him mentally, physically, and even had a little more raw talent. Still Murray went back to work and trained harder on and off the court trying to not only hang on to what he had done so far, but he wanted to reach the next level. Dealing with failure, fear of losing, not giving his best, and his inner demons Murray had to find the strength and courage to overcome these things. He had to hold his head up and be brave. Although people maybe believed he might never be the champion he could be, Murray still always believed inside himself he was. He would make sure he did everything within power his body, mind, and soul that he could, but he had to step out of his comfort zone. He made uncomfortable changes to his game, looked for a physical and mental edge. Always wanting to self improve and get the most out of himself he was willing to learn. He knew he would eventually come out better in the long run.
Now Andy was something else. He was something more than just a ordinary he had made himself greater. His plan had him become a man of action. He was able to fight through challenges, and will himself to be the best of himself every day. This resulted him into finally winning an Olympic Gold Medal, The US Open, Wimbledon, and reach high as number 2 in the world. He didn’t stop there he also improved as a human being becoming a humanitarian. At the top of his life career he seemed more. He came a husband a father and never let his success get to his head or his ego. Murray is a champion because his integrity never changed. He doesn’t make the headlines of being wild, he doesn’t drink or smoke. He is purely authentic. He is the same caring good human being who just wants to give back to people and to animals. Murray is part of many charities to make the world a better place. He has donated his time, money, and name for mankind and animals. He always has never forgot where he came from, a small down in Dunblane, Scotland that was never known for tennis. His story of his upbringing starting from nothing and finding ways to work and improve and at the same time have never change his ego no matter how successful he is.
I think we all can learn from Murray because I know that I have. He has spent his whole life trying it improve and become something more. Fighting through the challenges. Willing himself to get every ounce of iron will from his blood, his sweat, and tears. He says, “Be good to yourself. Try your best and focus on the process. If you believe in yourself and work hard try your best. Anything is possible. For me the most important thing has always been tennis, and that what I want to get across the imagine I want to portray is a hard working tennis player. If I give 100% try my best, physically work as much as I can. Than that’s all I can do.” I try to remember this every day. I try to keep going even when it doesn’t seem like you can. I recall to always learn and look past the past. I believe that to move forward is progress and to have the endurance to never give up. Motivation and determination make you a winner. Through hard work and positive thinking Andy Murray is a shy humble, low key guy. He is competitive, and always gives more than his best on the court. He never gives up. He inspires greatness. He has done everything as a professional athlete and competitor. He cares deeply about tennis, being an image of a hard working tennis player and being a good person. His greatness lies within his heart. He is a champion because he does this day in and day out. Andy didn’t believe he had any limits. He is a legend.
Even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit – a magic blend of skill, faith, and valor – that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory.” – Walter Lord
Be humble stay hungry. You have to get used to losing and don’t let past disappointments effect you. You have to go out there and try your best and don’t compare yourself to others. Instead focus on improvement, be a good person, give back, and make a difference. As a competitive tennis player, a son, a soon to be husband, a coach, a friend, a brother, and an athlete I think throughout my whole life I have lived from my heart. I have always wanted to learn to improve myself in every which way to become a better person, better at my job, a better athlete. I have been scared, I have been nervous, but found that inner strength of courage and used that power to motivate me do become a person of action. In tennis and in life if you work hard to strive to be the best you can be, to learn more, do more, become more, that is greatness. You will have moments of weakness but you have to be brave in those moments you want to be weak. Andy Murray is a perfect example of has always kept trying, kept fighting. Murray showed that he had had the grit and the power inside him to change his life and become a tennis hero. He didn’t let failures get to him. He showed that things don’t always work out the way we want them to. But, hold your head up high, be proud, and try again. He showed you have to have the strength to endure anything and to make the most of yourself. Murray has taught me to aim for more. He shot for higher goals. Raised the bar and challenged himself. He dreamt of glory and it came true no matter how many times he stumbled he kept going and kept grinding away because in life and in sport, that’ is the only way to triumph.
Chris Chaffee
Head Tennis Pro Cranmore Fitness Center
Fryeburg Academy Girls Tennis Coach

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