Today’s topic came from my nephew, Scott, in response to my request for inspiration. I suspect he took my request as one to be personally inspired as opposed to have my writing inspired. Nevertheless, he was successful on both counts. He shared with me a video that I have watched more times than I can count—and that has never failed to inspire me. He sent me the “Death Crawl” scene from the movie Facing the Giants. Facing the Giants was a go-to movie for me six years ago when my business spiraled toward failure. We didn’t make a 50-yard field goal to save the business, but there was always hope to be had, and the movie and the experience brought me to a deeper trust in my God and my path in life. Most have seen the “Death Crawl” scene—to the point that it is now almost cliché, but it still has the capacity to inspire.
If, by some remote chance, the reader has not seen the movie or the clip, let me summarize. Grant Taylor (played by Alex Kendrick) is the head football coach at a small Christian academy in Georgia. He has failed to post a winning season in his six years as coach. His job is on the line. His faith in God is on the line. He realizes that he has been wanting to win for all the wrong reasons. He determines that than is more to life than just football. To quote Wikipedia: “He creates a new coaching philosophy and decides to praise God, no matter what the result. At the same time he guides and urges each one of his players to give the maximum effort, and motivates them to believe they can win under God’s guidance.” As a tide-turning action, he calls out Brock Kelley (played by Jason MacLeod), one of the leading players on the team. He blindfolds the athlete and tells him he wants him to do the Death Crawl as far as he can go—with a player on his back. Brock suggests that he can go to the 30-yard-line. Coach Taylor insists he can make it to the 50. (Spoiler) Brock makes it from goal line to goal line. Coach Taylor impresses upon Brock:
“Look up, Brock. You’re in the end zone. Brock, you are the most influential player on this team. If you walk around defeated, so will they. Now tell me you can’t give me more than what I’ve been seeing. You just carried a 140-pound man across this whole field on your arms. Brock, I need you. God’s gifted you with the ability of leadership. Don’t waste it.”
One of my favorite quotes from the clip comes when Jeremy, the player Brock has carried on his back, interrupts with “Coach…. I weigh 160.”
It is an inspiring clip. As an exercise physiologist (and a parent), however, I would not suggest that anyone try to replicate it. In reality, the coach probably would have been fired when Brock was hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis (the rapid destruction of skeletal muscle resulting in the muscle protein myoglobin leaking into the blood and damaging the kidneys).
The clip can move us on so many levels.
–We can always carry more load than we think we are capable.
–We can always push ourselves harder.
–We can always defeat our self-doubt.
–There is a leader in all of us.
–Clichés work.
We learn by closing our eyes to our self-doubts and taking one more step than we want to that we can accomplish the impossible. I teach my children that “’Can’t’ never did anything.”
Grant Taylor’s coaching philosophy—”to praise God, no matter what the result”—teaches us about grattitude (i.e., gratitude + attitude). It teaches us to trust our Purpose. It teaches us to believe in our Spiritual “self”.
Brock: I’m about out of strength.
Coach: Then you negotiate with your mind to find more strength, but don’t you give up on me, Brock. You keep going, you hear me? You keep going. You’re doing good. You keep going. Do not quit on me. You keep going.
Keep going. “God’s gifted you with the ability of leadership. Don’t waste it.”
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!