On a September day in 1913, a baby was born in Alabama who was destined for greatness, though no one would have dreamed it at the time. It wasn’t until the summer of 1936 when Jesse Owens, the son of a sharecropper, would make history at the Berlin Olympics.
Though we can create blueprints for how things should go, we have no way of knowing what the outcome of our efforts will be. We can organize and strategize, but it is physically impossible to plan for every eventuality, no matter how hard we try. There is always the chance of a breakdown in the plans, but one thing is certain: to not try at all is to guarantee failure.
We might not try because of fear of the unknown, or because of the safety net that status quo provides. We might be embarrassed by failure, or afraid of what others might think, or we might do something as simple as listen to the naysayers. But if Jesse Owens had accepted status quo, he would never have found himself standing on the top podium four times in 1936.
Despite illness, racism, and poverty, Jesse Owens never took “no” for an answer, and I believe that’s due, in part, to his personal support team. Starting with his parents who expected him to work hard, then his junior high track coach who met him before school to help him practice.
Faced with bigotry and hatred, Owens continually responded with dedication and resolve, taking home a total of four gold medals, and cementing his place in Olympic, and American, history. Lesson learned: Dream big, and then do the work.
“We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.”
Jesse Owens
Image credit: Duncan Rawlinson
