There are so many times that we experience some setbacks in our
lives and we feel it is the end of the world. We tend to dwell
on those things that we forget to learn from them and move on
with our lives. I saw the story below in one of Dr. Norman
Vincent Peale's book, Power Of The Plus Factor. The story states
clearly our attitude to setbacks.
Enjoy it:
"I'm always looking for the right words to encourage my
football(American) team. at Baylor University where I've been
Head Coach for 14 years. I've used everything from praise to
provocation to get the best out of my players. But once, the
right encouraging words came from a team member.
In 1980 we had a very strong team and had won the first seven
games of the season. We were riding high and running a little
scared, I think, as the pressure to win increased. Our eight
game was against San Jose State, a team supposedly not up to our
caliber.
In a shocking upset San Jose beat us, 30-22. Suddenly our
confidence waned. After our loss I kept hearing people say what
might have been, shaking their heads over what we could have
done. The team seemed to absorb this negative thinking. In the
workouts leading to our next game against the University of
Arkansas we couldn't seem to rid ourselves of a lingering
defeatist attitude.
Then Kyle Woods came to our dressing room. A year before, Kyle
had been injured in a workout that left him paralysed. He was
only a sophomore, a defensive back on the second team, when it
happened. Now he would be a cripple for life. This was his first
visit to a game in Baylor Stadium since the injury.
Kyle was in the dressing room before the game in a wheel chair.
After our team prayer, I said a few words and then asked Kyle if
he had anything to add. " I sure do," he said.
I walked over to his wheel chair and pushed him into the center
of the room. Kyle paused for a moment and seemed to look every
player in the eye. He said " Here it is: You take a setback and
you turn it into a comeback."
Then Kyle dropped his hands to his side. he had no dexterity in
them, but he managed to lock his thumbs around the wheel chair's
arm. he pushed downward on the chair with his hands, lifting his
body up. With one giant lunge, he stood up.
There he stood in the dressing room, to emphsize the point he'd
just made, that "you can take a setback and turn it into a
comeback." I've never heard a greater message nor seen it so
dramatically punctuated.
Then we went out and defeated the University of Arkansas, 42-15,
and we went on to become the 1980 South West Conference Champion.
The Bible says, "God has not given us the spirit of fear but of
power and of love and of a sound mind. (2. Tim. 1:7) The Lord
want us to achieve. Out of every setback we can find the
comeback He has in mind for us.
To your success.
Adebola Oni
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