November 26, 2023
“See that guy staring back at you…That’s your toughest opponent.” –
Rocky Balboa (from the film Creed)
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| Don't let others define your legacy/purpose |
All of us want to matter to someone beyond ourselves. For some people, one person is enough…for others, some want to matter to the entire world. We all have different reasons for this desire. I believe it is the foundation of the human experience to have purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 states “…for I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future…”
I think we all have a unique purpose. As a child, I wanted a purpose, and I had
no idea how to find it. Because I did not know my purpose, I grew thinking I
had to prove myself every step of the way because…
- I was the smallest
- Or the younger sibling of…
- Or the only Black kid
- The first-generation college
student
- The kid from poverty
- The charity case of kid who
survived more than I am willing to put on into digital words
Thankfully, by the time I got to college, I began
to find pieces of my purpose. While I did have it all together by the time I finished
college, I kept getting closer. After relocating to Texas and experiencing my 2nd
toxic work environment I finally began to recognize I had more say on my
purpose than I thought. The things I was able to control were more impactful on
my purpose (not my reality/situation) than I realized. Whether it’s my health,
my parenting skills, my husband skills, relationships with others, or my
journey in academics…there are many battles. The greatest battle is me against me!!! To win, I gotta move
myself out of the way. I need to move my doubt and past failures out of the
way. The main character of Creed
(2015) had to do the same thing, move outta our own way!
I love the movie Creed (2015). It is a boxing version of my origin story in many
ways…Adonis (Johnson) Creed never met his biological father. He was born out of
an affair his father had with his mother, while his father was married to
someone else. Coming into adulthood, Adonis Creed wanted to prove he wasn’t a
mistake. He wasn’t a mistake!!!
The only way to prove that was to get out of his own way. He had to move his
doubt…he had to move his disbelief out of his own way.
At times I have felt like I was
a mistake. And that was the lie that tried to hijack my purpose. No matter your
story, you are NOT a mistake. Your greatness is not determined by where you
came from; it is based on how determined you are to get where you are going. In
the film, Creed did not win the boxing title. He lost the fight, but he won. He
won because he found himself. Sometimes the gold at the end of the rainbow is
the treasure we need, not what we want…it may be what is needed to get started.
What parts of you are in your way? Name them! Create a plan to move each of
them out of your way. Once they are gone…your journey becomes clearer. So,
remember, “it’s you against you!”
Your Toughest Opponent: You!
Be well!
- Elgrie J.
