It was a sad week last week as we’ve saw the tragic death of Andy Irons and we mourn his loss and think of his wife and unborn baby left behind. Here is a video tribute to him.

But in everything that has been written and said and shown … one thing stood out like a beacon to me.

Andy Irons: “….I lost so many heats to get to where I was. I lost to a girl in my first contest ever.  And I quit for a year and never touched a jersey.  And I had to pick up the  jersey after that and get back in there.  And that’s the only reason I got to where I’m at, or I was at, five years ago when I won those titles.  And, you know, I haven’t won the title in a long time, but you know I’m getting back in the jersey and I’m not winning heats yet, but I gotta start somewhere.”

That there is what makes a champion. That is another testament to the age old value of resilience.  The people that win in life are not always the smartest, biggest, strongest, or most talented. The people who win have all these things in some measure but the traits that are the stepping stones to their success are also

• Learning from their mistakes
• Overcoming disappointment
• Perseverence and resilience
• Believing in themselves
• Hard work and commitment

Never ever forget that. Be inspired by Andy Irons. Lest we forget