Got Inspiration? Going All the Way Like the Ravens
At the beginning of an NFL season, there are 32 teams with one singular aim – winning the Super Bowl. I’m sure every head coach gives a speech before the opening game to get his players hyped and focused on that goal. In September, John Harbaugh, the Ravens coach, had his team watch a video about Mohammad Ali and then at the end of practice had his father, Jack Harbaugh, a former football coach address the team. As the team listened to Jack talk about Ali’s legacy, a golf cart quietly rolled up behind them with Mohammad Ali in the flesh. The team not only got to hear about the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) but got to meet him.
There are so many things that got the Baltimore Ravens to Super Bowl Champs and Mohammad Ali’s presence at their last practice was one small piece. It should remind us though that inspiration and determination are the ex-factors in so many situations. The Ravens are not the best team technically – the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos have them beat there – but on the road to the Super Bowl the Ravens beat those teams. It was their vision, expectations and sheer will to win that exceed their talent and that got them to World Champions.
As you move forward with business school or with the b-school application process, remember that you will need talent and technical skill, and you will need coaching and support, but it is your determination and grit that will drive your success. Determination can be fleeting – some days you will be focused and moving swiftly toward your goals and on other days, you will feel defeated and doubting yourself. I can imagine that the Ravens felt a little like that after dropping four of their last five regular season games. You must find the words, things or people that can inspire you to keep going and not give up on your goals. There might be a quote or a song that gets you fired up. Or you might need to call a friend that has that special knack for getting you back on track. Each of us is different. What will inspire you to achieve your goal?
Congrats to Ravens Nation and Charm City!
