Be Bigger on the Inside than on the Outside
“Are you sure you can handle all that?” On a sunny day in August, a father takes his 6-year-old daughter to the carnival, a place that she has been begging to go since the beginning of the summer. That morning, anticipating some father-daughter time, she breaks open her piggy bank counts her money. She earned this money by being diligent in her chores and even earned some extra money doing chores for her brother.
The little girl deposits her hard earned savings into a plastic bag and puts it in a safe place.
Once they buy their tickets and pass through the gates, the little girl lets go of her father’s hand and excitedly sprints toward the cotton candy vender a few feet away.
With a huge grin on her face, she looks up at the man working the booth and says, "one cotton candy please...the BIG one!" Her father catches up with her and watches the transaction.
The vender pauses, and asks, “Are you sure you can handle the big one, little girl?”
“Don’t worry about me, sir.” She says. “I am a lot bigger on the inside than the outside.”
That is character.
When those around you say it can’t be done, you trust yourself because you know it can.
When those around you tempt you to cheat, you know you won’t because you’ll have to face yourself in the mirror.
When those around you doubt your talent, you overcome your deficiencies with hard work and dedication to your craft.
When those around you tell you to take it easy, you smile because you know that taking it easy is not the way of the champion.
When those around you accuse you of cheating, you hold your head up high because you know with success comes jealousy.
Talent is a combination of many things, including things like your genetic makeup, the effort you exert in practice, and the coaching you have available to you.
Character is one thing: a choice. Choose to be a person of character and the reputation you will create for yourself will be worth more than any trophy or award you could ever receive.
Plus, having character is one of the best ways to separate yourself from the crowd.
