Two Life Lessons From My Junior High And High School Teachers
I left school so far back in the review mirror that it’s ridiculous. But there are two teachers, actually one teacher, and one coach, that taught me lessons I’ve never forgotten. I used to be a runner. I could run for miles. When I wasn’t running I was long-distance biking, swimming laps, or performing in track and field events.
I kept coming up short on the 440. Yes, I did the relay too but the 440 — you run the entire distance alone. I recall one day coming around the last corner and once again I came up short. I hit the little white line like I thought I was supposed to. That is until the coach came over and had a chat with me.
“Terry, come here. Follow me,” he said. We walked back to the final turn on the track and he pointed ahead. “You see the finish line, right?” I shook my head yes. “Do you see that fence waaaaaaay down there past the track and before the road?” “Yeah.” was my only response.
From now on aim for that fence.
I was stopping short in order to hit the finish line like I thought I was supposed to. But that’s not how winners win. Winners go above and beyond what people expect of them. My takeaway from that was,
Never let someone else’s minimum become your maximum.
This isn’t just for athletes. This is for everyone. On a new job? Go beyond your job description. Do everything you know to do and do it well. The job description is merely a bottom line, like my finish line. It’s the least amount they expect from you. Run to the fence and impress the hell out of them!
And what happened when I took the coach's advice on the 440? I came within 7 seconds of breaking a state record.
Fast forward now to graduation. Everyone is passing around yearbooks to be signed by friends, classmates, and teachers. One teacher wrote something so profound… it went something like this.
Most people shine their shoes because they want to make a good impression. It’s the first thing someone is going to see when you enter a room. And while that maybe be true you have to remember to shine the back of your shoes too.
You see, what people see when they first meet you will be one thing but as you walk away what they will see of you is something completely different. If you’re fake upfront, it will show when you turn around. The heel of your shoe will be what people see of you as you walk away and that will be their last and often times lasting impression of you.
We’re so consumed with the mirror and what we look like and what people will think of us that we give no thought of all of what we’re about and if it’s of any value to the world.
