Embrace challenges in your life

  • Published
  • By Col. Earl Scott, 60th Maintenance Group commander

Team Travis, Happy New Year. I hope that it’s off to a great start and the resolutions you made are still in practice.

2016 was another banner year for our amazing installation and members from every organization made significant contributions and provided tremendous support to our combatant commanders and our nation. We once again defined the term Rapid Global Mobility for our command, and we saved lives and brought hope to thousands of citizens around the world who otherwise may not have any.

I can brag forever about what this team provides to our nation’s collective defense, but I want to take a few minutes and talk about challenges in life and how they can make you stronger. 

Most people, and certainly most organizations, establish goals they’d like to achieve in a given period of time—weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly and so on. Traditionally, these goals are often born from previous failures, shortcomings or unforeseen challenges.  It could be an issue with coming to work on time, not passing your fitness test because of struggles with your weight or a bum shoulder, struggling to be a nicer person because of your challenging past, or in some unfortunate cases not getting promoted.

If reference to any of the aforementioned are too personal and depressing—I’m profoundly sorry; however, I encourage you to please keep reading. 

I can’t begin to count the number of times I was challenged with something and wondered, “How the heck will I ever get through this?” But, if I would have stopped trying, or simply given up, it’s unlikely I would be in my current position. With that thought in mind, I want you to consider these names for a while: Henry Flipper, Jackie Robinson, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Steven King, Jim Carrey, Thomas Edison and Michael Jordan.

What do you think they all have in common? They all could have been non-entities in our American lexicon if they allowed their individual circumstances and challenges to hold them back from what they wanted. 

Respectively, Flipper became the first African-American West Point graduate in 1877. Robinson was the first African-American to play major league baseball. The Wright Brothers first attempted powered flight in 1896 but didn’t successfully accomplish it until 1903. King’s first novel was rejected 30 times. Carrey was once homeless. Edison failed 1,000 times before he invented the light bulb. And Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Really? I had the privilege of seeing MJ play a few times in person, and it still astonishes me that the greatest basketball player in my lifetime was actually not good enough for his high school team.

I’m guessing that by now many of you understand my point. Life is tough, but you can’t give up. Instead, I encourage you to get up, learn, and try again. My motto is simple: “Try and get a little better every day.” We all have times in our lives when the weight of our despair can feel overwhelming.  However, I assure you that with reflection, a good support structure, a well-developed plan, and a “not dead, can’t quit” mentality you can, and WILL, achieve most goals you set.

Team Travis, I hope each of you has a fantastic 2017 and reach all of your established goals, but if you encounter challenges, simply keep trying until you succeed.

Thanks for all you do in defense of our great nation!