Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie, and Tim Tebow???

Growing up as a kid in the southeast I vividly remember going with my dad to the county fields to watch the teenagers play baseball. More than once we crossed the state line to take in a game at Turner Field during a time when the Atlanta Braves were highly competitive. I loved baseball! I remember the sound of the crowd, the smell of popcorn, the seventh inning stretch, and singing the old jingle from a TV commercial with my dad, "Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet." However, I must confess, as a Tim Tebow fan, I never imagined that he would chase the dream of becoming a MLB player.

Now that I've had time to process Tebow's recent desire to become one of only a few athletes to play two professional sports, I am convinced that we can all learn at least two things from his new pursuit. 

Lesson #1: Success is not final!

There is much that can be said about Tebow's success as an athlete. He is a winner and has been winning ever since he was just a little kid playing sports in Jacksonville, Florida. Learn his story by reading his autobiography,
Tim Tebow: Through My Eyes. It is an excellent book!  

Space will not allow me to chronicle all of his success. However, to give weight to lesson #1 I will quickly list a few:

• As a senior, he was named Mr. Football in the state of Florida and led Nease High School to a State Title.
• He was the first sophomore in NCAA history to win the Heisman trophy in 2007. 
• He was instrumental in leading the University of Florida to win the 2006 and 2008 BCS National Championships.
• He was a 1st round draft pick for the Denver Broncos in 2010.
• In 2011, Tebow took over the 1-4 Broncos and led them to victory in both the AFC West Title game and their first playoff game since 2005.

The list could go on and on, but the above successes are enough for us to understand

that success is not final. That's right! We cannot rest in our past successes. Certainly we should celebrate the victories we receive along life's journey; but, we must never let them hold us back from the reality that there are many more opportunities ahead of us. Our future is full of potential. There are more mountains to climb, more hurdles to jump over, more games to win, and most importantly; there is more change for good that we can influence if we continue to chase new dreams. Do not let the successes of your past paralyze you and keep you from maximizing your future. Celebrate each victory and then move on to newer and greater things!

Lesson #2: Failure is not Fatal!

First let me say that I do not believe Tebow's time in the National Football League to have been a failure. Let me explain. According to the NFL Player's Association, the average career of a professional football player is 3.3 years. By this measuring stick, he lasted as long as the average player. He played for the Broncos in 2010-11 and the Jets in 2012. He also spent some time with the Patriots in 2013 and the Eagles in 2015. Oh yea, I forgot to mention. When he won his first NFL playoff game it was against the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had the #1 defense in the league at the time. I also forgot to mention that this victory is the shortest overtime in NFL history because Denver won it with an 80 yard touchdown pass from Tebow to Demaryius Thomas on the first play from the line of scrimmage. 

However, there are those who claim that Tebow's NFL career was a bust at best. These haters are back in full force now that Tebow is chasing another dream that involves professional sports. Yes, they are saying that he will not make it and that failure is certain. To this Tebow responds, "People will say, 'What if you fail? What if you don't make it?' Guess what? I don't have to live with regret. I did everything I could. I pushed it. I would rather be someone who can live with peace and no regret rather than being so scared I didn't make the effort."

Tebow both understands and demonstrates to us as he chases his dream that failure is not fatal. This reminds me of a principle that was taught by the great British poet in the 19th century, Alfred Lord Tennyson, "Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all."

Friend do not let the fear of failure paralyze you. Do not let the cry of the crowd dissuade you. Chase your dreams. Run after your passions in life. Run after whatever it is that keeps you up at night and occupies the theater of your mind during the day. And remember the words of the great philosopher Miley Cyrus that was brought to us by Hannah Montana. 

"There's always gonna be another mountain 

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb"

Whether you face the agony of defeat or experience the thrill of victory along your journey, the person you become in the climb will be your legacy. Make it a success!