Underdog

America loves a great underdog story.  Overcoming long odds.  Shouting down the naysayers.  Staying strong in the face of incredible adversity.  The underdog win is a testament to sheer will and the ultimate tribute to the Resilient Worker.  Kurt Warner was bagging groceries in Iowa the season before leading the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl title.  Buster Douglas was a 42-1 long shot before shocking the undefeated Mike Tyson in perhaps one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.  Beyond sports, J.K. Rowling was an unemployed  single mother writing in coffee houses before her manuscript was finally picked up and the “Harry Potter” phenomenon was born.  And Danny Larusso was a skinny, Jersey kid with no fighting skills before he took down Johnny Lawrence and the entire Cobra Kai dojo (Apologies. I have a thing for 80s movies!)    So what does it take for an underdog to win?  Hard work, perseverance, and, yes, resilience!

You have no fear of the underdog.  That’s why you will not survive! –Spoon

We have all been underdogs at some point in our lives.  Perhaps you strived for a promotion against an incumbent with far more experience at the company.  Or pitched a sales battle against a much larger company with seemingly infinite resources. Or started a company with a great idea but no financial  backing.  Or even gone after the guy or girl who was way out of your league.  Someone has passed judgment on you and decided you should not have the job.  You should not win the sale.  Your company should fail.  And that guy or girl should be with someone far superior to you.  So how do you move forward despite the incredible odds of failure?  You simply have to believe.  You have to believe in the company, you have to believe in the team, and most importantly, you have to believe in yourself.  Do not give in to someone else’s perception of you.  They underestimate the fire and passion that is burning inside you.  They underestimate your intestinal fortitude and your hunger for success.  They underestimate your ability to persevere in the face of adversity.  Your underdog status will fuel your quest for greatness and be a catalyst to achieve your ultimate goals in life.  Nobody puts Baby in a corner! (Sorry, couldn’t resist another 80s movie reference).

But how do you maintain that edge once you have achieved your goals and reached the pinnacle of success?  It is easy to relax and enjoy the moment of proving your doubters wrong as you bask in the glory of your latest accomplishments.  As we have discussed, taking time to celebrate your victories (both large and small) is a key to happiness.  But do not rest too long on your laurels!  There is another underdog right behind you who is even hungrier for success and has even more to prove!  In my 20s, I worked at Creative Artists Agency, a white-hot Hollywood talent agency and notorious shark tank.  I once asked a young partner, who had risen to the top ranks of the agency, how he was able to navigate the treacherous political waters of Tinsel Town.  “Getting to the top was easy.  Hard work and a little luck.  Staying on top is the challenge.”  And so it is will all resilient workers.  Do not lose your edge.  Maintain that fire in the belly and that passion no matter what your position in life.  Circumstances change quickly and you must be prepared for the upside and the downside of fortune.  Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. (Throw the flag!  I promise that will be my last 80s movie reference!)

You are in control of your own success and happiness.  There will be times when no one will believe in you.  There will be times when you are up against incredible odds.  There will be times when the deck is stacked against you and success seems unreachable.  Do not give into the negative thinking!  Nothing is pre-determined and you have the ability to create your own triumphant outcome!  Stay strong.  Be resilient.  Believe in your own abilities.  And, most importantly, beware of the underdog.  Because that underdog is YOU!

Until next week, keep smiling.