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

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.  The “Miracle on Ice” captivated America and showed our true spirit.  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.   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!

We have all been underdogs at some point in our lives.  Perhaps we 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 our league.  Someone passed judgment on us and decided we should not have the job.  We should not win the sale.  Our company should fail.  And that guy or girl should be with someone far superior to us.  So how do we move forward despite the incredible odds of failure?  We have to believe.

We have to believe in the company, we have to believe in the team, and most importantly, we have to believe in ourselves.  We cannot give in to someone else’s perception of us.  They underestimate the fire and passion that is burning inside us.  They underestimate our intestinal fortitude and our hunger for success.  They underestimate our ability to persevere in the face of adversity.  Our underdog status will fuel our quest for greatness and be a catalyst to achieve our ultimate goals in life.  Nobody puts Baby in a corner! (Sorry, couldn’t resist another 80s movie reference).

But how do we maintain that edge once we have achieved our goals and reached the pinnacle of success?  It is easy to relax and enjoy the moment of proving our doubters wrong as we bask in the glory of our latest accomplishments.   But we cannot rest too long on our laurels!  There is another underdog right behind us 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 of us.  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!)

We are in control of our own success and happiness.  There will be times when no one will believe in us.  There will be times when we are up against incredible odds.  There will be times when the deck is stacked against us and success seems unreachable.  Do not give in to the negative thinking!  Nothing is pre-determined and we have the ability to create our own triumphant outcome!

Stay strong.  Stay resilient.  Continue to believe.  And, most importantly, beware of the underdog.  Because that underdog is YOU!