My senior year in college was defined by several long road trips to visit various friends throughout the country.  One of my most memorable adventures entailed a 13-hour drive from Durham, North Carolina to Ann Arbor, Michigan to experience the Michigan vs. Michigan State football game.

My older brother was in business school at Michigan and my good buddy was an undergrad.  So a couple of college friends and I piled into a Jeep and headed north for the greatest time of our lives.  It was the perfect storm.

A few hours before the big game, we joined a lively tailgate party and soaked in the revelry of a major college football rivalry.  Good-natured chanting.  Time-honored traditions.  And one or two choice libations.  The atmosphere was electric.

It was a dream come true.  Until  a massive, long-haired, corn-fed “fan” approached our tailgate looking for trouble.  He was cursing up a storm and calling out certain individuals from our crowd.  Our bubble world of tranquility was suddenly compromised.

All reason and negotiation went out the window.  It was clear Gigantor (as we called him) was not leaving the scene without a fight. 

It was the last thing I wanted to do, but I stepped forward and took my shot at the title.

Gigantor and I squared off.  Things were actually going surprisingly well, but suddenly Gigantor leveraged his 8-inch height advantage and “hockey-shirted” me (pulled my shirt over my head), landing more than a few haymakers in the process.  By the time I got out of my straight-jacket, he had disappeared.

I took a few lumps but was basically okay.

A few hours later, as we were filing into the stadium, Gigantor  appeared out of the blue.  Uh-oh.  I braced for Round Two.

Instead, he smiled and pointed at me.

“Much respect.  I ain’t got no problem with you.  I ain’t got no problem with nobody!”

I thought about correcting his grammar, but decided not to push my luck.

Gigantor and I worked it out.  It wasn’t a smooth path.  But facing the beast head on was the only way to get there.

And the only way to overcome the Gigantors in our own lives is by facing them head on!

We Have To Take Action

In our work lives, there are daunting challenges everywhere.  The salesperson staring at a long cold call list.  The lawyer wrestling with the “unwinnable” case.  The entrepreneur struggling with opening up in a new market.  The teacher coping with an unruly student.  The coach battling  an undisciplined player.  These challenges aren’t going to go away without a fight.  We can’t hide so we might as well saddle up!

Pick up the phone and start dialing.  Think outside the box and create new angles for your client.  Load up on your supplies and start executing in the field.  Lay down the law with your students and players.  Somebody has to step up and take action.  Somebody has to stare down the beast.  The longer we turn a blind eye toward Gigantor, the bigger he becomes.  And deep down, we all know he isn’t going away without a fight.

We Need to Bring the Fight

The same is true in our personal lives.  Addiction.  Financial hardship.  Family squabbles.  Contentious relationships.  The issues we face are real and it can be overwhelming.  Even if we want to, we can’t stay in our bubble world.  Gigantor will find us.  What are we going to do?

We need to be honest with ourselves and face our demons.  We need to cut back on our expenses and work new angles.   We need to admit when we are wrong and extend an olive branch.  We need to either repair or root out the damaging relationships in our lives.

It won’t be easy.  Gigantor demands a fight.  But there is much respect for engaging in the battle.

We Won’t Always Come Out on Top

Let’s not kid ourselves.  The battle is not pretty.  There is real pain and suffering.  We don’t live in a world of fairytale endings where the heroes always come out on top.  Sometimes, we fail.  Sometimes, we lose.  Sometimes, Gigantor’s haymakers get the best of us.

But resiliency is not measured by the number of times we win or lose.  It is measured by the number of times we step back up to battle.  It is a process that starts by facing our fears and weaknesses head on.   Because the very act of struggling, fighting, and staring down our demons prepares us for the next battle.  We get bloodied and bruised but realize we are still standing!

That first shot at the title is the hardest.  But Gigantor gets shorter and weaker every time we take him on.

We Will Win in the End

Overcoming our biggest fears and challenges requires incredible courage.  There is a lot at stake and there is real pain and suffering in the process.

We may get hockey-shirted and end up on the business end of a couple of haymakers.  But we’re going to be okay.  Gigantor is no match for our tenacity.

And in the end, there will be much respect for the fight.

Until next week, keep smiling.