No-Win Scenario

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

-Winston Churchill

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am captivated by heroism. Sure believing in heroes is a very romantic notion to have living in such a cynical society but something inside of me still screams out for a chance to be a beacon of hope. 

You see, that's what a hero does. They become this light that shines brighter than anything. It's all that anyone can see. It's all anyone can think about.

There is a fatal flaw that resounds in humanity. We give up on things far too easily. I think it's because somewhere along the way we decided that if something doesn't come easy it's not worth having. 

I watched the new Star Trek movie twice last week (once on blu-ray I might add and it's just stunning). There is something about that movie that inspires me. Maybe it's the character of Jim Kirk that attracts my attention. 

James T. Kirk doesn't believe in what is called a "no-win scenario". Everyone around him is preaching that you must know what it is like to fail, but he can't accept failure. He won't accept failure.

That's not to say that he's never failed, because no one is infallible. There is always a way for things to turn around no matter the situation. 

People seem to think that if you fail at something once, you ought to give up on it. When did it become so easy for us to do this?

It sounds to me like we have become complacent with mediocrity. Settling for being "just okay" rather than being the absolute best.

"Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." 

-Thomas Edison

This leads me to my point. 

Don't give up.

Most of the time, the thing that has been driving you to your goal, will push you over the edge before you can truly take flight.

At the end of the day, it's about passion. It's about motivation. It's about tenacity. 

Chase after (insert goal here) with every ounce of your being.

When people ask you why you are killing yourself over something that seems so minuscule and worthless, don't be discouraged. There are always going to be those who don't understand what it is that you have to do.

Even those who should be the most understanding of your situation probably won't get it. When you set your mind to a fight, failure can't be an option. Quitting should be pushed farthest from your heart, even though it's going to look like the most attractive thing at times.

You can't let your desire to be done with something overwhelm what's right. Even in the end, when things don't work out for your favor, just remind yourself that sometimes pursuing something is more about the pursuit than it is the object you are pursuing.

I don't believe in no-win-scenarios. When people ask me why I won't give up, I want to be able to look at them and respond, "I don't know how."

Winston Churchill summed it up better than I ever could. 

"Never, never, never give up."

The Enemy Within (A Locked Cage)

Recently I had the opportunity to encourage someone younger than me to always believe in himself. I asked him about how life was and I got to this place where I hit a chord. Maybe it was the wrong one but I asked him how his life with the ladies was.

He responded, not great...I mean it is me we're talking about here.

And there it is.

In script writing, we are encouraged to have a protagonist with a clear goal and an antagonist who tries to stop the protagonist from reaching his goal. I think I struggle with creating the villain to my stories because in life I'm the one stopping myself from reaching my goals.

I am my own worst enemy.

The problem with this goes beyond having a critical nature toward yourself. That's bound to happen. If you aren't critical of what you do, it could stunt your growth.

Have you ever found yourself in a position of pure doubt?

After all of the strength you've mustered up vanishes, you take a look in the mirror and just feel useless?

I've been there. I'm not very good at taking compliments. I never have been. I've always felt that there are far more important things for people to be doing that say, "Hey, you're incredible at what you do."

It's not that I don't appreciate it, it's mostly because I'm undeserving.

Life is full of moments. Each moment becomes about the defining of your character. There is not one distinct moment that defines you, it's all of them put together. If one moment defines who you are, life would seem pointless.

You can't sit around waiting for that moment of inspiration when motion is happening all around you. Taking your life for granted will kill all motivation to live rightly.


How do you stop yourself from being your own worst enemy?

It can be selfish to be that guy. What happened was that somewhere along the way you thought that showing humility meant destroying confidence. At each turn, you started to let people walk all over you because you wanted to remain humble, when in reality your your heart is looking for a way to find freedom.

You've built a prison that only you have the key to unlock. You have internalized all of your insecurities yet somehow they found a way to the surface and it plays into your decisions you make in everyday life.

Your trust for yourself is lost in your self-pity. Your love for yourself simply doesn't exist anymore and for what purpose?

All it does is create a shell of a human being that was meant for far greater than you give yourself credit for. At the end of the day, it's about choosing others over yourself. It's about knowing who you are and hoping that the future holds something great for you.

I encourage everyone to check yourself daily. Don't allow yourself to be lost in your own weaknesses. If possible, turn it into a strength. Turn your eyes to the horizon but beware of each step you take and cherish every moment you have.

-Chris Peters