Getting Strong Now

Everyone has their favorite inspirational songs to listen to while working out. Easily in my top 3 is the theme from “Rocky”. Now I know you all are just rolling your eyes at this one, but it’s a very personal song to me.

“Rocky” came out in 1976, which is the year I was born, and it won the Oscar for best picture. Its iconic theme song “Gonna Fly Now” is certainly overused in a lot of movies and commercials, and I too roll my eyes at it. But when it comes up on my playlist, I subconsciously start running a little faster or pedal the bike a little harder. It’s difficult not to feel the inspiration from the song.

The movie was about a small time club fighter who gets the opportunity of a lifetime to improve his life. The song is a capsulation of his relentless training and eventual strengthening to take on the reigning world heavyweight champion in an exhibition match. Along the way, he finds love and starts having people who had counted him out before now believing that he had a chance. Even though he loses the fight, he fought until the very end, never giving up and earning respect from everyone who saw it.

That’s how I’ve felt about my life. My parents showed me the benefits of working hard and I took that knowledge to heart. I have several hard earned certificates, a bachelor’s degree, and a cabinet full of hockey awards that show my work ethic. You don’t get those from sitting on the couch wishing things would happen to you. You have to chase your goals and never give up until they are firmly in your reach. Sometimes you stumble or even fall, but you get back up and keep going. You may not think people are watching, but I promise you they are. Some are rooting for you, some are waiting for you to fail. Once you attain your goal, though, you will earn respect from them all.

Never quit. Never stop. Never yield.

That’s what I hear when that song plays. Everyone should have a song that inspires them like that and I hope that you do, too.