Hindsight In 2020 #8: Not Naturally Gifted
Have you ever played the game ‘would you rather’? It’s a game where you essentially have to choose between two things, both of which are not that great. This game is really popular among the students I teach at school. When we play, I propose to them two options, one of which they have to choose and explain why they would choose that option. Here’s a few for you to think about on your own…
Would you rather be in jail for a year or lose a year off your life?
Would you rather know the history of every object you touched or be able to talk to animals?
Would you rather be married to a 10 with a bad personality or a 6 with an amazing personality?
Would you rather every shirt you ever wear be kind of itchy or only be able to use 1 ply toilet paper?
Would you rather live without the internet or live without AC and heating?
We know that those questions are just questions for fun. They don’t really mean anything for us, our friends or our future. But what if they did? What if you have to either go to jail for a year or lose a year off your life? What if you either had to live without the internet or AC/heating? Might change your answer, huh?
Let me pose one more ‘would you rather’ question. And this one could change how you live your life.
Would you rather be naturally gifted or a hard worker?
Here’s why I pose that question.
I played baseball and football all throughout my high school career. In eighth grade I played for the junior varsity football team. Now, please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. I played for the junior varsity high school team in middle school because I played quarterback and there wasn’t a quarterback on the team. It ain’t like I was ‘so good’ that they moved me up! Please don’t think that. But I did play on the JV team. I got my tail handed to me a good bit, but I always got back up. I made the varsity baseball team for the high school in ninth grade. Again, I wasn’t the best player or anything, but I made the team. I played any position they needed; however, the position I played the most was the bench. I did get to practice with the big guns and learned a lot from playing with and against better competition.
It’s funny the things you remember. Some things you can’t remember to save your life, while others are burned into your memory. There is one statement from my seventh grade physical education teacher that was stamped into my frontal lobe even as a young kid. I do not remember what we were discussing that day. I do not remember the context of what she said or why she said it. But, I do remember her talking about the athletes in our class and comparing us in a very non-condescending way. Before I reveal the statement that she said, understand this: this lady was a great teacher. She was a well respected athletic director and teacher. She still holds several sports records at the high school I attended. Also, she has never been anything other than nice to me. But, as a seventh grader, in the presence of your friends, some things are misunderstood and taken as something more than they were meant.
My seventh grade physical education teacher, when talking about athletes in the class, said this about me in front of everyone…
”Take Hunter for example. He isn’t the best athlete, but he’s a hard worker.”
I bet you can guess what the seventh grade me heard the loudest and remembered the most: he isn’t the best athlete. The seventh grade me took that to heart. I thought: man, my teacher doesn’t think I’m a good athlete. I’ve played sports all of my life. I won games on field day. I almost beat one of the fastest guys in our school in a one hundred yard dash.
Here’s the thing. What she said was really a compliment. A dag-um good compliment at that. I wish that I would have taken that compliment, thanked her and continued doing what I was doing. Not only did she give me a compliment, but she complimented me in front of all my friends and peers. I should have walked out of that classroom with my chin held high because one of the teachers called me a hard worker.
Chin held high like...
It’s been a hot minute since seventh grade. In the time between seventh grade and now, I’ve graduated high school, graduated college and got a wonderful job...as a physical education teacher. The irony, am I right? I’m also a father of two wonderful kids. Here’s what I know now: if I had to choose between being naturally gifted or a hard worker, I’d chose be a hard worker any day.
Just being gifted may get you through high school, but it definitely won’t help you through the tough years of college. Just being gifted may help you get a job, but it definitely won’t help you keep one. Just being gifted may help you attract a spouse, but it definitely won’t help you to keep them or be a quality, loving partner. Just being gifted may help you make some babies, but it definitely won’t help you rear those kids in preparation for the struggles of the real world. For most of life’s demands, requirements and rewards hard work is required. There is not much in life that is naturally gifted to you.
I’ve coached athletes in football, basketball and baseball during my time as an educator. The kids who are naturally gifted are wonderful to have on the team. Their athleticism is oftentimes leaps and bounds ahead of their peers. A couple of years ago, I had a player on our football team who was a stud. He was stronger, faster and had more ability than anyone else on the football team. If given the opportunity, he would run over, run through, or run past anyone if he so desired. But here’s the kicker: he was lazy and entitled. That same player came to practice late, disrespected his coaches and only cared for himself. Because of this and other discipline issues, he did not play one complete game that season. That student athlete could always change his ways and begin to put in the work required to be a special player in the future; however, his natural ability may always hinder him from reaching his full potential. That’s sad, isn’t it?
That same year I had another player, on the same football team, who was not as naturally gifted as the player mentioned above. He was not fast, not very strong and not the most vocal leader on the team. But I’ll tell you what, he was on time to practice; did every single thing his coaches asked; and never, ever disrespected his teammates or coaches. He tried his best every single practice and it showed during the games. He played each play with everything he had. It was that player who I would miss the following season. Again, not because of his natural ability, but because of his work ethic and approach to the game. As a coach, I would take an entire roster of that type of player. I would also bet most coaches would agree to that statement. That type of player is most likely not going to make the big play or win the most valuable player award at the end of the year. There are other awards for players like that. Those awards are more valuable that being the MVP.
I never got the most valuable player award. Probably because I wasn’t the most valuable player! And I’m okay with that! There were players on my teams in school that were way more talented than myself. One guy I played baseball with actually went on to play in the Atlanta Braves minor league organization. Another friend of mine that I played football alongside, started every game of his college career and then went on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals. Both of them were obviously MVP material. Side note: not only were those two very naturally gifted, but they were both extremely hard workers. I witnessed that firsthand and up close. When natural gifts and hard work combine people go places. Those two guys are also genuinely good dudes who now have beautiful families and successful lives of their own.
Although I never got an MVP award, I did win some awards for my hard work and efforts. Please understand, I do not remember all these awards from my memory. My parents kept a book for me that has pictures, news clippings, and certificates from my days in high school and college. I’m so thankful to them for that. There are a great deal of cherished memories in that book. Here are a few pictures from that book…
There is one award individual award that I cherish more than any. At that time, I probably didn’t understand the full measure of it's meaning. But now, at thirty-one years of age, this is one award that I hold close and hope it continues to describe me to this day.
After the 2001 football season, the same year that I misconstrued my physical education teacher’s compliment for something else, I was awarded by my middle school head football coach with the Hustle Award.
Someone on a coaching website defined hustle like this:
Hustle, in any sport, refers to how hard a person tries. It means giving 100% to whatever you are doing, and doing it as fast as you can. Often the best players are not the most talented, but those who try the hardest, and that makes them hustle players.
So yeah, I’m proud of the hustle award. I hope that people look at me today and see a man trying his hardest, giving a hundred percent all the time and never letting something get the best of me.
I take pride in being a hard worker. I take pride in the fact that I’m not naturally gifted in every aspect of life. I’ve had to work to gain what I have in life. And I’ll have to continue to work hard to reach other goals that I have set for the future. We will all have to work for what we want. That’s how life works for most of us.
To my seventh grade physical education teacher, thank you for the wonderful compliment. I did not appreciate it like I should have back then; but now, I hold my head up high knowing that you thought I was a hard worker. I've thought about what you said for many years and, even now, it means a lot ot me. I'm sorry if I acted rude or ungrateful to you in anyway shape or fashion. You were a wonderful teacher and have always been a very supportive fan of our school teams. Thank you for that.
To you, the reader: it's okay if you're not the most naturally gifted person in the world. You can still make it in life without having raw ability or gifts. Don't be afraid to put in the work to be great. It won't be easy. That's why they call it work. It's hard. It's often unpleasant. It's usually not fun. People will noticed you working and see your efforts. Hopefully those efforts will be rewarded. That reward may be a Hustle Award from your seventh grade football coach, a raise from your employer or maybe marrying the person of your dreams.
And to you, the one who is naturally gifted...you're still cool.
Happy Fryeday!
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Thank you for reading!