He didn’t wait to see what part of his body might be aching after crashing to the ground halfway through the 300-meter hurdle event. He knew this fall would cost him, but how much distance could he make up against the leaders with only four more hurdles left?

Get up.

Keep running.  

Give it your best.

It was the district track meet, and Lindsay High School junior athlete Nick Bezner wasn’t going to slow down or take it easy just because of a mid-race fall. He dug deep into his training and his desire to operate with excellence, finishing the race in fifth place.

In Texas, you must qualify at the district track meet to advance to the area track meet. Unfortunately, a fifth-place finish left Nick on the sidelines as an alternate for his team. This means he would keep training and suit up for the next meet, even though he wasn’t scheduled to compete.  Nick loves a good challenge and accepted this one with his trademark blend of optimism and intensity.

In the days leading up to the area meet, one of his teammates went down with an ankle injury. Already mentally and physically prepared, Nick stepped into the starting blocks for the 300-meter hurdles once again. There would be no tumbles this time. Nick was sure of that. But would Nick be able to run fast and not let caution get the best of him?

As he cleared hurdle number four, the one that cost him a district title weeks earlier, Nick knew he was running at a strong pace, and he could feel a surge heading into the back half of the race.  He kept his stride and ran the best he could, and he was surprised when he crossed the finish line ahead of everyone else.  He won.

The guy who didn’t qualify for the race after a fall during the district meet was now standing on the podium's top spot to receive his first-place gold medal. The fact that Nick was the fastest 300-meter hurdle runner in the area would have been irrelevant had he not run with such fortitude and conviction at the previous track meet. 

At the district meet

He fell.

He didn’t blame anyone.

He didn’t feel sorry for himself.

He didn’t throw a fit.

He trained with determination.

He built strong character.

He let virtues like courage and fortitude be his guide.

He sprung back to his feet.

He ran so as if to win.

And all of this led to his actual win at the area meet weeks later.

What about you?

Do you ever fall?

Do you sit on the track as others run by?

Do you get mad, or jealous, or engage in self-loathing inner dialogue?

All of us know the feeling that Nick had that day. We are halfway through something, feeling pretty good, and then adversity strikes. In those situations, what can you do next to keep moving forward? How can you prepare your heart and mind before these things happen to equip yourself better and improve your reactions?

I am grateful to have Nick as a business partner. In our two years of launching Undivided Life and the various organizations we have built, bought, or advised, I have seen his leadership shine firsthand, just as it did during that district track meet in high school.