That Look

There's a moment in the original Rocky where Mr. Balboa is knocked down.  Apollo looks on as he tries to stand back up.  Rocky struggles, stumbles and falls.  Somehow, he manages to stand and stay standing at the last moment.  The ref checks him out and Rocky looks at Apollo, as each of them stands there beaten, exhausted, and ready to pass out, and he motions with his gloves as he indicates, "Come on!  Let's keep going. I'm ready."  Apollo just stands there for a moment.  He starts to look away and then looks back in total disbelief as if to say, "Really?  After everything you've been through not only are you still standing, but you want more? Are you serious?" 

A lot can be said in a single look.

This look indicates not only disbelief, but respect.  A respect for how hard you're working, for your willingness to try again even though you've failed or had a string of failures.  What's key about this look is this: you have to earn it.  Nobody gives it freely or out of pity.  When you get this look, you can be confident that you are about to hit a breakthrough moment - you're about to overcome.  And, like Rocky, even if you lose this fight - even if the mountain, project or opponent before you says, "There isn't going to be a rematch," you'll probably get one.  And win.

Have you gotten that look lately?  Have you earned "that look?"  If not, ask yourself a simple question, "Why?"  Why haven't you done something that was so daring, so out of your "supposed" league, that others just had to stop and bestow that well-earned gaze as you tried to do something amazing?  If you play it safe the "Apollos" in your life will never appear, never bestow this gift upon you.  Take a chance; take a risk.  You can’t win a fight (or complete a project, get married, complete a goal) if you don’t first step into the ring.