Last night I was reading a psychological book by Carol Dweck, called, Mindset. The novelist talks about two distinct mentalities that people have: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. For those with a fixed mindset, there is no such thing as change or improvement. You are who you are and your abilities can not be improved or altered. For those with a growth mindset, well, it is as it says, they're continually attempting to grow. The idea of their own potential is not diluted. They believe in change (for the better). They believe they can overcome the “impossibilities” in their lives. They are visionaries that are also opportunists.
A year ago, after we lost to Birmingham-Southern, we could've crumbled. We could've said, “this is just as the previous years,” Or, “we’ll never be champions.” But I remember vividly after the game, we all took a knee and looked on as Coach Turk began to speak to us. I expected him to give a disappointing speech, or perhaps even say nothing at all, but what he said I'll never forget: “this is the best thing that could have ever happened to us.” He didn't say that to cheer us up, he said it because he had a growth mindset. He knew that failure did not define a team, yet, how they responded after being defeated. Nevertheless, he was right. It was the best thing that happened to us, as we would not lose again until the second round of the playoffs. More often than not, the foundation of success is built upon past failures, for even the sun must set before it can rise.
And If I did not know any better, I would probably go on ahead and say that this is the biggest game of the year. Fortunately enough, I know that this game is just as important as the last. Some say, the brighter the lights the bigger the stage, or, that rivalries bring out the best in teams – not Huntingdon. As I stated last week, every Saturday is an opportunity. Rain or shine, day or night, it makes no difference. Every team is our rival because they are standing on a road which we have set from the very beginning. I do not say that with any sense of entitlement, for the road which we’ve set is not our own, it was never fixed, but it has grown. It was set by the work which we’ve tirelessly put in. Still, anyone can be beaten along the way, yet only a special few will truly acknowledge that fact. For we now know, the more you acknowledge the possibility of defeat, the harder you work to avoid being defeated. Those are the signs of maturity and a team that is continuing to grow; they do not loathe or slight past failures with excuses but learn from their shortcomings.
I believe that we have learned, but matters such as these must be proven by more than just my words. They must be tested first. For four quarters they must be tested.
