Success Breeds Success: An Observation From ‘Facing The Giants’

There’s a quote I came across the other day, supposedly by the late Heath Ledger, stating “Your biggest supporter is someone you don’t know. Your biggest hater is someone you know”, and then I came across a motivational image today that mentioned “Don’t let the internet rush you. No one is posting their failures” and it got me thinking about how easy it is to immediately get jealous when we see someone posting about all the amazing things happening in their life, especially when it’s someone we know.

But why is that? Why do we get jealous? …And for some people out there they turn into social media trolls and just hate on people during a moment of success, or even times when someone is going through a difficult period in their life the haters will go at them to make them feel worse. Most celebrities and politicians get that a lot but as do many of us out there, it’s just not always in the public eye.

Going back, it boils down to comparison. We compare ourselves to them and we shouldn’t. We all live our own lives and we’re on our own journeys. Instead of being sadistic and wishing ill on them we should rather get into a mindset of being glad for them and wishing them well. Cheer them on and encourage them more.

If speaking kind words to a plant can cause it to grow faster, healthier and stronger, imagine what kind words can do to people. Success breeds success. We should get into the habit of speaking positivity into people’s lives. When more people succeed it creates more opportunities for others to become a part of it, and so forth.

Environment is another key aspect as well. Take that same plant I mentioned earlier and place it in an environment where it only receives negativity, what happens? Well it begins to wither away and will eventually die. This is what happens to people when the environment they’re in is not healthy (not positive). Perhaps the reason why your feeling down in the dumps and wishing ill on others is because negativity is all you’ve ever known or have been surrounded by lately. Well you must put an end to that. You have the choice. Surround yourself with good things and begin speaking life into your own life, and I know it’s easier said than done, as mentioned we all have our own lives so you may very well be in a situation that makes it difficult, but keep believing positively. What ever that negativity is you must drown it out with good thoughts.

There is this amazing film based on a true story called “Facing the Giants” and one of my favourite scenes is during the death crawl (click to watch the scene). This scene gets me every time, but it’s a great example of what speaking encouragement in someone’s life can do. It can help someone go above and beyond expectations. When the coach calls up Brock to do the death crawl, Brock thinks he could probably do it to the 30-yard line, maybe the 50, if not carrying anyone on his back, but the coach wants him to do the 50 with someone on his back. Brock doesn’t think he can do it, but when the coach helps him drown out the negativity by blindfolding him to not let Brock’s own limitations get the better of him and by speaking encouraging words to drown out the teammates and pushing Brock to give it his all, his very best, even though it was hurting from carrying all that weight on his back, the coach helped Brock go above and beyond all their expectations and Brock went the full 100 yards to the end zone. I already have goosebumps.

Not only did it inspire Brock and make him realise all the potential and influence he has, it inspired the whole team and a change began to happen. It inspired the coach as well, he wasn’t going through an easy time either, he was struggling with being a failure and on the verge of being fired, but he believed in the team, he believed in Brock. Most of the time we don’t even know our own potential and it just takes one person to believe in you to help you realise it. Maybe you haven’t met that someone that believes in you yet but don’t let it stop you from being that person to someone, to everyone, and you know what, be that person to yourself. Maybe there are people encouraging you in your life and you haven’t even noticed because you’re too busy hating on yourself, on them and others.

We need to kick that negative habit. We need to do the same as Brock and the coach in the film, even if the weight is too much and it’s hurting, we need to drown out the negativity around us (and most importantly our own self-doubt) and keep going. One of the biggest giants you’ll face in your life will be yourself. Keep giving your very best. Don’t just stop at the 30- or 50-yard line, keep going the full 100. Create a positive environment and you will succeed.

Something I want to illustrate is that Brock’s victory didn’t just remain his own, it led to the coach and teams success in the games to come, and it didn’t just stop there, a change began to happened in their home lives, a change began to happen in the whole school which went on to change the community. It can turn an unhealthy environment into a healthy one. Success breeds Success. All it takes is one, and to keep on going.

Ask yourself this, who’s been coaching you? …What have they been teaching you? …What have you been saying to others? …And what have you been telling yourself?

Speak life.