The cheerleader within, In 5 minutes or less.
Updated: Oct 3, 2021
Key Words: faith, motivation, self-confidence
By Dr. Lisa M. Coffey
Foundation, Faith, Finance, Future
June 12, 2021
Key Words: faith, motivation, self-confidence
As a cheerleader and coach, I have spent countless hours on the sidelines, yelling, screaming, and encouraging others. Cheerleading warms my heart. The gratification is motivating our team toward a common goal of winning and standing with them in defeat; you cannot have one without the other. The marriage between winning and losing is synonymous with everyday life. The difference-maker is the cheerleader within and faith.
As a little girl, I was drawn to the story of the Little Engine that Could, written by Watty Piper in 1930. I remember turning the pages of the book chanting, "I think I can, I think I can" (Piper, 1930). The little engine was his cheerleader, motivator, and believer. The challenge was to assist a much larger train up a steep hill after breaking down (roadblocks and setbacks). The Little Engine latched onto the giant train by faith, believing in the impossible because of preconceived limitations. The Little Engine had faith the size of a mustard seed, and that is all it takes. When there is a tiny bit of faith, it can grow exponentially, just like the mustard bush. A mustard seed is small, about 1-2 millimeters but can grow upwards of 20 feet within a few short months.
With every tug and murmur of " I think I can, I think I can" (Piper, 1930), the little engine's confidence grew, and rail by rail, the little engine pulled the giant train over the hill. Faith allows us to take on challenges that others may think are insurmountable. All it takes is a belief in yourself, the ability to articulate those beliefs, and the courage to let your faith be the beacon of light to lead the way. Find the cheerleader within, and cheer yourself onto victory. "I think I can, I think I can, I knew I could" (Piper, 1930).
As we face setbacks and disappointments, derailments are common. Whether those shifts are temporary or permanent derailments is determined by your faith and belief in yourself. A cheerleader lives within me because I had to encourage and motivate myself many times as I faced one disappointment after another. At times my faith was shaken. Still, I always had a mustard seed of faith and knew my faith would grow beyond measure once my faith retook root. Balancing the pillars requires deliberate work. In my book iDid and uCan2 I dedicate an entire chapter to faith.
Find the cheerleader within you. Do not give in to fear, preconceived limitations, or the notion that you cannot. Confidence, motivation, and faith are synonymous with success. If you fail, try again because I think you can, and you should too.
Key Takeaway:
Each rail represents a movement in time and space toward conquering the challenge. We fight uphill battles with resilience, persistence, self-confidence, and faith. You are your biggest adversary and advocate toward success. Which will you choose? Let your faith tip the scale so you too can steamroll ahead and chant, "I knew I could."
References
Piper, W. (1930). The Little Engine that Could. New York: The Penguin Group.
© 2021 Lisa M. Coffey