“It ain’t over till it’s over” – Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra made the above comment during the 1973 National League pennant race. His team was losing when he said it, and they eventually went on to win the division title. I love this quote because it isn’t just truism about baseball. It is a truism about life and the power of being hopeful.
Life isn’t over just because you missed an opportunity. It isn’t over because you suffered a personal tragedy. It isn’t over because you now are a certain age. Life is only over when you draw your last breath.
Until then, every day that you wake up is a day full of possibility. The possibility of meeting new people, of achieving new things and having new experiences. And all of that is possible, if you don’t give up.
Admittedly, life can be challenging. We may lose our jobs. Our marriages may end. We may lose people we love. Those are upsetting experiences. It is hard to rebound after experiences which turn our worlds upside down.
But the key to success in life is to be hopeful and keep trying. You have to be the kind of person who gets up after every fall. Until your very last breath, you need to keep attacking life. You have to truly believe with every fiber of your being that “it ain’t over till it’s over.”
Below are some ways to keep being hopeful so that you can ensure that your best days are still ahead. Consider applying these approaches in your own life.
Realize That Failure Is Part of Success
No one achieves great success without some failures along the way. Abraham Lincoln, arguably our greatest president, failed many times before becoming president. When he was young, he lost his job and had a failed business. Thereafter, he was defeated in numerous elections. Yet, he kept trying. He didn’t give up and settle for an average life after the first failure. And ultimately, his persistence paid off.
Lincoln realized one important fact about life: Failure is an inevitable part of the path to success. Thomas Edison, one our country’s greatest inventors, likewise understood this simple life truth. When he was a child, his teachers claimed that he was too stupid to learn anything. Later, he was fired from his first two jobs. But none of that stopped him from later inventing the light bulb and the phonograph. He wisely said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
Both men realized that we need to keep trying, even when success seems unlikely. This is a good lesson for all of us. Even when we feel discouraged, as if we can’t possibly can’t have a good future, that is exactly when we need to keep at it. Success often is just around the corner. We simply have to keep being hopeful and try just one more time.
Realize That Age Doesn’t Matter, Rather Being Hopeful Does
I will admit that certain achievements are reserved for the young. If you want to play professional sports, you need a young body. If you want to be a construction worker or a firefighter (or have any job of a physical nature), you can’t be a senior citizen. But outside of physical pursuits, there are no limits on what you can do with your life.
In fact, in my opinion, there are many jobs which benefit from a few gray hairs. For instance, counselors, pastors and therapists all benefit from having some life experience so that they can effectively advise others. Anyone who wants to be in management should definitely be older. Leadership requires a maturity that comes only with age.
Even in my job as a writer, being older helps. I could not have written about self-improvement with any level of authority at 25. Or even at 35. It takes life experience to develop that kind of wisdom.
Realize that people achieve great things at all ages. For example, Joe Biden was 78-years-old when he was inaugurated. Ronald Reagan was 69-years-old. One of my favorite authors, Harriet Doerr, published her debut novel at 74. Ray Kroc started McDonalds at 53. Colonel Sanders founded Kentucky Fried Chicken at age 65. The famous American painter, Grandma Moses, began painting at 75.
Realize that your age is not holding you back from achieving great things in life. So, keeping being hopeful that you can accomplish your dreams. Don’t make your age an excuse that prevents you from achieving your biggest life goals.
Realize That You Have Something Important to Offer the World
There is no one else in the world like you. No one else has your special set of qualities. There is no one else with your life experience. As a result, you bring something unique and valuable to the table. Don’t underestimate your gifts.
The key is to match your unique skills at this point in your life to what others need. For instance, there is a lady at my church who is a dental hygienist by trade. But she also has incredible organization skills. She recently took on a position leading our church’s missions efforts. Her unique skills make her the perfect person for this role.
You likewise have something important to offer the world. Know that you have the ability to change your part of the world for the better. You simply need to tap into your unique gifts.
For example, my mother studied the piano from the time she was small, and in her later years she studied the organ. She became a highly skilled musician, but ultimately, she did not pursue a career as a professional pianist. However, that did not stop her from using her musical gifts to bless the world. In her 40s, she became a church organist, and for 30 years she used her musical talents to lead people in prayer and worship.
So, don’t dismiss your unique gifts. Don’t think that because you have had a couple of bumps in the road that you have nothing to offer. Realize that you have something very important to offer the world. Figure out what that is, and then use your talents to change other people’s lives for the better.
When you woke up this morning, you were given another chance to do something amazing with your life. Remain hopeful that no matter what has happened in your past, you have the ability to do something amazing. Truly know that your best days lie ahead. (To read about making your goals a reality, click here.)
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