Do EPIC Sh*t.

Robin Sharma offered some sage advice in the quote "Starting strong is good, finishing strong is epic." Here's how I interpreted his words.

Starting strong is good...

It's a sunny, spring day in Indiana at my hometown golf course. I'm standing on the tee of the second hole alongside some friends. A short downhill par 3 with a green the size of Texas. 123 yards away sat a 4.25" hole. No wind. No hazards. I'm the only thing in the way of a great shot. Well, and proper alignment and a good swing of course. I go through my routine, taking a few practice swings with my pitching wedge, step up to the ball and swing. Flush contact. The ball soars up into the air, gliding towards the hole. Soon it lands a few feet short of the hole, takes a bounce and comes to rest inside of the hole. HOLE-IN-ONE!!! I was 2 under par and off to to a good start. Unfortunately, I was +9 over the next 7 holes. It was one of the worst rounds I've ever played. In fact, the last 7 holes were so bad, that I often forget that I've had a hole-in-one all together. The good start was completely obliterated by the monumental collapse that followed.

Finishing strong is epic...

It's a sunny, spring day in the same state, at the same golf course as in the previous story. This time however, the start was less than poor and I was losing to one of my biggest rivals. I stood on the 7th tee at +4, four shots behind my teammate and two rivals from the other team. One of my opponents was quite vocal, or cocky you could say, and playfully through some zingers towards my dismal round. What happened over the next three holes was amazing. Epic even. Birdie, eagle, birdie. In the blink of an eye, the round was over. I stood at even par and my opponents at +1. For me, this day is memorable, but likely erased from the minds of others involved.

Conclusion... What we do in life echoes in eternity* (and resonates on earth once we are gone)

Have you ever heard of Samuel Pierpont Langely? He's the guy that completely quit after the Wright Brothers successfully took flight first. He could have improved upon their accomplishment, but instead chose the easy path. He started strong, but finished in forgettable fashion.

Who's the first character that comes to mind when you think about the movie Gladiator? Commodus? Unlikely. He played a significant role, but Maximus is the one to be remembered. "The general who became a slave. The slave that became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor."* Commodus said it, but Maximus lived it.

What legacy do you want to leave behind - one who quit when things got tough or one who rose above and inspired others along the way?

What do I think Robin was saying? Do something. Be something. Compete and leave behind a legacy worth remembering.

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*Lines from the movie Gladiator, 2000