Let Your Setbacks be Your Comebacks

I was doing some soul searching over the weekend on setbacks and comebacks. As I was thinking about Damar Hamlin and his miraculous recovery from his cardiac arrest episode on the playing field on Monday, January 2nd, I couldn't help but think about how setbacks can be the greatest gift to anyone looking to grow their careers.

First of all, what Damar Hamlin has gone through is so devastating and so medically challenging, that it's hard to compare his story to anything else, but let's use it as a starting point.

Damar Hamlin was having a break-out year as a 2nd year player, filling in for an injured Micah Hyde. He recorded over 90 total tackles and 1.5 sacks in his 13 games this year. He was on his way to success and potential earnings as a solid defense player. Then, all of a sudden, his life is literally hanging in the balance after a routine tackle of Bengals' WR, Tee Higgins, on that Monday night.

After paramedics saved his life on the field and the doctors, nurses, and trauma team at the University of Cincinnati medical center brought him back again, what would success look like for Damar? Would it be just breathing, walking, and talking? Hugging his loved ones again? Smiling for his teammates?

In what I know about professional athletes and competitive people, once the vitals are restored and the neurological function is in tact, they want nothing more than to be back on the field recording tackles and playing to win.

The question is: "How do you make the comeback 10x greater than the set back? How do you become as successful, if not more successful in your second attempt? Can you weather the storm and stomach the pain of having to re-learn everything with your hands tied behind your back? Can you be mentally strong enough to accept failure along the way?

You will get knocked down 1,000 times, but if you just get up one more time...

As the great Soul Cycle instructor, Victoria Brown says, "Wherever you are on your journey, you are right where you need to be."