Your Path is Unique

“In life, it’s not about how hard you get hit. It’s about how many times you get back up and how hard you’re willing to keep fighting for your dreams.” - Rudy Ruettiger

When I was little, I watched the movie Rudy with my dad. Since then, whenever I’ve struggled whether it was in the gym or just in life, he’s told me to think like Rudy. His path was so unique and filled with challenge after challenge, but he never gave up on his dream. 

During my time in club gymnastics, I was never the best. I got hurt a lot, and struggled with my self confidence in terms of my athletic performance. I had trouble getting along with the other girls on my team, and I also think that affected my self confidence. The one thing that was constant though, was my work ethic. I remember thinking, if I just keep working as hard as I can, despite any setback, and do everything in my power to better my skills, I’ll eventually get where I want to be. It worked. 

I think when I came to Michigan, I felt like I wasn’t good enough to be on the team. I felt like my path was too different from everyone elses. I had things I didn’t talk about, and it was hard for me to come out of my shell. Everyone on my team was someone I had looked up to in the gymnastics world. I aspired to be just like them and all of a sudden, here I was, thrown into the same environment they were, as equals. 

It took me a while to come into my own and really feel like I belonged on the team at Michigan. I wish I had believed in myself more, earlier on. I think my advice to any athlete coming into a new environment with new teammates, is to fully believe in yourself and your work ethic. I truly think that hard work can get you as far as you want to go. Of course, expect the unexpected, as there will be curveballs thrown your way, but overall, trust in your abilities. You’re there for a reason, and don’t lose sight of that. Keeping it short and sweet with this post, but if you need a movie to watch, check out Rudy.