You know you’re a fighter if…

I’ve now taken 2 extended road trips with my family this year (once to Florida and another to Colorado). Here’s a reality I’m learning as a father to a pre-teen daughter: When stuck in a car for 30+ hours over a few days you will learn a lot of Top 40 songs.

I am now familiar with Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Justin Beiber, Usher, One Direction and Karmin…very familiar. I learned Pitbull is a common denominator among many top 40 songs. I heard Ryan Seacrest’s voice too much.

The silver lining.

Through all the hours of Top 40 radio, a glimmer of light did shine down. A song caught my attention through both a catchy melody and a powerful message. Of course, being Top 40 radio, I got to hear it over and over and over.

This past trip to Colorado, The Fighter by Gym Class Heroes was that song. It hit a nerve. It spoke beyond a catchy beat. It has a message.

5 ways to know if you’re a Fighter.

The music video does a great job of visualizing the song through the eyes of an US Olympic hopeful. The story is not one of a boxer, but a fighter none-the-less. John Orozco fights for his dream to become an Olympic bound gymnast.

Over the past 18 months, I’ve continued to learn any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for. If you have a dream, you need to learn these 5 traits of the fighter:

1. Purpose

Some of us do it for the females
And others do it for the retail

But I do it for the kids, life threw the towel in on

The answer to the question, “Why are you doing what you’re doing?” will determine everything else. The answer guides your actions in any and every situation.

The larger the purpose the more reason to fight.

2. Passion

Ya ever feel like your train of thought’s been derailed?
That’s when you press on…

Passion and purpose go hand in hand. You can’t manufacture passion long-term. Purpose is the fuel that drives passion.

When thrown off course by comment or circumstance, how will you respond? Passion for your purpose powers you to press on, to move forward, to keep rolling.

3. Persistence

If you fall pick yourself up off the floor (get up)

Persistence is passion when the fire is gone but hope still remains. Persistence is moving forward when you don’t feel it. If you want to see your dream become reality, you persist.

4. Perspective

It’s gonna take a couple right hooks, a few left jabs
For you to recognize you really ain’t got it bad

In the middle of a fight it’s easy to lose perspective. You feel like you are alone. You feel like you are at the bottom. You feel like there is no hope. When you get to that place, you need to back up and take a wider view of the scene.

If you do, I promise you that though things look grim, it’s not nearly as bad as it could be.

5. Legacy.

Then they’ll say to me, say to me, say to me
There goes the fighter, there goes the fighter
Here comes the fighter
That’s what they’ll say to me, say to me, say to me,
This one’s a fighter

Last week I shared my friend Sam passed away. As I continued to reflect on his life, I realized Sam did something rare. Sam understood who he was in high school, and he continued to be that person as a grown man.

I can’t imagine it was easy. I must have fought to support his values and beliefs.

It’s worth it.

I witnessed a legacy. I saw it attending the visitation (waiting in line for 2 & 1/2 hours!). I noticed it at the funeral. I heard it talking with friends.

Sam made in 38 years what many people can’t build in twice that time. He created solid and secure relationships. He instilled love and care into his family. Sam left a vast collection of his art. I saw his legacy – son, father, husband, artist, friend.

Most of us aren’t like Sam. We didn’t get it all figured out in high school. We are still finding our purpose. We are figuring out what our purpose means. We are re-energizing our passion. We are gaining new perspective.

Where ever you on in this process, keep with it. Keep fighting. Your voice is needed. Your legacy is necessary.

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