Turning Setbacks into Comebacks

By Adebola A. Oni

There are so many times that we experience some
setbacks in our lives and we feel it is the end of the
world. We tend to dwell on those things that we forget
to learn from them and move on with our lives. I saw
the story below in one of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale's
book, Power Of The Plus Factor. The story states
clearly our attitude to setbacks.

Enjoy it:

"I'm always looking for the right words to encourage
my football(American) team. at Baylor University where
I've been Head Coach for 14 years. I've used
everything from praise to provocation to get the best
out of my players. But once, the right encouraging
words came from a team member.

In 1980 we had a very strong team and had won the
first seven games of the season. We were riding high
and running a little scared, I think, as the pressure
to win increased. Our eight game was against San Jose
State, a team supposedly not up to our caliber.

In a shocking upset San Jose beat us, 30-22. Suddenly
our confidence waned. After our loss I kept hearing
people say what might have been, shaking their heads
over what we could have done. The team seemed to
absorb this negative thinking. In the workouts leading
to our next game against the University of Arkansas we
couldn't seem to rid ourselves of a lingering
defeatist attitude.

Then Kyle Woods came to our dressing room. A year
before, Kyle had been injured in a workout that left
him paralysed. He was only a sophomore, a defensive
back on the second team, when it happened. Now he
would be a cripple for life. This was his first visit
to a game in Baylor Stadium since the injury.

Kyle was in the dressing room before the game in a
wheel chair. After our team prayer, I said a few words
and then asked Kyle if he had anything to add. " I
sure do," he said.

I walked over to his wheel chair and pushed him into
the center of the room. Kyle paused for a moment and
seemed to look every player in the eye. He said " Here
it is: You take a setback and you turn it into a
comeback."

Then Kyle dropped his hands to his side. he had no
dexterity in them, but he managed to lock his thumbs
around the wheel chair's arm. he pushed downward on
the chair with his hands, lifting his body up. With
one giant lunge, he stood up.

There he stood in the dressing room, to emphsize the
point he'd just made, that "you can take a setback and
turn it into a comeback." I've never heard a greater
message nor seen it so dramatically punctuated.

Then we went out and defeated the University of
Arkansas, 42-15, and we went on to become the 1980
South West Conference Champion.

The Bible says, "God has not given us the spirit of
fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2.
Tim. 1:7) The Lord want us to achieve. Out of every
setback we can find the comeback He has in mind for
us.

To Your Sucess,

Adebola A. Oni


About the author:
Adebola Oni is the Author of "The Lessons Of Life". This article is an excerpt from the just released book. To take advantage of the opening offer go to: http://www.touchlifeventures.com/index.htm


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