Rise and Swim (Welcome to the Grind)

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I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."

"Rise and shine.

6am and your hand can't make it to the alarm clock before the voices in your head start telling you that it's too early, too dark, and too cold to get out of a bed.

Aching muscles lie still in rebellion, pretending not to hear your brain commanding them to move

A legion of voices are shouting their unanimous permission for you to hit the snooze button and go back to dreamland, but you didn't ask their opinion.

The voice you've chosen to listen to is one of defiance.

A voice that's says there was a reason you set that alarm in the first place. So sit up, put your feet on the floor, and don't look back because we've got work to do.

Welcome to The Grind!

For what is each day but a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way, 10,000 streams fan out like a river delta before you, Each one promising the path of least resistance.

Thing is, you're headed upstream. And when you make that choice, when you decide to turn your back on what's comfortable and what's safe and what some would call "common sense", well that's day 1. From there it only gets tougher.

So just make sure this is something you want. Because the easy way out will always be there, ready to wash you away, all you have to do is pick up your feet.

But you aren't going to are you?
With each step comes the decision to take another

You're on your way now

But this is no time to dwell on how far you've come. You're in a fight against an opponent you can't see

Oh but you can feel him on your heels can't you?

Feel him breathing down your neck

You know what that is? That's you...Your fears, your doubts and insecurities all lined up like a firing squad ready to shoot you out of the sky

But don't lose heart

While they aren't easily defeated, they are far from invincible

Remember this is The Grind

The Battle Royale between you and your mind, your body and the devil on your shoulder who's telling you that this is just a game, this is just a waste of time, your opponents are stronger than you.

Drown out the voice of uncertainty with the sound of your own heartbeat

Burn away your self doubt with the fire that's beneath you

Remember what you're fighting for

And never forget that momentum is a cruel mistress, She can turn on a dime with the smallest mistake.

She is ever searching for that weak place in your armor

That one tiny thing you forgot to prepare for

So as long as the devil is hiding the details, the question remains,"is that all you got?", "are you sure?"

And when the answer is "yes". That you've done all you can to prepare yourself for battle THEN it's time to go forth and boldly face your enemy, the enemy within
Only now you must take that fight into the open, into hostile territory
You're a lion in a field of lions

All hunting the same elusive prey with a desperate starvation that says VICTORY is the only thing that can keep you alive

So believe that voice that says " you CAN run a little faster " and that " you CAN throw a little harder " and that " you CAN dive a little deeper" and that, for you, the laws of physics are merely a suggestion.

Luck is the last dying wish of those who wanna believe that winning can happen by accident, sweat on the other hand is for those who know it's a choice, so decide now because destiny waits for no man. And when your time comes and a thousand different voices are trying to tell you you're not ready for it, listen instead for that lone voice in decent the one that says you are ready, you are prepared, it's all up to you now.

So rise and shine.
Audio from TCU Baseball 'Rise and Shine Welcome to the Grind'