True Champions

As England awoke to second place in Euro 2020 a whole plethora of social media comment followed and the dark cloud descended with the accompanying Monday morning rain.

The fact is that both victory and failure are fleeting and by my reckoning it is the response to both that shows the real character of the human being. Both are temporary states and in any failure be it sport, business , marriage or venture we need to learn the lesson feel the experience then get up and try again. In England failure is greeted so willingly that uninvited unwelcome guest sits at the table forever as we punish ourselves with recriminations and are constantly reminded by so called friends and family of the same. In America failure is only a temporary stop and they all bounce back. The Chinese are blind to failure and carry on with relentless rigour.

Today, now is the time for those players of England to bounce back and prepare for the World Cup in Qatar 2022. Those that missed their penalties should be out there today practicing. Their Manager is of course an example of great comeback having felt the pain of missing 25 years ago but coming back to Manage now and impart his knowledge and experience with others. Ok we lost but time will prove that we lost nothing if we all learn from it.

Rudyard Kipling in his poem spoke of success and failure as imposters and that if you can handle both you are a balanced man. Success can lead to to failure at a later date of course as you take the gift for granted which history has shown as the decline of many.

Abraham Lincoln failed 17 times, Winston Churchill failed many times and Cassius Clay made comeback his habit. I have failed and I learned one thing in it all that we can change that temporary state into victory deferred if only we believe, if only we can visualise victory and only through hard work. To run when weary, to make that next phone call when all seems lost, to wait when all seems wasted is the fuel required to boost again. Negative reports dismissed and positive moves adopted will be the turnaround. For those that fail can reinvent themselves learn new strategies and keep going. Onwards and Upwards rather than sideways and downwards. Self pity is an acidic concoction as in Victory self glory is of equal danger. To admit where we are and what needs to change are the first steps out of quagmire into quality. In success to know when to stop will be vital for as King Solomon told us life is a fleeting moment a mere vapour and only a season.

Never, Never, Never, give up for we must become True Champions in the event of life , let legacy be our language let test be our testimony lest we forget the real you. Carry on and seek Victory, carry on experience failure but in both carry on like true champions.

Congratulations to Italy for taking the Crown and wear it well for their is a contender in our midst, that green and pleasant land of England ready to bring on their next challenge as the comeback is now prepared.