#3 Inky Johnson: Process over Product

 Another inspirational story is the story of Inky Johnson. Inky played for Tennessee’s football team. On September 9, 2006 he suffered nerve damage in the right shoulder after tackling an Air Force player. After being rushed to the hospital, Inky was suffering internal bleeding. Immediately he was dashed into surgical room. When waking up the doctor said he had some bad news. What could be worse? Just earlier he was about to die. The doctor said he would not be able to play football again.

Devastated, he thought about the situation. He was a 30 top pick player for the draft and now not able to play football again. The process to get to the NFL was over. The product was nothing. Inky speeches that the process is greater than the product. Now a day, people dream more about the product than the process. They do not look at the process to get to the product. Events get hard and then the product is over. But the process is always still there.

With this mentality Inky started a new chapter in his life. He knew that he had a story to tell. That is exactly what he did. Writing a book and an inspirational speaker is what he does today. Inky had an obstacle in his life and still found a way to become successful. The process saved his life. Since he was born he lived on the floor. Since he was 7 years old he worked to become a NFL football player. On a daily basis he gave everything his best. Every event was lining up. The process to become success paved in stone.

Inky owes his life to God. His favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plan I have for you, declares the lore, plan to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Inky had harm in his life. Just look at his right arm. Still with that injury he found a way to change people’s lives. Today, he talks about having pride and honor. His key mind set is that he has more to represent than himself. In the process of paving his future, he was representing more than himself. He showed that there is more than his past life. With that attitude, his brothers followed in Inky’s footsteps to college. Inky Johnson is inspiring millions. Life events will happen. It is how that individual overcomes that situation that really matters. Anyone can take something from Inky’s story.

#2 More than a Game

The love of the hit. The game of football is a game that requires heart. Whether getting hit or giving the hit, players can get hurt on every play. A man that forever loved the game was Freddie Steinbeck. In Freddie’s early years, he played for Wheat Ridge High school. He later played for Texas. Freddie started as safety for the Longhorns. He was a man of faith, hard work, and dedication. God was always with him everywhere we went. On December 6, 1969, he played for the National Championship. With a hurt leg, he won the title against Arkansas. On December 12, his leg was amputated. A larger tumor was making him have pain in his leg.

Only six days ago was the best day of his life. Winning the national championship and now bed ridden in pain. This was a man of faith. A man that did not deserve this. Why was this happening to him? There are somethings that no one can explain. Events will continue to happen without anyone knowing why. The only thing that you can do is get up and keep going. This is exactly what Freddie did.

January 1, 1970, kicked off the Cotton Bowl. Freddie stood on the sidelines when no one thought he could. The doctors told him that he might not walk again. Freddie had 20 days to train for the game, and that’s exactly what he did. Every day, he would practice trying to walk with crutches. When solely walking on the field, the crowd cheered. Here he was on the sideline of the field still apart of the team. When the clock finally hit zero, the Longhorns were victorious. The game ball was given to Freddie. Freddie passed away on June 6, 1971.

Freddie still lives on in many people’s hearts. The Longhorns especially. Freddie’s story has inspired many. I Play to Win and My All American both tell this remarkable story. What I get most out of this story is that he never questioned his faith. Instead, he looked at his leg and said let’s do this. He disobeyed the doctors and did the impossible. Maybe it was stubbornness or just pure will, but still he did it. Anyone can take something from Freddie Steinbeck’s story. For the love of the game of football to his character as a human being, are just two examples to hold on to.

#1 Intro to Blog

Buzz...Buzz...Buzz… My alarm clock just went off. The clock reads 6:30am, and it is time to get ready for the day. I start off the day with a bowl of cereal and the news. Once again, another depressing story is the headline of the morning. A shooting has just taken place with five people dead. Plainly stated, I hate the news. Still every morning, I wake up to stories of shootings, murders, tragic accidents, and the occasional bombing. To cap it all off is the weather. Good thing it is going to be a sunny 70 degrees today. Seems like everyday, more terrible events are happening. These events not only come on the news but also the radio, newspaper, media sites, and from that one annoying family member. You know, the one always calling at random times to tell you what just happened. I hear more about how people are trying to destroy this world than help it.

I have created the blog The Will to Keep Going based on real life events. I know for certain that everyone goes through a tough time in their life. Just turn on the news if you don't believe me. What I never see is how these individuals rise above these events. A famous boxer once said, “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and still keep moving forward.”-Rocky. Rocky could not have summed it up any better. We will all face some obstacle in our lifetime. It is how we get over this obstacle that matters. I am creating this blog to talk about the fighters. The ones who have taken blow after blow and still manage to stumble to their feet. Through this journey I will not be only talking about other people's story but also my own. It is important to keep note that not every experience is the same.

What I have gone through and someone else's struggles might not relate at all. Still we went through a tough time and found a way to rise above. In the depths of these events, we find ourselves seeking motivation in almost anything. Motivation will be a highlight of my blog. Now, I don't plan on just telling a tragic story about someone’s life. If someone wanted to hear about that they could just turn on the news. Instead, I plan to tell a story that encourages others to find inspiration. I want someone to read this blog and feel amazed as if they just finished watching Rudy for the first time. Who knows, maybe someone else will tell their story.