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INTERNET GRANDFATHERŽ
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Persistence I recently watched the movie "Cinderella Man" and was dazzled. I generally enjoy movies that are pure escape, movies that require no thought, movies that make me laugh. This movie was totally different. It made me think. (And, by the way, it totally changed my view of Russell Crowe, the star.) "Cinderella Man" is the story of James J. Braddock and the events leading to his defeat of Max Baer for the heavyweight championship of the world. Before seeing the movie, I had been reading the book from which the movie was adapted. I was reading the book because of a long-time fascination with Max Baer. My view of Baer was and is a little different than the movie's. I believe Baer* was a boxer who was something of a gentleman, restrained in his fighting by the results of some earlier fights, not a vicious clown. But the real story of the book and the movie is Braddock*, his refusal to bow to circumstances, his refusal to give up, his persistence in taking care of himself and his family. Braddock is an inspiration to all those who feel over-burdened by fate, by their inability to move forward, by misfortune. In brief, Braddock had a good career as a fighter, made money, invested it as wisely as he could and lost everything during the Great Depression. He never gave up, he never abandoned his standards of honesty and self-reliance and he completed perhaps the greatest comeback in the history of boxing. (By the way, "Cinderella Man" is also the story of Joe Gould, Braddock's manager, whose faith in Braddock had a lot to do with his comeback.) I've written before about the value of persistence, most recently in the context of golf. I continue to believe that the most important thing in life is to keep going, to persevere, to avoid giving up. If we accept that the ability to keep going every day is success and that giving up is the only failure we'll achieve success. We'll be happier, because every day we continue to try will make us happier, and we will, by definition, succeed in life. Learn the lesson of James J. Braddock: Never give up, never compromise your standards, no matter what life throws in your direction. Maybe you'll inspire others; you'll in all events be a champion. ___________________ * For some information about Baer, please go to http://www.answers.com/topic/max-baer . For further information about Braddock, go to http://www.jamesjbraddock.com/ . ____________________ 1-23-06
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