Plax is back. Or at least he is on his way. For those unfamiliar with the story of the Virginia Beach native here’s a recap. (FYI: Our own Service Tech Shalon Haith went to school with Burress and used to drive him around and let Plax borrow his track shoes.)
Firstly, if you’re are unfamiliar watch some football. Burress is a former Super Bowl champion NFL wide receiver. He was actually one of the top players at his position. At 6′ 5″ 230 lbs he was difficult for any defensive back to cover. Thus ends the Mel Kiper portion of the post.
Within a year of his victory in the Super Bowl, Burress accidentally shot himself at a New York City nightclub. Shooting yourself while it is dumb is not illegal. Also, being at a nightclub is not a illegal. But criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment are illegal … off to jail for Plax.
At the height of his career, he was sentenced to two years in prison. Not an ideal situation for someone that relies on the body to make their living. Everyone is subject to what time does to the body and doing time does not help. While in the Heartbreak Hotel, he’s been staying in shape, catching balls from his inmates and doing what he can to get back to his former glory.
Sometimes we have to go Plaxico Burress and get back in the game ourselves. Hopefully you haven’t shot yourself literally but we’ve all shot ourselves in the foot at one time or another. The point is to not let it take you down for good. Maybe you’ve let a dream or idea go to the wayside because circumstances have not been favorable. It’s time to catch some balls from your inmates.
What does that look like? It’s simply doing whatever is in front of you. One step at time on your bullet riddled foot. Burress obviously could not show up at the Giants practices to get ready for the next NFL season. He could ask his cellmate to throw him some quick hitches, though. What is in your hands right now that can help you get back in the game? It may be a small step, but it must be taken to revive your dream.
Burress is basically the same age as I am. Upon hearing about his desire to get back in the game I was somewhat cynical. Hey, I’m NFL old. The more I thought about it the more I realized that he should go for the glory. Don’t let people like me tear down your dream. Not everyone will have the same passion about your dreams as you. That is to be expected because they are yours. Own it and don’t let the naysayers or haters, in today’s hip vernacular, pull you down. Guard who you share your dreams with. Make sure they are individuals that are for your success.
Your dream is as unique as you are. While we can be inspired by the lives of others, there is no need to copy them verbatim. Mimicking someone else will only bring frustration because you cannot do them as well as they can. In turn they could never do you nearly as well as you. Being successful at who you are will bring you satisfaction.
A wise man in the Bible said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” It will kill you not to dream big dreams and have a great vision for your career, your family and your life. It may not be a physical death (at least not immediately) but it can mean a walking dead life. Don’t be a zombie. I heard zombies don’t dream. I think mostly because they’re too busy not sleeping and eating brains.
Just like Plax, we’ve all made mistakes we wished we had not, but let’s face it, we’re humans. Mistakes are a given. Getting back into the game is not a given, but it is a necessity.