I just watched the The Fighter, with Mark Walberg and a fantastic crew.

As the movie ended in victory, tears washed down my face. Tears of triumph, tears of accomplishment, tears of loss, tears of days gone by….
I literally have been down some of the streets in that film. The houses, the siding, the narrow streets, the bar rooms, the sound of their voices….

Sometimes, no almost always, great endurance is required to achieve great things. An old, old friend once told me the key to success and sometimes survival is to “keep turning corners”. You think you’ve tried hard enough and long enough but sometimes you find out it’s only the first inning, you’ve only cleared the inside waves and most of the heavy lifting is still ahead.

So what do you do?

If you are serious about your goal or your dream, you take a deep breath, recommit to your purpose and do what needs to be done, as long and as tirelessly as it takes to get it done. Exhausting as it is, sometimes going on only the fumes of faith, it’s amazing what Deep, soul scraping persistence can do.

The good people of Lowell, deserve The Fighter. The story is symbolic of many of theirs. Though very, very few have even a sliver of the fame of a World Boxing Title, the folks around that part of the world fight hard on a daily basis for their families, a good place live, self respect, integrity and whatever else they believe in.

Being a native son of the Merrimack Valley, I am one of those people and am so incredibly thankful to have grown up in such a crazy, twisted, tough, honest and loving place. You always know where you stand with folks back there.

I wish you a good day and much success in your pursuit of your dreams and in dealing with your daily struggles.
Remember, no matter how tired or distressed, “Keep Turning Corners” you’ll get there, if it matters enough to you.

Friendship, Strength and Honor,
Cris

Small consistent change, over a significant period of time, leads to Monumental Results