It just takes effort
September 28, 2023
By Jeff Becraft
Every year at our Leadership Weekend during my Youth Corps era, we showed a video clip. It is an NFL films video clip. It is about a 2005 playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. In the clip, Champ Bailey of the Broncos intercepts Tom Brady in the Denver end zone and takes off down the sidelines 100 yards in the other direction. It looked like a sure touchdown.
Except Ben Watson of the Patriots chased him down, coming from clear across the field (which would have been about 120 yards) and knocks him out of bounds on the one-yard line. It is listed as one of the top 5 hustle plays in NFL history.
In the video clip, Watson states, “Something my college coach used to tell me is stuff like that doesn’t take a whole bunch of talent… it’s just effort.”
We would then ask the students, “What does it make you want to do when you see someone go all out like that?” The answer is simple: “You want to go all out.”
The effect we can have on those around us simply by giving our best and going all out.
How much effort does it really take to give someone a big smile, a friendly hello, a sincere handshake, an enthusiastic greeting, a warm thank you, or proactive encouragement?
We can affect so many people’s lives in just simple ways.
It just takes effort.
Jeff Becraft is the Director of Our Place of Hope and the Director Emeritus for Youth Corps and has dedicated much of his life to helping shift the vision of people’s lives. Our Place of Hope is a paradigm shift for people living with mental illness that encourages them to regain meaning, purpose, and hope for their lives. You can connect with Jeff at [email protected].
