6 Things Tim Tebow Will Teach You About Life
When it comes to Tim Tebow, people either love him or hate him. I have yet to understand how people can dislike a man with such honor and respect, but that is not my decision. Either way, everyone can admit that he conveys a lot of positive messages, especially to children. Personally I think it’s the adults who need it the most.
Since I became a fan of him as an individual, not as a professional soccer player, I have learned a lot about life. These are 6 main points that he taught me over the years.
1. Always give 110%.
Be passionate about everything you do. Always give your best and never give up. In life, you have to seize the moment, because you never know when the moment will be that will change your life forever. Besides, life is about passion. Love what you do and do what you love. Tim Tebow loves to play football and he will tell you that he works harder than anyone. His companions will agree. He is the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave.
2. No matter how well you do, you will still have doubts.
Tim Tebow might be the most criticized football player in history. Analysts and players will tell you that he’s not a good quarterback, that he can’t throw the ball, that he needs to play a different position, and the list goes on. But has any other quarterback in the NFL accomplished what Tebow has at his age? He won not 1, but 2 National Championships in college for Florida. He won the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious award a college athlete can achieve. He led a losing NFL team to the playoffs and won his first playoff game as a starter, beating the ever-dangerous Pittsburgh Steelers. With all this to his credit at such a young age, he is still criticized and considered a bad quarterback. Like I said, no matter how well you do, people are going to hate you.
3. It’s not about WHAT you do. It’s WHY you do it.
Tim Tebow has always been concerned with this principle. Whether he wins or loses a soccer game, he says the same thing in his post-game interviews. He is happy to be able to do a children’s day. If you don’t know this about Tebow, he takes a sick kid to every football game, home or away, and puts them in a hotel and hangs out with them before and after the game. So don’t do something just because you have to. Do it because you want. Do it for the right reasons. Deep down, you know what is right and you always will.
4. Always do the best with the platform you are given.
Not everyone is given the same platform in life. Celebrities, musicians, and athletes have a much bigger platform than the average Joe could ever imagine. They have the power to influence thousands, if not millions of people. Some do a great job at this, while many fail. My point is that we may not have a great platform, but we should try to make the most of what we have. Inspire others. Cheer on your teammates. Set a good example and make a good impression.
5. Never speak ill of anyone, even if they speak ill of you.
This might be the hardest to learn, but it sure is important. Like I said before, people will always criticize you and talk about you in ways that you won’t appreciate. They are trying to break you down because they are jealous or miserable with their own lives. They’re going to say you can’t do something because they can’t do it themselves. Tebow has been called everything imaginable. Whether it’s on Twitter or ESPN, Tebow always has the most elegant response. If he has to say something, he will say something positive about the person. Think about how that makes that person feel. I just said some mean things about you, but you respond with nice things about me. Think about it, who wins? Always be nice, and if you can’t, don’t say anything.
6. Stop worrying about the things you can’t change.
You can only change and have an impact on so many situations in your life. You can’t worry about the things you can’t change. According to his autobiography, Tim Tebow firmly believes in this concept. It helps you overcome negative experiences. When people talk badly about him, telling him that he can’t do something, he reminds himself that he can’t change that. If we don’t realize this, we will worry and stress. That’s not what life is about. Let go of things that are out of your control and worry about what you can do.
If you haven’t already, I suggest you read Tim’s autobiography, “Through My Eyes.” You will not regret.
