Racquetball is a fast game. Most of it is played by reflex. Play it enough, and your reflexes – mind and body – become pretty fast. I play a couple times a week with a guy who is better than I am. During a round I will win one game – two if I am lucky – out of five or so. The last time we played there was a bit of meta cognition. I recognized that after I made a bad shot I had to quickly learn from it and then forget it because the ball was being served again and it was time to play.
Working with NASA now, I run into the same thing often. Yesterday I was in a meeting where one person I invited, invited two others. We sat down and he pointed to the other two and said, “Neither of you are allowed to talk.” And, true to form, unless he asked them a direct question (only twice), neither of them did speak. Why? Because he wanted them not to be too negative and pessamistic toward what I was trying to do which was build an E2.0.
I have been asked many times since I have been here a question similar to, “Have we beat you into submission yet?” Basically, has the governmental culture beat any hope out of you?
To that I say, Heck No! Beat me all you want. I feel like Rocky in Rocky 4 where he purposefully took the beating knowing he would come back in the end and win. When others laugh at what I am trying to do I recognize ignorance – they just don’t know what is possible, and I can’t blame them. Numerous times, like yesterday, I have been told, “Over the last 20 years we have tried something like this many times and each time it failed.” Those statements don’t phase me. Times have changed. You may have tried something LIKE this, but you have not tried THIS, in this culture, at this time, with this technology, under these circumstances.
Never give up. Take the punching and smile. And when it all works in the end, just smile. NEVER say or act in any way that would exude an “I told you so” attitude. Just keep going.
Be comfortable being beaten down. Draw strength from it and keep going. Let them laugh and snicker all they want. Then, when it works, invite them to your party and enjoy.
