What separates a champion from the ordinary? What heights could one reach if he or she spent a little more time, energy, and effort on their health and wellbeing? Perhaps the extra edge acquired through a superior health and fitness protocol is all that is needed to reach the next level and to become more than was once imagined.
Hall of fame wide receiver Jerry Rice proved the importance rooted in a focused and inspired health and fitness program after he was derided about his lack of speed prior to the 1985 NFL draft. The gossip of a slow-footed wide-out from Mississippi seemed to strike home as Rice made it a point to further bury the conversation.
Making the decision to incorporate individual and supplemental workouts after practice was one-way Rice approached the attempt to separate himself from the competition, but that was not it. Jerry developed a pulverizing off-season training regimen that made him quicker, stronger, and more enduring than those he would face off against. Yes, there would be some who still may have been able to outrun him, but nobody would outwork him, nobody would be able to endure his relentless pace and nobody would succeed in finding a remedy to ultimately cease the perfection, grace, and productivity that he would bring to each and every down.
Jerry Rice could have decided early on to merely rely on his God-given talents, to roll the dice and hope for the best, but instead, he embraced his imperfections by perfecting his individuality. He used health and fitness as a crutch, and he found a way to rise above the competition. As a result, Rice became so effective in every other area of his game, that outright speed became less of an issue. Flourishing in development, he matured to become an elusive assassin that could not be guarded.
Since Rice has retired from the NFL, the talent and ability in all sports has been increasing steadily. The difference between winning and losing on the court, on the field, or in the ring may in fact come down to who chose to make health and fitness a priority. Do you seek the edge that you may be missing? Will you rise above the pack as Jerry Rice did by focusing more profoundly on your health and fitness?