Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.

-Dale Carnegie

Last night America witnessed a truly great moment as we watched the men’s 400-meter relay team fight against all of the odds and mount one of the greatest comebacks in Olympic history. After screaming at the TV and calming down after the emotional rush of watching my fellow countrymen beat the French, who had already proclaimed sure victory, I had a chance to reflect on what I had just seen.

It would have been so easy for Jason Lezak, the last U.S. swimmer in the relay, to give up when he realized that he was half a body length behind the leader with only 50 meters left in the race. It would have been so easy for him to ride the wave of the leader and concede to the silver medal. No one would have been surprised; no one would have blamed him for coming in second. Yet with the seemingly insurmountable distance between his last 50 meters and the Gold medal Jason Lezak reached into the depths of his strength and will power to surge past the opposition and claim his place in Olympic history.

This remarkable display of human will power and determination is an excellent example for all of us. How many times have you given up or been ok with coming in second place? How many times have you thought that your goal was too far out of reach? How many times has a situation seemed hopeless? Never give up. Never stop trying. The odds are never too great, there is always hope, there is always a way.

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