Never Save Anything for the Swim Back

Let me tell you about a little known movie with a really important message.

The movie was Gattaca.

In this movie, there was an endless struggle between two brothers.

One brother excelled at athletics and was a scholar.  The other younger brother (played by Ethan Hawke) was smaller and had to work hard for everything he ever wanted.

As children they would “challenge” each other in various ways.  And neither backed down from a challenge.

One challenge that they did regularly was to swim out into the ocean.  And the first one to turn back would lose.  A simple game of chicken.  But, to them, it meant everything in their lives.

As you can imagine, the younger,weaker brother, Vincent (Ethan Hawke) always lost to his stronger, more courageous, more confident brother.

Until one day.

Something was different.

Vincent didn’t lose, he won.  This fractured the relationship.  Vincent was no longer the weak one and his older brother Anton, couldn’t handle it.  They stopped talking and both went their separate ways.

The Story Continued…

One day they reunited and the challenge was laid down again.  Vincent reminded Anton that he was the one who quit the last time they ran the challene.  Anton’s life had been consumed by this fact and he never forgot that day.

He wanted to prove he was still the stronger brother.  He had to prove it.  His whole identify was centered around the fact that he was superior.

The challenge was laid down again.

But, like the last time, Vincent won.  Anton asked him how he did it, and this is what was said.

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Anton Freeman: Vincent! How are you doing this Vincent? How have you done any of this? We have to go back.
Vincent: It’s too late for that. We’re closer to the other side.
Anton Freeman: What other side? You wanna drown us both?
Vincent: You wanna know how I did it? This is how I did it Anton. I never saved anything for the swim back.

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And there it is.

Read that bold line again and sit in silence as you let those words burn into your brain.

Are you living your life scared?  Are you living in fear of success?  Many people do.

Are you letting others judge you?  And do their opinions affect how you feel about yourself?

Are you giving 100 % at your job? in the gym? with your family? giving to others?

Are you saving anything for the swim back?

Leave comments below telling me what this post means to you, what you might want to do different?