You Only Get Out What You Put In

        After years of sports, this is the phrase that will stick with me forever. This is maybe the single most important thing I have learned from participating on my various sports teams. I am a big fan of repitition and was sure to use it in this piece. I feel like it really sends the messge home. Maybe this phrase can inspire you as it has inspired me.

You Only Get Out What You Put In

           “You only get out what you put in.” As I rested on the wall for a mere ten seconds during a set of sprints at the end of a grueling swim practice, my faithful coach offered a few words of encouragement. Right before I sunk back under the water, his words slip into my ear and etched themselves into my mind. I was unaware of their potential to affect the way I lived the rest of my life.

                “You only get out what you put in.” Every practice, every game, every meet, this is what I tell myself. I cannot expect to be simply be given a reward, I must work for it. Just because I dove into the pool when the buzzer went off, does not mean I will win the race. Just because I am standing on the field when my team is at play, does not mean I will win the game. It takes more than just going through the motions to be successful. I must actively engage not only my body, but also my mind when I compete. 

            “You only get out what you put in.” Although my initial introduction to this phrase was through athletics, I learned that it could also be applied to other areas of my life. One day as I sat in class during an endless lecture, it dawned on me that I was no longer absorbing the information being given. I had forgotten what I had told myself so many times before. Similar to athletic success, knowledge would not simply be handed to me. I had to take it. It was up to me.

            “You only get out what you put in.” Whether it is time, effort, or focus, the more you give to a cause, the more you will get out of it. As I pushed off the wall to continue the set, I began repeating the words to myself. Through the rest of the set, these words were set on repeat. Every time thoughts of giving up crept into my mind, I quickly pushed them away. I now had the eight words that would help me push myself to become the person I wanted to be.