December 3. “The life of a winner is the result of an unswerving commitment to a never-ending process of self-completion.” (Terry Bradshaw)

For those not familiar with him, Terry Bradshaw was the quarterback of one of the most successful National Football League franchises in history. His Pittsburgh Steelers teams won the Super Bowl four times in the 1970s, and Terry was the Most Valuable Player in two of those wins. During his playing days he was known as a player with many natural gifts and a talent for the game. In a day when quarterbacks called their own plays, he was able to successfully move his team forward against some of the best defensive teams of the era. And, he was known for having a work ethic that constantly drove him to be better, and to make those around him better.

What strikes me about this quote is the last pair of hyphenated words – self-completion. I think Terry hits is on the head with this one. We all are born with the raw materials in place to do great things, but we are only that, raw material. We spend our youth around our parents and teachers who help shape and mold that raw material into something good in life, but at some point we have to be the ones who take on the responsibility for our own completion. We have to be willing to commit to a never ending process of self-completion.

I think the other thing that this quote hits squarely on point is that the process is, indeed never-ending. The moment that I think that I am there, the moment that I think that I have completed myself and there is nothing left to learn, shape or work on, I am doomed. If I am not moving myself forward to be better, then I am surely slipping myself backwards.

It is only when I commit to that never-ending process of self-completion that I give myself the chance to succeed in life. And, when that commitment is strong, and my drive is hard, I can win at anything. I am not talking about the wins and losses that are counted up for sports teams, I am talking about the personal victories in life, those victories over my own self-doubts and perceived short comings.

Today my reflection is on my own commitment to self-completion. Am I doing what I need to do in order to continue to shape, mold and complete the creation of myself?