Working Hard for What You Want

Today is my baby's birthday. Andy turns 31 today. I remember being in the delivery room still wearing my baseball uniform from the game the night before. In honor of Andy's birthday and what happened on TV last night I want to share the following.

Here is a story for you and those who enjoy the blog. It is about two very different people: Doreen and Josh. Before this week you might not have heard a whole lot of either one of them. After this week, Josh’ s story will make it to Hollywood.

One of my favorite sayings is “The Harder You Work, the Luckier You Get”. On Saturday Mary Kay and I were fortunate enough to be at a Habitat for Humanity Dedication. Valpak sponsored the house next door. Mary Kay and I actually worked on that house and I was glad to see it was still standing! Valpak also gives each new Habitat homeowner in Pinellas County, Florida their first piece of mail – a Valpak envelope with a $100 check inside.

It is very cool. What is equally as cool is how hard the new homeowner has to work to get the house. We met Doreen – a single mom with a son, David, who looked to be about 15. When Doreen was chosen she had 30 days to complete her application. She got it in the next day.

To qualify for a Habitat House the future homeowner has to put in between 300 – 500 hours of “sweat equity” - either on their house or another Habitat home being built. Think about it. That is equivalent of 8 to12 40-hour work weeks of working in the Florida heat. Doreen quickly started working to attain her dream of a home.

I sat next to Doreen’s mom at the dedication. When mom took the tour of the house she cried in each room with excitement for Doreen. Each Habitat dedication ends with everyone in attendance gathered around the house touching the home during the prayer of dedication. I don’t think there was a dry eye anywhere.

It was Doreen’s focus and hard work that got the keys to the house. I have no doubt that she’ll do whatever it takes to not only make that house a home and also teach young David a great life lesson.

And now, Josh. His story will inspire you. He is the real-life Roy Hobbs (of The Natural).

When I moved to Florida I started becoming a Tampa Bay Rays fan. I read stories in the Tampa paper about their #1 pick in the 1999 draft - the top high school prospect in the country. He received a signing bonus of $3.96 million. On July 10, 2002 he was injured and had to sit out the remainder of the season. But in 2003 everyone was excited as this 22-year old phenom started spring training. It wouldn’t be long before he was playing the outfield.

Something happened during the off season, though. Josh got involved with the wrong crowd. Two years later, in May 2005, his grandmother opened the front door of her house at 2 a.m. and let Josh Hamilton, her drug addict grandson in the house. He hadn’t slept for 4 days. He’d lost 40 pounds since she saw him last. Josh said that he was addicted to heroine and crack cocaine and had tried to commit suicide four or five times.

On October 6, 2005 Josh quit using alcohol or drugs. He had been in and out of eight drug rehab centers. Almost all of his $4 million signing bonus was gone – given to either drug dealers or rehab centers.

Josh started to really work for what he wanted – a chance to play in the major leagues. He met Roy Silver, who owns a baseball academy in Clearwater housed where the Phillies previous spring training facility Silver let Hamilton stay at an old office building in the facility with the understanding that Josh wouldn’t get any handouts and he had to work to be able to stay.

Hamilton did. He took out trash, pulled weeds, mowed the outfield and did whatever else was necessary. Silver also let Josh hit in the batting cage and thus rediscover the skills that made Hamilton a “can’t miss” prospect. He hadn’t played a game in three years but was determined to work hard enough to make it back. Silver had coached in the minors and realized what a talent Josh still had.

Josh Hamilton finally made it to the majors. He played for the Cincinnati Reds in 2007 and was traded to the Texas Rangers for the 2008 season.

On Monday night Josh Hamilton hit 28 home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby at Yankee stadium - a major league record. 53,716 people were chanting his name and giving him a standing ovation while millions of others watched the ESPN telecast.

I’m not sure which was more moving for me – seeing Josh’s standing O or watching Doreen get the keys to her Habitat home. What I am sure is when you relentlessly pursue your dream you forget how hard you worked to get there.

Amazing. We really do have the ability to shape our future. We just have to decide to do it. You can then forget your past failures and focus on the future.

Happy birthday, Andy. I love you.