The Pep Talk

I’ve never been on a football team, a hockey team or even a cheerleading team. But I did play a little basketball in high school. Our school was so small that you didn’t have to be tall or even very good to play basketball, you just had to show up. During my stint as a basketball player I had two different coaches. 

Coach Dave hollered a lot, often until he was had turned a dangerous-looking shade of purple, noticed every mistake the players made, and pointed out our errors in front of the rest of the team for the benefit of all. 

Coach Al also hollered a lot, jumped up and down and cheered when any of us made a great pass or a basket, and reinforced our successes while training us to do better. Even when we lost, which was fairly often, he encouraged us by saying we had done a good job and that next time would be better. 

Which coach to you suppose helped us win more games? Both did, in his own way, or you could say, neither, given our dismal record of wins. But Coach Al made us want to play better and win more games that Coach Dave did. Coach Dave made us want to quit. 

When one or the other of my daughters is having a down day, she sometimes calls and intones in a plaintive voice, “Mom, I need a pep talk.” Since I’m a pretty positive person by nature it’s not too difficult to think of something uplifting when the need arises. Sometimes, it’s as simple as saying, “You can do this,” or “It will work out, you’ll see.” 

An encouraging word from a friend can make all the difference in keeping on or giving up. Commiserating isn’t usually helpful. If someone you know is miserable, what good will it do to become miserable with her? To encourage means to inspire with courage, spirit or confidence. How we need those things sometimes! 

Believe in yourself, be inspired, know you are not alone, or just laugh. I write to inspire you with courage, spirit and confidence. Whatever you want or need to do, know that you can have the courage required to do it. You have the strength, the ability, or the inspiration to follow through.