"The man on top of the mountain didn't fall there."

"Before success comes in any man's life, he's sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and the most logical thing to do is to quit. That's exactly what the majority of men do." -Napoleon Hill

What many people fail to realize as they go through life is all the defeats that they must first face before they can reach that desired level of success. No one has ever stepped in between the lines and just been a great player. They had to work every day to improve. Take Cal Ripken Jr. for example. This is the guy who holds the record for the most consecutive games played(2,362) in the MLB. But, as Cal says, "I didn’t just show up for work, as has sometimes been said. I also showed up to work." If you are just simply showin up for work you will see everyone continue to pass you by. Even if you are far greater than them in talent, they can still out work you. And if they are out working you then 99% of the time they will be out performing you. So you must continue to work. You will take your lumps and face your defeats, there is no question about it. But those defeats make the taste of success that much more sweet.

"The man on top of the mountain didn't fall there." -Unknown