The Dodge Ball Theory: A Lesson on How to Build Self-Determination That Will Lead to Success

Today, Dodgeball is one of the most hated games in school. Kids these days don’t understand the concept of how the game is played or too afraid of being hurt by the sting of the ball. I am going to discuss the Dodgeball theory, a lesson on how to build self-determination that will lead to success.

Growing up, I loved this game because of the anticipation and the adrenaline rush of the ball flying 100 miles an hour (metaphorically speaking) at you from all sorts of directions; sometimes, you will get hit, evade the ball, or catch the ball to get the other player out. In life, the game of Dodgeball takes on a whole different meaning, there are 3 different types of players that are involved:

1. The spectator

2. The quitter

3. The winner

The spectators are the ones who just let success pass them by, they sit around and watch other people succeed, find happiness, and become financially secure. The spectators are the ones who wish all the time, but do nothing to fulfill their dreams.

The quitters are the ones who play the game, but give up when they feel that sting from the ball(s) thrown at them and do not want to play anymore; to them, life is not fair when things do not go their way.

The winners are those who keep on playing the game, even when they are tagged out, they are chomping it to bits to get back in the game until they are victorious. These are the people who find personal happiness and financial security in this life.

Ball #1 Regrets. Our past is filled with errors and mistakes that we have committed; most of the time, we wish that there is a time machine so that we can go back in time and stop ourselves from making that mistake. In reality, there is no time machine, but there a lesson that can be learned from our past mistakes; it is to remember that pain and remorse that we have felt and then promising ourselves to never feel that kind of pain ever again.

Ball #2 Procrastination. This is the #1 killer of success; it’s the reason why so many people live in poverty, temporarily and spiritually. We get into that mindset and habit of pushing the most important things that need to get done towards the back of the line. Success does not come to those who sit around and wait, it comes to those who put their shoulders to the wheel and work. There are so many reasons why people procrastinate, I am going to name some of them:

  • Too tired to do anything.
  • Afraid of success.
  • Life is too hectic.
  • Excuses.
  • Laziness.
  • Afraid to get hurt.

Ball #3 Pride and Failure. There is this instinct that is in each of us to succeed and win that often times, because of pride, we are afraid to fail. Many great inventors have failed many times before they finally got their invention to work. This one attribute, pride, has led to the downfall of many people and great nations because they refused to be humble and learn from their mistakes. Never put yourself in a situation where you think that you are better than somebody else. Failure, when you do not give up, will lead to success.

Ball #4 No Motivation. There is this scene in the movie “Cinderella Man,” where Braddock is taking body shots from Art Lasky; Braddock took a monstrous hit to the face, causing him to lose his mouthpiece. Phased from that hit, he thought of his family and the poor conditions they were living in, this motivated him to smile at his opponent and kept on fighting until he obtained victory. There are too many people who give up on their dreams because of some event that has taken place or obstacle they cannot overcome. If you find yourself in this situation, do not back down, smile at your opponent, and keep fighting until you are victorious!

In conclusion, put my theory to the test and see if it will build up your self-determination to succeed. Record your results in a journal or notebook. Please feel free to share this article or leave a comment below about some advice that you have received about success and self-determination.



Source by Milo Pabawena