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When I was a teenager, I was a competitive diver. I derived the most joy I’ve ever felt from flipping off of a diving board. But at the age of 18, my time in the pool came to an abrupt end when I broke my back. I’ve spent the past decade angry at how things played out, unable to go anywhere near a diving well.
As the 10 year anniversary of my career-ending injury rolled around, a wise friend asked a simple question, “What will be your second score?”
“My what?”
“Your second score. You may not be able to compete as an athlete any longer, but you can still achieve greatness within the sport. Your first score was your time as a competitor. Perhaps your second score is going to be as a coach. You can help other young women (and men) learn the skills and life lessons that you learned from the pool. You aren’t physically capable of throwing a triple somersault, but you are capable of making an impact.”
It had never occurred to me that my time with the sport wasn’t over. When the doctors told me that I’d never be able to dive again, I thought that the end of the chapter had been written. But 10 years after my last dive, I realized that I still had a chance to keep the sport I love so dearly in my life. It may not be on the terms I’d prefer, but my second score was waiting for me to grasp it.
Life can be hard. Sometimes we’re dealt cards that we don’t want. Things don’t occur as we’d like for them to, we make mistakes that we regret, or there are twists and turns that throw us off course. Choosing to walk away and never look back often seems appealing because it is easy. But deciding not to throw away your shot and instead continue writing your story, even when the plot isn’t exactly as you’d like for it to be, is your second score. It’s a second chance, a second half of the show. A second score is an opportunity to apply the invaluable lessons you’ve learned from your first score, and to come back stronger than you have ever been.
Your second score could stem from rejection. A friend of mine applied to over 200 jobs before receiving his first acceptance. He took the pain of rejection and persisted until landing his dream job.
Perhaps your second score comes from a medical diagnosis or loss that reminds you of the fragility of life. Instead of perpetually wallowing in sorrow, you decide to live more fully than ever before.
Or there could be an event that brings you a new perspective. My friend lost half of his hearing as a teenager, and he has since used his experience to raise more than $40,000 to gift hearing aids to children living in underserved regions of the world.
Maybe your second score comes when you hurt someone for whom you care. You reflect on your actions and learn from them. You resolve to be a better person moving forward.
Wherever your second score stems from, make it count. We only get one life, but we get a second score.
As for me, I just stepped onto a diving board for the first time in 10 years.
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