“When you give up, the game is over”
This scene is very famous in Japan, even for those who have never actually read the manga. During a game where Hisashi Mitsui, a talented basketball player and his team are losing and he is about to give up after a turnover. Anzai-sensei appears before him and pronounces these words : “Don’t abandon hope until the end. When you give up, the game is over.”
These words resonate with Mitsui and give him the determination to try again and secure the victory for his team. Sadly a few months later, an injury prevents him from playing basketball and eventually leads him into delinquency. It is upon meeting Anzai-sensei again that Mitsui reconsiders his path, finally admitting his true desire—to play basketball again with Anzai-sensei as his coach.
The benefits of finding a mentor
For Mitsui, it was beneficial in three ways. First, he was taught that perseverance can light a path to a brighter future, in his case, victory for his team. Second, he found someone he could respect as a mentor or role model. And last, he realized that playing basketball was his purpose in life.
There are times when we feel like giving up : we don’t see the reason why persevering could be beneficial to us. In those situations, try remembering that it is over only the moment we eventually give up. The result may sometimes not be what we hoped for, but at least we will have tried our best until the end. The difference in these two mindsets may be even more important than the outcome itself.
Some words from a friend, a coach, or even someone we don’t know can resonate with us and give us confidence or hope back. Those people are often worth keeping in touch with!
We all wished we had some teacher or adult teach us those kinds of words when we were younger. Let’s try becoming someone whose words or actions will impact others in a beneficial way. We all have this power inside of us!
#tales-posts
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