Oct 9, 2008

Commitment

I have two incidents in sport for talking about commitment. Let see the stories below and then I want to talk about my understanding of commitment.

Year 2008, Beijing Olympics, Liu Xian is the superstar of 110-meter hurdle race with expectation from all Chinese people. Chinese racer is not easy and always to win in track and field. From the last Olympics, he became the hero in China till the end of Beijing Olympics, and he made many many Chinese people disappointed. When the days just started to prepare of 110-meter hurdle race, Liu came out and shown on the camera in first trial. After moved several steps on the track, he announced he quit for the game because of the injure. At that moment, I don't know how was the feeling of him, and I don't know did he think about the feeling of all Chinese people. I felt so disappointed for him.

That's the question of commitment! As a national racer, what is the thing more important than Olympics? At that moment, a racer represented his or her country, but not for themselve personally. Their committment was directing to their home country. No matter how hard to run, he should just try to finish the track racing. 20 seconds later, he can go back to treat his leg and he would be the hero continuously. Who said the hero must win in every battle? The result of quit in the game because his committment only made on his personal glory, may be made on the income of advertisment in future, he worry about he can not join the racing anymore if he injured become more serious.

Year 1943, in Nazi concentration camp of world war II, German soldier only gave less food for British kriegie and played soccer with them. British kriegie has no any score at all and was taunted as a pig. At this year, one British who called Baerum broke the rhythm of the game by his fast running as a steed. Only in 5 mins, British Kriegie team got score historically. All the players were encouraged and inspirited by this action and scared all the German. As the investigation from German soldier, Baerum was the best player in soccer of England, he requested all the Kriegies in the camp to keep some food for him in the morning of soccer game. His friends told him that he would be killed if he got any score in the game, but his said, "Please keep bread for me, I am going to have one score for England, I will light up the faith and hope for all of us."
Yes, Baerum is a hero in British. His committment built on the love to his country, and he used his life to give his people a hope. May be the group rised based on his glory. We can found that it is totally different of the result if we do something but the committment built in different scope. In different situation, the committment is all different too. Committment can give us power to face any problem and challenge in our career path, it is the most important factor of success.