The son was finishing a very successful senior year as quarterback for his high school’s football team. Recruiters from America’s top football programs came to the family’s humble home to make their appeal for Danny to attend and play for their college.
Among them was the number one university in their state. After the son had many positive conversations with that school’s recruiter, the Hall of Fame head coach himself came to see the family to ‘seal the deal.’
Head coach told the Dad, “Yes sir, your son will make a great wide receiver for our team.”
To which Dad turned to his son and asked, “Son, I thought you were a quarterback, not a receiver.”
“Yeah, but coach wants me to be a receiver.”
The father then wisely remarked, “Well, son, you have to choose who you really are and live with it.”
After thinking it over, Danny regretfully told the coach, “Sorry sir, but I am a quarterback, so I won’t be signing with you to become a wide receiver.”
Danny went on to sign to play quarterback at another nearby major college, and later led his team to run roughshod over the college that wanted him as a receiver.
Like Danny, you are offered many choices and chances. But, who and what are you – really? One thing is certain. Who you are is not about who others think you are. And it’s not about what you may be able to accomplish in the role that a company is offering you. As with Danny, you may be able to do quite well in a substituted area. But is that role exactly what you were created to do?
Buried deep within your DNA are gifts and certain abilities. Put there by the Creator who has a plan for your life. Your job? Come to the point of KNOWING who you are and understanding what talents and ability you were given, so that you – not onlookers- determine what you become.
Figure out who you really are. What draws you irresistibly? Then develop a plan that will allow you to fulfill your God-given role for your life. Work to enable yourself to live out your life as the greatest “you” ever. Will there be setbacks and problems in your strategy? Of course. No one has ever gotten to live their whole life exactly as they planned. But living with the difficulties that come with being the true you is a lot better than struggling through life, being just a shadow of the you that could have been.
Danny Davis went on to become a three-year starting quarterback at the University of Houston. He led the team to two Conference titles and two Cotton Bowl appearances. Was later inducted into the university’s Hall of Honor.
Don’t let anyone, well-meaning or not, tell you what you need to do in life. Learn who you are and set out to be just that, the YOU who was created to be.
We are Dr. Andy & Renie Bowman, authors of the nationally syndicated "CoffeeTime Column" and hosts of popular podcast "CoffeeTime with Andy & Renie Bowman". 