Using your worst enemy to become your best ally

Was there anyone in your life that you cared for, looked up to,were
related to or just "thought" you had a good relationship with that no matter
what dream or goals you had in mind, they would squash it? Or say that you
could never make it? I have, and it is one of the most painful emotions one
can feel .Especially if you cared for that person. Ever since I was 8 years
old, all I ever wanted to do was to work in Professional baseball, as a
player, coach, scout whatever. For years other than my Mom & Dad, people who
were supposed to be on my side, be it family members or friends would always
say it would never happen. I heard such lovely quotes as, "Its time to grow
up, quit baseball and be a man!", " Its a pipe dream" and one of my
favorites was "Be realistic" These lines were coming from people I cared for
and I thought they cared for me. Now you could say they were saying these
things for my own good....No! They were saying these words because they were
not happy with their lives and were afraid you might be happy with yours!

As I said, these people and their words hurt me very much. I'm sure you
have had people try to knock your dreams down as well. What did I do? How
did I get through it? I got mad. Real mad. I used them to push me, I wrote
their names and words down on paper and whenever I was playing or coaching
and things got tough, I would look at that list and had an "I'm not
quitting, I'll show you" mentality. I was not going to give them the
satisfaction of seeing me quit my dreams and them thinking they had a part
in it....No Way was I going to let that happen! I was not going to make
happy.

So as I was chasing my dream, I began to achieve. I was a good player,
had success as a college head coach. Even winning a championship at the age
of 25. I eventually became the General manager & Lead Pro scout for the
Global Scouting Bureau. I am doing public speaking as well as being a camp
instructor and made my own hitting video. I do radio shows, appearances,
all the things I ever wanted to do. Do you know what those family members or
friends say now?? Nothing. We don't even speak, and if we do, there is
tension. they know what i am doing and it kills them. I could have let them
drag me down, and quit chasing my dream as they wanted, OR push myself that
much more. I have been very blessed to have great parents and my wife who
were always supportive of me, and a few others that wanted me to succeed,
and they were and are so important to me. But I'll tell you something, they
negative people in my life are an inch away from being just as important to
me as the positive people. I wanted to shove their words right down their
damn throat, and I did! And I am still doing it to this second. They no
longer tell me to quit, or " Be realistic" I was being realistic.

So I tell you, if their is someone trying to knock you down, trying to
make you quit going after your dreams, use them. Let them motivate you to do
great things. There is nothing better in life than to do something people
not only say you can't do but they say (in their own lovely way) they don't
want you to do, and you do it. Yes it will hurt you at first, you may even
be surprised of the source it's coming from, but it the end, it will have
made you stronger, and you will achieve your dreams, and the people who told
you to quit, were the reason you continued. You used your worst enemy, to be
your best alley.