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Aspiration and Tenacity
Aspiration and Tenacity. These are just a couple of our five school values, but they are the two that have recently struck me might, at some point in our lives (many points, possibly), end up in conflict with one another.
When does tenacity become foe rather than friend, striving for the unrealistic because it tells us to "never give up"?
I suppose the old adage "everything in moderation" applies here really - a hefty dose of realism is so helpful from time to time. It's one thing aspiring to run a marathon but tenacity would do well to remember that the athlete needs to train regularly without over-training, being humble enough to realise that running a marathon every day will be too much, and acknowledging that progress is a bumpy path that sometimes causes us to – frustratingly - turn back on ourselves before moving forward.
I followed the progress of Emma Raducanu last week in the US Open Tennis championship, as I'm sure many of you did, too. Now crowned the first British woman to win a grand slam title since Virginia Wade in 1977, she made headlines back in the summer when she stepped out of Wimbledon to take a break.
At the time, there were comments made about weakness, lack of resilience and – yes – even low aspiration.
I wonder what those same voices are saying now? I hope they narrate a brave decision, a young person who knew what was right for her and who prioritised her wellbeing over her short-term goal, knowing that her longer term goals would be preserved and, indeed, perhaps protected as a consequence.
Emma – huge congratulations on such an incredible achievement, remarkable tenacity and for not losing your aspiration. Congratulations for role-modelling what it takes to be strong enough to press pause when it’s right to do so. In July, to the echoes of phrases such as, “she’s given up,” Emma's goal was probably "one day...."
As I write this blog post on Sunday morning, she is very firmly confirmed to be a world class tennis player, living Day One of the Dream. What next?
I, for one, can’t wait to see!
