In 1938, Karoly Takacs of the Hungarian Army, was the top 25 meter rapid fire pistol shooter in the world. He was expected to win the gold in the 1940 Olympic games scheduled for Tokyo. Those expectations vanished one terrible day just months before the Olympics. While training with his army squad, a faulty hand grenade exploded in Takacs’ right hand, and the shooting hand was badly injured.
Takacs spent a month in the hospital depressed at both the loss of his hand, and the end to his Olympic dream. However, Takacs did the unthinkable; he picked himself up, dusted himself off, and decided to learn how to shoot with his left hand! His reasoning was simple. He simply asked himself, "Why not?" Instead of focusing on what he didn’t have – a world class right shooting hand, he decided to focus on what he did have – incredible mental toughness, and a healthy left hand that with time, could be developed to shoot like a champion.
For months Takacs practiced by himself. No one knew what he was doing. Maybe he didn’t want to subject himself to people who most certainly would have discouraged him from his rekindled dream. In the spring of 1939 he showed up at the Hungarian National Pistol Shooting Championship. Other shooters approached Takacs to give him their condolences and to congratulate him on having the strength to come watch them shoot. They were surprised when he said, "I didn’t come to watch, I came to compete." They were even more surprised when Takacs won!
The 1940 and 1944 Olympics were cancelled because of World War II. It looked like Takacs’ Olympic Dream would never have a chance to realize itself. But Takacs kept training and in 1948 he qualified for the London Olympics.
At the age of 38, Takacs won the Gold Medal by beating the then reigning world champion and setting a new world record. Four years later, Takacs won the Gold Medal again at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
Winners always search for a solution and losers for an escape. Winners in every field have a special trait that helps them become unstoppable. At the setback point when most people would have quit, and they would have probably spent the rest of their life feeling sorry for themselves, winners not only don't quit but more importantly they recover QUICKLY. Remember, when a boxer gets knocked down, he has ten seconds to get back up. If he gets up in eleven seconds, he loses the fight. Next time if you get knocked down, DECIDE you will act like a winner to recover quickly as you can’t let circumstances keep you down. At times life is hard but you can't let it beat you down...because you are always a winner.
Failure is only a fact when you give up. Everyone gets knocked down, the question is: Will you get back up and how quickly?
Takacs spent a month in the hospital depressed at both the loss of his hand, and the end to his Olympic dream. However, Takacs did the unthinkable; he picked himself up, dusted himself off, and decided to learn how to shoot with his left hand! His reasoning was simple. He simply asked himself, "Why not?" Instead of focusing on what he didn’t have – a world class right shooting hand, he decided to focus on what he did have – incredible mental toughness, and a healthy left hand that with time, could be developed to shoot like a champion.
For months Takacs practiced by himself. No one knew what he was doing. Maybe he didn’t want to subject himself to people who most certainly would have discouraged him from his rekindled dream. In the spring of 1939 he showed up at the Hungarian National Pistol Shooting Championship. Other shooters approached Takacs to give him their condolences and to congratulate him on having the strength to come watch them shoot. They were surprised when he said, "I didn’t come to watch, I came to compete." They were even more surprised when Takacs won!
The 1940 and 1944 Olympics were cancelled because of World War II. It looked like Takacs’ Olympic Dream would never have a chance to realize itself. But Takacs kept training and in 1948 he qualified for the London Olympics.
At the age of 38, Takacs won the Gold Medal by beating the then reigning world champion and setting a new world record. Four years later, Takacs won the Gold Medal again at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
Winners always search for a solution and losers for an escape. Winners in every field have a special trait that helps them become unstoppable. At the setback point when most people would have quit, and they would have probably spent the rest of their life feeling sorry for themselves, winners not only don't quit but more importantly they recover QUICKLY. Remember, when a boxer gets knocked down, he has ten seconds to get back up. If he gets up in eleven seconds, he loses the fight. Next time if you get knocked down, DECIDE you will act like a winner to recover quickly as you can’t let circumstances keep you down. At times life is hard but you can't let it beat you down...because you are always a winner.
Failure is only a fact when you give up. Everyone gets knocked down, the question is: Will you get back up and how quickly?
His story brought tears to my eyes. He never gave up on his circumstances. Even after the cancellation of Olympics for two times due to world war he kept on practicing for the next Olympic games. I salute him for courage and will power he had.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Jacky
MA Firearms School