Today…I am thinking about Trinity. No, not the religious concept; not even my niece named Trinity – Trinity from The Matrix. Remember the first time you saw that movie? She’s hacking a computer. The police are moving in. Agent Smith is talking to the officer in charge, chastising the lieutenant for not alerting him.
Lieutenant: I think we can handle one little girl. I sent in two units, they’re bringing her in now.
Agent Smith: No Lieutenant, your men are already dead.

A minute later we see the men take on Trinity. With ruthless choreographed precision she dispatches all the officers, hardly breaking a sweat. This woman is unbelievable. But then, agents arrive. She’s out of her league, running for her life, racing across rooftops, jumping from one building to another, finally flying through a small window, tumbling down a flight of stairs, showered by glass. She ends up at the bottom, wild eyed, guns at the ready. After a few heart stopping moments, convinced she has survived, she fiercely utters: “Get up, Trinity, get UP.”

A few days ago I sent two chapters,  what I hoped was the last set of edits on those chapters,  to my agent. Last night she got back to me. Eagerly opening the email I read, “While much of this is fine, and there are some spots of real beauty, you still need to fix this, and this, and this…
Dismayed at first, I was defensive. After calming down, I had to concede she was right. I took the advice to heart, sent back a contrite email and thanked her. She responded this morning, telling me not to worry, keep at it.

Sometimes we think we are just about there. We nail the double axel. “Nice,” says the coach, “but a lot of people can do a double. Show me a triple.”
You just ran a four minute mile? Well done, but that record was broken 56 years ago. What else you got?

It takes just a little more effort to get to the next level. Good isn’t good enough. I know, its tough to hear. But have you really given it everything you’ve got? Have you stretched your talent to the limit? Don’t be the swimmer who swam three fourths of the way across the English Channel, decided they couldn’t make it and swam home. We all get knocked down. You just did…again. If not yesterday, or today, perhaps tomorrow. It will happen again.  Maybe it feels like you crashed through a window and tumbled down a flight of stairs. You’re at the bottom, in a heap, on your back, hurting. But you’re still in the game. It’s not the end, just a momentary setback. Don’t stay there. Get your bearings and try again.

Get up (insert your name here). Get UP!