Pep Talk: "It's The Capstone"

There’s a new gym buddy who really fires up your knucklehead scribe. I don’t know that much about him. However, from initial, brief and feisty encounters at Kinetics Fitness Studio, we’re kindred spirits.

The other day our paths crossed. I was walking toward the drinking fountain. The cancer doctor was squatting a bunch of weight. For whatever reason spirit moved the fit dynamo, after an impressive rep, to stare me straight in the face and bellow, “Hey man, do you know the name of the bridge that spans goals and success?” Your startled and sweaty correspondent was huffing and puffing through a 35-minute routine and, not surprisingly, somewhat oxygen deprived. I didn’t even have a chance to respond before learning from fellow gym rat that the bridge between goals and success is known as “DISCIPLINE!”

Received and accepted.

Before getting back to exercise, we laughed, slapped hands and did stuff dudes do when receiving hits off ourselves. But, the ol’ cranium had captured, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and success.”

For whatever reason, the brain zipped to Bobby Pesavento. University of Colorado Buffaloes’ football fans remember the name from the 2001 season. That year the Indiana native came off the bench, after injury sidelined starter Craig Ochs, and led CU to the Big 12 Championship. It was the last conference title for the school’s football program which won many throughout the late 80‘s and 90‘s. Expertly coached by Gary Barnett, this squad routed Nebraska 62-36 and then beat Texas in the Big 12 championship game. The contest was in Dallas and basically a home game for the ‘Horns. It was a magical season for the Buffs and Pesavento was the signal caller. Good stuff.

At the time, this CBS4Denver sports guy was host of Barnett’s television show, traveled with the team and is now blessed to be buddies with many members of that winning squad. In fact, Pesavento was a recent guest for a Bad Daddy's Bad Ass Tuesdays where we’re raising money for Leukemia & Lymphoma’s efforts in blood cancer research. In preparing for the event, the journalist within emerged and revelations surfaced. One really stood out. I recalled the tall and athletic quarterback arrived in Boulder via a junior college, but buried and missed in that story was something quite admirable. It also references this rambling’s “bridge between goals and success is discipline” theme. Here it is. The present-day risk management executive took 30 HOURS OF COLLEGE CREDIT IN ONE SEMESTER in order to transfer to CU a semester early. Pesavento was determined to enroll as soon as possible to compete and achieve his goal.

Impressive. It also beautifully validates the “Bridge between goals and success is discipline” philosophy. Pesavento arrived at CU with that spirit, earned playing time and guided the Buffs to their last conference title 16 seasons ago.

What’s your goal? This week, take a cue from a doctor and quarterback. Labor in building the discipline bridge. It’s the capstone uniting goals and success!