RANDOM RAMBLINGS: THE GAUNTLET OF DEVOTION David Bryngil Associate Director of Campus Recreation and Health Promotion
In an interview following Will Smith’s now infamous slap at the 2022 Oscars, comedian Jim Carrey used a fascinating phrase. In commenting on what recently transpired at the Oscars, Carrey said, “A lot of people worked really hard to get to that place and to have their moment in the sun, to get their award for the really hard work they did. It is no mean feat to go through all the stuff you have to go through when you’re nominated for an Oscar. It’s a gauntlet of devotion that you have to do.” It is when I heard that phrase, “gauntlet of devotion”, I was struck (not physically like Chris Rock!) by the power of those words. Carrey’s description of the process people labor through to achieve excellence is spot on. Whether you are an artist, athlete, scientist, student, etc., the only way to truly achieve greatness in your field is to pass through a “gauntlet of devotion.” Success is not easy to achieve. It does not matter if you are a student in a classroom or a professional working in any field. Fundamentally speaking, it takes hard work, unwavering dedication, and passion to rise above mediocrity and achieve success. And for that select handful of human beings who achieve greatness in their chosen field, it is the combination of these aforementioned
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