Most of us, in our childhoods, have seen the Pixar animated movie, Finding Nemo. Now, I’ll admit, I am somewhat of a Nemo fanatic. It is one of my all time favorite movies and Dory is my favorite character. Her zest for life is contagious, plus, she is ridiculously funny. I relate to her on a very personal level when it comes to short-term memory loss and wonder often if I suffer from the same condition. My forgetfulness always seems to escalate this time of year due to a variety of reasons. It is widely recognized as the most wonderful time of year, but when trying to balance studying, planning for Christmas, and extracurricular activities, one begins to speculate if it should alternately be referred to as the most hectic time of the year. One of the most famous scenes from Finding Nemo is when Dory is trying to comfort Marlon and begins singing, “Just Keep Swimming”. This is undoubtedly a catchy tune and a well-intentioned message on Dory’s part. Dory is trying to convince Marlon that any progress, is good progress. And that motto seemed to get the job done. Marlon and Dory kept swimming, and while they had quite a few detours along the way, they did manage to accomplish their goal of finding Nemo and bringing him back home.
Let’s compare the motto of Dory to that of Michael Phelps. Michael Phelps is a gifted swimmer who is the most decorated Olympian in history, with a total of 28 medals. One of Phelps’ most famous quotes is, “I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.” It is evident that Phelps’ mentality differs quite drastically from that of Dory’s. Phelps demands that goals require hard work, and promises that any goal worth achieving should come with some degree of difficulty. Chances are Dory’s words seem less intimidating to us. Phelps’ words may make us feel uneasy, but that is the central point of what he is trying to convey. Phelps was obviously born with God-given talent, but no one accidentally stumbles upon 28 Olympic medals. Phelps did not just keep swimming, he swam better than everyone else. He pushed himself to be a better version of himself than what he was the day before. After returning from the 2000 Olympic Games at the age of 15 without a medal, Phelps made a goal to return with significant hardware from the 2004 Olympics. He returned from the Olympics in Athens with eight medals (six of them gold) which tied him as the most decorated individual in a single Olympic Games. His journey to success was anything but comfortable, having to endure countless arduous training hours. When he felt like giving up, he thought of his “happy place” which for him was standing on the podium as an Olympic Champion. He would re-center himself, think of his end goal, and swim even faster than he thought was physically possible. Phelps did not swim to simply survive. He came to each practice, worked extremely hard, and swam to thrive.
Maybe you think I am comparing apples to oranges. It is easy to look at someone like Phelps, a gifted Olympic athlete, and think that we cannot do what they do. I am telling you that you are wrong. Sure, not many of us can swim a 200-meter butterfly in 2 minutes, but we are all capable of working our tails off for something that we believe in. I have had the privilege of working with many Nebraska FFA members over the course of the past 8 months, and I have seen with my own eyes the admirable work ethic and innovation that is expressed by them. We, who wear the corduroy jackets, are difference makers, striving to make positive impacts in our communities. To create these impacts it will take a mentality that is more intentional than to “just keep swimming.” We all made goals when we started this semester, now is the time to execute those aspirations. Let’s take it upon ourselves to put forth exemplary effort in the classroom, in the blue jacket, on the court or mat, on the stage, and at home. Let’s go above and beyond what we think we are capable of. When we are tired and feel that we cannot look at another algebra problem, let’s think about our own “happy place” and know that we are capable of anything we set our minds too. Let’s walk in with confidence to take that final we have been dreading, knowing that we did all we could to prepare ourselves for success. As opportunities to accomplish your goals are before you this week, decide who you will be: Dory or Phelps? Will you just keep swimming through the hallways? Or will you rise to the occasion, demand that you be the best you can be, and thrive to unchartered waters? The decision is yours.
Believing in you always,
Halle Ramsey
Nebraska FFA State Vice President
Nebraska FFA 