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TatianaBoshenka

TatianaBoshenka

Resilience: Faith, Focus, Triumph

Resilience: Faith, Focus, Triumph - Alonzo Mourning, Dan Wetzel People think I'm an unlikely NBA fan but the Miami Heat, and especially Alonzo Mourning, are wonderful. I love to watch the beauty and artistry of their play, especially Dwyane Wade's 4-dimensional moves around/through defenders, even if I usually only catch the highlights. I think Zo captivated me most of all, though, off the court. His determination and spirit are a real inspiration. His press conference after the 2006 championship win was just amazing. I can feel my spine tingling from the memory of it. I wish I could find it again on you tube.

Again at his retirement announcement, I felt what a great spirit he is. I'll miss him so much. So I had to read his book.

The writing is decent, if not stellar. The book alone wouldn't inspire me as much as the totality of Zo's life does. He put himself into foster care at age 10, because his parents were breaking up and their homes weren't where he knew he needed to be. He ended up with a foster mom who provided a great environment. He made other hard choices through the years, picking the college team with the toughest requirements for academics, with the coach who demanded the most grueling workouts, and again favoring pro coaches who were the toughest. He's such a hard worker. He asks so much from himself. Other NBA stars have more natural talent. Zo makes up for it by working harder and wanting it more.

He shows us how to be true champions. I love some of the thoughts he uses to motivate himself. Pain is temporary, he said, but quitting lasts forever. You can sit back and wait for it to happen, or you can go out and make it happen. I love his constant focus on positivity, on mentally overcoming. He said that if you can get your mind in the right place, your body will eventually follow.

He's retired now. He's going to focus on his charities, his family, and his golf game. I know he'll continue to live his life in a way that inspires others to succeed as he has. He's such an admirable person. I want to be Zo when I grow up.