TRY

A common phrase that we as staff hear the Boys saying these days is, "I can't do that..." and yet so often they haven't even tried. Any Boy in my company will be well versed with the phrase, "There is no such word as can't, there is try and try not".

At BB we encourage every boy to 'TRY' and it doesn't matter what the results of the effort is, we do like you to at least try. And you're never too old to 'try'. I'm doing my first ever 'Blog'. Not fully sure how it will turn out of if anyone will read it, but I can at least 'try'.

Its perhaps rather interesting that after a lot of effort in Rugby, when the ball touches down its called a 'Try'. I think I'd have named it something like 'Great Effort - Well Done!' Note though that it wasn't called a, 'I can't do that'... Which when trying to get past the back row, all built like Jonah Lumo, it must at times feel like that.

Of course, trying in itself will not neccessarily lead to success. Often I see the end result and it is clear that it was only a half-hearted try. Imagine if some of the greats of this world had had that attitude. I bet Leonardo Da Vinci as a young boy had great attention to detail and never let a problem beat him.

It is also true that we are all skilled to differing levels of ability and we must all use our talets accordingly. It shouldn't be something that we use as a shield to hide behind though. I recently saw a program showing soldiers that had lost limbs, skiing down a mountain. In one case it was just 6 months after losing 2 arms and 1 leg!

I have always been a believer that you can do whatever you set your heart and mind on. [although if its God's will, it makes it much easier] :-) . Its all about attitude and perseverence. Sometimes you have to take a knock or two before you succeed. We all know the phrase, "if at first you don't succeed, then try, try and try again". This is a great attitude to have and I hope we put it across to our young charges.

As leaders, we are striving to provide a program, which at times will be challenging and sometimes daunting. I remember the first time I scaled an abseil wall, with my BB Officer there to encourage me all the way. Life is full of challenges and it is how we face them that counts.

Imagine if when the Boys get to working age and the boss calls them into the office and says, "Hey Johnny, can you do this for me please" and he replies, "No, I'm afraid I can't"...

In the film Star Wars, Yoda is more firm, he says, "Do or Do not, there is no Try". Now there is a challenge to us all.

And we all have a part to play in the war on the Can't Do attitude. So next time your son says, "I can't do that", I hope you know what to say to him.

Regards
Allan.