Growing up, one of my favorite ballplayers was Cal Ripken Jr. I was super pumped to get one of his rookie baseball cards. 1982 Topps.
He played for the Baltimore Orioles his entire career, mostly at shortstop which was part of the appeal for me. I was a shortstop.
Cal didn't have a pretty swing. In fact, it was kind of ugly. I read that he was constantly adjusting it. Relentless Pursuit of Excellence before I knew the phrase. He was never "the best player in the game." He was a solid player.
BUT, there was one thing he did better than anybody else in the game, ever. He showed up. In fact, he showed up for 2,632 consecutive games. That is 502 more than the second most, Lou Gehrig. That is 17 years in a row without missing a game about 160 games per season. He played through sprained ankles, twisted knees, a broken nose, even a herniated disk. These are on top of the routine wear and tear of any pro ball player. This earned him a spot in the MLB Hall of Fame.
Cal Ripken was one of my heros growing up. He seemed like a normal guy that just showed up and played the game. Not flashy. Not pretty. Just showed up. Every day. I COULD DO THAT.
I have no doubt that this consistency is what opened doors for me. I showed up and did what I said I would day in and day out. CFA had trust in me. I worked with much more talented people than me. Much smarter. But, they weren't consistent. They didn't get the opportunity.
There are alot of things I can't do very well but I can show up. I CAN DO THAT.
