Rebuilding Rob

To me a “successful” person is one who has beaten the odds and achieved their dream – however big or small those dreams may be.

Here in America, it seems like the only success stories we like telling are the ones about people who become extremely wealthy or famous. This suggests that being extremely wealthy or famous is the only measuring stick for success in our society. Of course, it could also be that because those stories are so extreme, that they are the ones worth sharing with the masses. This is why the success stories of Michael Jordan and Oprah are practically common knowledge now.

Another problem I have with most “success stories” is that, more often than not, said success comes at the expense of others. Sadly, in order to become a success in this country, people often have to either stand on the shoulders of others, or step on their necks. People like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Ray Kroc achieved their success by…sometimes dubious circumstances, to put it mildly.

Bearing all this in mind makes it difficult for one name to immediately come to my mind when I hear the word “successful”. I always find myself going back to Jackie Robinson when I hear the word “successful”.

Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier is common knowledge as is the relentless racism he faced along the way. Even before playing pro baseball, he was already an extraordinary athlete; playing in 4 sports at UCLA and qualifying for the 1940 Olympics (though they were ultimately cancelled due to World War II).

Asa soldier in the Army, Robinson served during World War II and was actually arrested (and court-martialed) for refusing to sit at the back of an army bus – in a precursor of the activism that would come later in his life.

Despite all of this, many Americans STILL could not get over the fact that Robinson was African-American. Once he made it to the Dodgers, Robinson faced seemingly endless heckling, taunting, hate mail and death threats. Pitchers on opposing teams tried to hit him; while base runners would likewise try to intentionally try to injure him. All of this is depicted in the recent biopic 42.

Jackie Robinson was able to overcome tremendous adversity through this extraordinary courage, athletic talent and strength of character. It’s probably a cliched answer, but Jackie Robinson is one name that comes to mind when I hear the word “successful”.

Who comes to mind when you hear the word successful?

Is it possible to be successful without hurting or ruining other people in your wake?

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, 👍 comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related (and perhaps, not-so-related) posts:

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• A Death in the Family (And My Disposable Income): My Life in Comics
• The Supporting Cast: Navigating the Eras of Male Friendship
• Life is What Happens: A Look Back at My Non-Existent 2025 Vision
• The Moment I Walked Inside a Hallmark Movie

The article “Forty-two” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.