Uncommon with Road Side Wrestling Matches

Are You Motivated? I’m not naturally motivated. I’m a dreamer, but rarely get beyond the wishing. I want to lose weight, but don’t really know how to get motivated to the point of having substantial weight lost (I‘ve recently lost 20 pounds, but I‘ve been here before.) I have a guitar, but don’t know how to play it. (I still have 8 months…this is the year!) I’ve always thought I would be a songwriter…I’ve even penned a few lyrics, but have never taken anything beyond the page. I’m not naturally motivated.

When I need motivation, I usually find a song that helps me be BRAVE (a song from Nicole Nordeman.) My son inspires me to be a better man…my faith inspires me…,both motivate me to live better. Words inspire me…motivate me. I love going to the movies and have often been inspired by actors who bring life to someone’s words. Do you know this scene?

Coach: You think you can win on talent alone-Gentlemen you don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone. Again. (The team is running suicide drills.)

Coach: You think you can come in here and play the Norwegian National Team and tie them then go to the Olympics and win…you got another thing coming. (Whistle) (Team skates another drill.)

Coach: You better think about something else, each and everyone of you. When you put on that jersey you represent yourself and your teammates. And the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back. Get that through your head! Again. (Team skates another drill.)

Coach: Win, lose, or tie you’re gonna play like champions! Again.
(Team skates another drill.)

Coach: All the way to the line and back-it’s not that difficult. Again.
(Team skates another drill.)

Doc comes out… Doc: The Ring Manager wants to clean the ice and go home.

Coach: Tell him to leave me the keys…I’ll lock up. Again. (Nothing happens.) Again! (Team skates another drill.)

Coach: You keep playing this way and you won’t beat anyone that’s good, let alone great. You wanna make this team then you better start playing at a level that’s gonna force me to keep you here. Again. (Team skates another drill.)

The lights go out and the players begin to skate off the ring…

Coach: Where you going? Back on the line. Again. Send them. (Whistle)
(Team skates another drill.) Again. (Whistle) (Team skates another drill.) Again. (Team skates another drill.)

Coach: Alright…whose gonna be the first to go home? Send them. (Nothing happens.) Send them. (Whistle) (Team skates another drill.) Again. (Whistle)
(Team skates another drill.)

Coach: THIS CANNOT BE A TEAM OF COMMON MEN, CAUSE COMMON MEN GO NOWHERE. YOU HAVE TO BE UNCOMMON. Again. (Team skates another drill.)

Coach: Everyone on the line. Get on the line. Again. Again! (Nothing happens) Come on, blow the whistle. Again.

Michael Eruzione: Michael Eruzione , Wheatfield Massachusetts.

Coach: Who do you play for?

Michael Eruzione: I play for the United States of America.

Coach: That’s all gentlemen.

I'm not naturally motivated! I don’t want to be common…I want to be uncommon. I want to be uncommon!

I don’t want to just go to work. I want to love what I do. Even if I don’t love what I do, being uncommon would mean to still work as if I love what I do. I’m a serious guy. Those of you who know me…I know it’s hard to believe, but I am. (Poor attempt at humor…they know I’m serious.) One night I was driving with my son and we were having a serious talk about school and how important it is to do well. How we have to have excellence and integrity. I asked him if his grades reflected excellence and integrity…he hung his head and said no.

I continued…how did you have integrity if your grades don’t reflect excellence? He almost started to cry…we had been talking about his grades for 15-20 minutes. Friends-he’s 11. He had gotten what he was going to get in the first few minutes, but I wanted this to be a defining moment…I wanted him to be inspired…to be motivated…to realize the bigger picture…to realize the name on the front of the shirt is more important than the one on the back.

John Ortberg writes in his book “The Life You’ve Always Wanted:” I want to create moments of magic, I want them (his children) to remember laughing until the tears flow, I want to read to them and make the books come alive so they love to read, I want to have slow sweet talks with them as they’re getting ready to close their eyes, I want to sing them awake in the morning. I want to chase fireflies with them, teach them to play tennis, have food fights, and hold them and pray for them in a way that makes them feel cherished.” These are things he wants to do with his children.

I want the same for my son, but how it really goes is very different. So, I realize after talking to my son for 15-20 minutes…okay…probably thirty…oh gosh I hope it wasn’t more than 30 minutes…I see he’s defeated. So I stop. I physically stop the car on the side of the highway. I told him that if he didn’t smile…I would stop the car…and make him smile. Now-remember…I’m a serious guy…so he didn’t know what was going to happen. We started to wrestle…then we took it to the side of the road…simple and safe, but brief. It worked-he smiled. Now we have side road wrestling matches. I want to be uncommon! His grades and conduct continue to improve…they’re getting back to the As and Bs we’ve always known. I want to be uncommon.

This is only one area of my life, I want to be uncommon, but not only as a father. I want to be an uncommon man. I want to learn to love-when I want to hate. I want to help others-instead of getting that new vehicle. I want to die, so that I can truly live. Hmmm, wouldn’t it be great to be uncommon! How can you…be uncommon? What could you do…in your world…to be uncommon?

I hope it starts with road side wrestling matches…or driving to Dallas to be with a Friend on their birthday…or taking a new friend a special drink in hopes of her knowing it matters, she matters! Let’s be uncommon. Let’s be the change we want to see. Mahatma Gandhi says “We must become the change we want to see.” Will we change? Will you change? Will you be uncommon?

Written by,
JAMES AVERY TUCKER at Sometimes Hallelujah
Inspired by life and the movie “Miracle,” an old favorite!



Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice. Miracle was directed by Gavin O'Connor and written by Eric Guggenheim.