Mount Rushmore
by Brian Diaz
My family and I recently visited Mount Rushmore. It is a great landmark of our country in the gorgeous setting of South Dakota’s Black Hills. As we all know, it features the faces of four US presidents; George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Each president was chosen based on work they had done to expand, grow or preserve the United States. George Washington was obviously our first president, and often referred to as ‘the father of our country’. He led the colonist to battle against the British Empire before taking his post as president.
Jefferson, who authored the Declaration of Independence, made the cut for his purchase of the Louisiana Territory. That purchase doubled the size of the United States and opened the westward expansion.
Roosevelt’s face is featured for his role in building the Panama Canal. His foresight and vision linked the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in a way that was previously unimaginable.
Lincoln’s inclusion seems pretty obvious. He led the nation into and ultimately through the Civil War. We can only imagine how different our country would be without his leadership.
See our recent video on removing obstacles to achieve greatness: King’s Rock.
Each man did something self-less for the country. Each man was willing to make decisions that were not easy. Each man faced incredible opposition at the time. But each man stuck to what they believed was right. Each man changed and impacted the entire world for generations to come.
Coach Tami talks a lot about who has helped us along our way. Who would be on our Mount Rushmore? Our parents, youth and college coaches, teachers, mentors would all have a chance to be on our Mount Rushmore. They have all done things to make us better people. It is important to thank these individuals.
But let me ask this…what are you doing today to assure you will be on someone else’s Mount Rushmore? What decisions are you making or actions taking to better someone today? Are you making lifetime impacts on individuals, teams, and departments? Will anyone, 10 or 20 years down the road, put you on their Mount Rushmore?
Making an impact so big to be put on someone else’s Mount Rushmore is far greater than any championship or trophy. Winning the war was not Lincoln’s ultimate goal. Freedom for every American was the goal; war was an unfortunate part of the process. Championships are great, and a worthy accomplishment. But a positive, lifelong impact is the greatest accomplishment.
Be on someone’s Mount Rushmore!!!