Records happen in the middle and it’s how you end that counts

While watching sporting events, I’ve often wondered to myself, “Why don’t they just throw two minutes on the clock and let ‘em have at it?” Now, I realize this would make for terrible TV ratings and, as a fan, I probably shouldn’t be admitting such thoughts.But isn’t the conclusion all that really matters? The middle is just for entertainment. The back and forth struggle between the beginning and end is for creating statistics and setting records. It’s where the stamina to maintain and overcome is tested. But as I unpacked this thought a little more, I realized that the middle is essential to the end. The end is remembered because of the middle. The back and forth struggle is why we recall the dramatic victory. If it weren’t for the stamina, desire, and will to overcome, the champion would be nothing more than another player on the field. They wouldn’t be recalled for their heroic grit that carried them through from beginning to end.Much of the outcome would ultimately be decided by luck of the draw. The ending would have little to do with the culmination of successes that lead the victor to his celebratory outcome.Without the middle, there wouldn’t be great comebacks like the Red Sox over Yankees in 2004's ALCS. Or the Celtics overcoming the Lakers’ 24 point lead during the 2008 NBA finals. And without the desire to overcome the outcome of the American Revolution might have been a different story.The same idea can be applied to life. When a person comes to the end of their life they're remembered because of the life they led. People are celebrated for the struggles they have overcome and the achievements they have reached throughout the journey of life. During an interview, a friend of mine once said that it's not just about the end, but rather the experience of reaching the end.At the end of the game, match, or challenge, we don’t think about how good the losing team looked during warmups. And we don’t recall people for how cute they were at birth. We all have a beginning. But our end is determined by the stamina, character, and grace we run with throughout the middle. The way we live each day determines what kind of ending we'll enjoy.