"It Couldn't Be Done" by Edgar Guest

Sometimes I really love what I do. I'm in Colorado Springs for work at the USOC headquarters, and today former Paralympian and Sydney medalist John Register started a presentation with the following quote. Whenever I'm feeling unmotivated and uninspired, I'm going to read this, put on a grin and tackle the thing that couldn't be done.

It Couldn't Be Done
by Edgar Albert Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

Today was filled with inspiration. It started with a 5.5 mile run at 6,035 feet... to say winded would be an understatement. I took second place in rifle shooting and won my fencing match. Maybe I should explore some additional sports beyond triathlon!