Greetings Blog Family,

This is an exciting day because it is my first Monday’s Motivational Moment. Today I am presenting one of my absolute favorite poems in the whole world, “If”.

The writer of “If” was Ruyard Kipling.  As much as I would like to take credit for this poem, I cannot. Kipling is one of the greatest writers of all time and this poem has stood the test of time as well. If you do a little research on Kipling, you will find out he has written many great works.

How did I get introduced to this poem?

Well, I love poetry and motivational sayings, quotes, whatever. During my college days, I would hang out with eclectic groups and was introduced to this poem through them. I immediately began committing the poem to memory because I loved it so much.

What do I love about this poem?

Everything, what is there not to love? These are very simple rules to live by if you want to ensure the success of your future. You are in control, if you can maintain these specific things.

Overall, this poem just reeks of the truth. At various points in your life, people are going to lie about you, twist your words. You will be up against great odds. You will have to communicate and deal with people of various income levels and understanding. This is what life is all about.

However, if you are determined to succeed, sometimes it takes a little bit more. Sometimes you just have to master a wider variety of things in order to be successful. The alternative is failure and that is not why we embark on journeys toward our passions and dreams in the first place.

Enjoy the video presentation of “If” – Delivered by Freddie Taylor

Transcript of the entire poem:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

–Rudyard Kipling