Over spring break, I had the incredible opportunity to spend a day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While there, my family and I were able to visit the iconic Rocky statue at the base of the legendary steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which appear prominently in the Rocky movies. As we ran up the steps and took pictures with the statue, I was reminded of the first movie, which I had watched for the first time just a few days earlier.
For those unfamiliar with the film, Rocky Balboa gets the opportunity to box against one of the greatest fighters of the time. As he prepares, he decides that—win or lose—he wants to do one thing: go the distance. That means fighting through every round without being knocked out. This is no easy task—continuing to take punch after punch without bowing out or hitting the mat takes extreme resilience.
Rocky’s story has been an inspiration for years, and I believe it still holds a valuable lesson for us today. In life, we will face struggles and hardships, taking plenty of metaphorical punches along the way. But resilience is crucial because, as Rocky says, “Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up.”
We can achieve success when we make the choice to keep fighting, keep trying, and keep working—to go the distance. Whether we are facing self-doubt, maintaining relationships, or staying true to our values, it’s important to push forward no matter how many times we get discouraged. As the engraving on the Rocky statue reminds us: “It’s not about how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward—that’s how winning is done.”
Go the Distance,
Ethan Wolheter
Indiana FFA State President
