The BIG Takeaway™
newsletter
By Rich Trombetta
March 13, 2023

Be happier in less than 3 minutes
Using examples from TV, movies and sports to help you be happier RIGHT NOW.
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​Grab the remote and change your life.™​

This week's trivia question:
Actor Dennis Hopper was nominated for an Academy Award in 1986 for his role in what movie? Hint: It wasn't "Blue Velvet" (still sooooo disturbing)

Answer at the bottom
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
Image: University of Virginia
Walking the walk despite the pain
A lesson in climbing the ladder of success

​The context 
Anna Williamson is a manager on the University of Virginia men's basketball team; she was born with spina bifida which leaves her paralyzed below the knee.

  • She has had over 10 surgeries and requires a brace to be able to walk; at one point she faced the possibility of a leg amputation. 

  • Despite the pain and various challenges that faced her, Williamson applied for and received an opportunity to be a team manager.
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  • The team noted that she was given the position because she was good at the job and worked extremely hard, not because she has spina bifida.
Go deeper​​
Williamson was honored by the team by being one of the people to cut down the nets when Virginia became co-champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

  • Head Coach Tony Bennett said having Williamson being able to wear the net was one of the most special moments of the season.

  • Williamson will be graduating from Virginia this year and, rather that continue with sports, plans to open a coffee shop.
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  • “The cool thing about my disability, spina bifida, is that I was born with it, so I don’t know what life would’ve been like otherwise,” Williamson said.

Click on the image below to watch and hear her profiled on ESPN (:48 seconds)
My BIG Takeaway
Legendary UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, once said, ""Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." I need to reflect on that statement and focus on the things I CAN DO.

Parting thoughts
I am not a fan of the phrase "at least" and I don't want that to be the message of this email. "At least" can diminishes and invalidate a person's feeling or situations; it conveys sympathy, not empathy.

  • Here's a quick video from Brene Brown on empathy versus sympathy. It is worth a watch. (Note: 3 minutes)

  • This is not "at least Williamson got to be the team manager." Instead, it is "Williamson focused on what she could do, worked hard, and used her talents and work ethic to bring joy and happiness to her life and the lives of others."
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  • She doesn't want - or need - our sympathy. She is moving forward just fine without it, thank you.
Quote for the week
"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."
- Michael Jordan
Trivia answer
​Answer: Nominated for Best Supporting Actor playing Shooter in the hoop classic "Hoosiers." 
That's all for now

I hope you have a bit more joy, a smile, a smidge more gratitude and possibly are even happier now than when you opened this email. That is the goal.​​

​Thanks for reading and please remember:
  • We archive our stories and put them here for the world to read so feel free to have a look.
  • If you have any ideas or feedback Contact me with your thoughts.
Rich Trombetta
​@trombettarich

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Inspire people to bring more kindness and compassion into the world. (Also, selfishly, we really like writing about sports, TV and movies)
Copyright 2023 The Pop Culture Training Company. ​