You’ve played well in the beginning of the chess game but now your opponent has crushed you. You’re down to only your king and facing defeat. At this point in the game most people would say that you should resign, quit, you can’t win, and all hope is gone. However with only your king on the board you do have the opportunity for at least a draw or a stalemate. In chess if you haven’t been checkmated you have a chance of not losing. If you quit, defeat is certain.
The St Louis Cardinals, down two runs to the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the ninth inning in game six of the 2011 World Series were one strike away from losing it all, one strike. At that point most people wrote them off for dead. However, they got a hit scored two runs tying the game and sent it into extra innings where they won in dramatic fashion, forcing game seven. Ultimately they beat the Rangers in game seven and were crowed world champions. They didn’t quit. They still had a chance to succeed and they did.
If you get into the habit of quitting chances are you may never get out of it. Quitting can be harmful to the mind, body and, sprit. General Douglas Macarthur said “Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.” In life there are arduous situations that are part of being a member of the human race. You’ll be bruised, battered, and turned every which way but loose. However if you quit you’ll never realize how strong you are or what you can accomplish. Nothing good comes from quitting. If you stay in the game whether its baseball, chess, or life you give yourself a chance, and that gives you the opportunity to succeed.
