Judy Resnik - Did You Move Mountains?

Some people want it. 

Some people work for it. 

Some people get it.

The first does a little work.

The second does a lot of work.

The latter does all the work. 

When Judy Resnik set her eyes on becoming one of the first female astronauts at NASA, she knew the odds were not in her favor. Of the thousands and thousands of applications they would receive, only a handful would be picked. But Judy knew there was a certain power she held, a force that she could exert to increase and move the chances in her favor. She could study. She could learn. She could put herself out there.

After she sent her application off to Houston, Texas, it was just the beginning. She would do anything and everything to be an astronaut.

She cut her hair short to make her look more professional. 

She learned how to fly and earned a pilot’s certificate.

She visited the National Air and Space Museum to devour space history. 

She read Michael Collins’ autobiography Carrying the Fire.

During her visit to the National Air and Space Museum, she worked her way to Collins' office. After informing him of her plans and desires to be an astronaut, Collins told her, “Learn everything you can about the Shuttle Program.” Judy did.

Several months later, Judy was one of the first six female astronauts admitted into NASA.

Confucius said, “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” And then another stone, and another, and another. 

The actions may be small, but the will, the effort, and the lengths you go to must be extreme. The only way you can be frustrated that you lost, didn’t get the job, or achieve the goal, is if you did everything in your power. You, like Judy, tried to move mountains. 

Many are willing to move a couple of stones.

Some are willing to move many stones.

Only a few are willing to move all the stones on the mountain.

And it’s usually only the latter who reap the fruits of their labor.

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Thank you for reading.

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