Manny Pacquiao was on my mind today. I saw him on television the other night as he started to prepare for his coming fight with Shane Mosley. Something in Pacquiao made me think of what it takes to be a Lopez employee attuned to our Credo and Values. They showed a video of Pacquiao going about his training regimen running, jogging, skipping rope, hitting the heavy bag and he was doing everything with so much enthusiasm, patience, persistence. Most of what he has to do to prepare for a fight can be boring but he knows he must persist because his moment of glory, indeed his life depends on it.

I did a sort of Pacquiao thing myself in the early 90s. One of my doctors told me I needed a heart bypass operation and I am always wary of any invasive medical procedure as serious as that. I got other medical opinions and there were enough doctors who agreed with me that what I probably needed was a strict regimen that would enable me to avoid going under the knife. I went on a diet of healthy food and enough physical exercise (an hour daily on the treadmill, stair climbing, a lot of walking) so that some fifteen years after I was told I needed a bypass, I have climbed the highest mountain in Luzon (Mt Pulag), in Visayas (Mt. Kanlaon), in the Philippines (Mt Apo) with Mt. Arayat and Mt. Sto Tomas thrown in too. Apparently, my persistence and determination to do what was necessary to avoid a heart bypass enabled my body to develop enough new capillaries to create what could be called a natural bypass to feed blood to my heart. I couldn’t have done it if I didn’t have a single-minded determination to religiously do my routine and change my diet preferences.

It is the same with our work and with our life. We must have a goal that is as compelling as winning a championship bout or avoiding heart surgery. Nothing else will make us persist in doing what is necessary no matter how difficult or how boring. We also have to be as creative as Pacquiao who is able to think on his feet and adjust strategies within seconds depending on how threats are developing to jeopardize the realization of our moment of glory.

In the end, we have to look at life as something like climbing a mountain. We do not hesitate halfway to the summit but keep our eyes and minds focused on the reward of finally accomplishing our life goals. There will be difficult times and there are times when there is overwhelming temptation to take it easy even at the risk of failure. But there is a Manny Pacquiao in all of us raring to accomplish what we have set out to do at all costs. And that’s the thought I want to leave with all of you today. Do what you must to reach your moment of glory in the Ring of Life. I can tell you from experience that accomplishing your goal can be most exhilarating.

By the way, thank you for all your emails. I appreciate the time you put into writing me. I read all your messages with great interest. For those who joined the contest, give me some time to go over all your entries on how you practice the Lopez values at work. I will be announcing a winner soon.