Driving the last leg of my trip that began in Connecticut and would bring me to my new temporary training home in Charlottesville, Virginia last Sunday afternoon, I swam through a mix of emotions as the waves of the Blue Ridge foothills rolled past. The birthday I celebrated a few weeks ago reminded me that I am only getting older. The work emails that I needed to read and respond to that evening reminded me that I am, in fact an adult with grown-up responsibilities. The bow ball of my single shell protruding off the front of my car roof, led the way down a new path I had stumbled upon less than a year ago, and am now enthusiastically charging down.

I have made the drive to and from Charlottesville countless times (I received both my Bachelor’s and Master’s from UVA) and decided this time to take a back road route; a way I have never taken before. Oh, the irony. For those that know me well, and I think Mr. Frost would agree, I was surely taking the road less traveled.

Now a week into my new routine and environment, I am confident I’ve made a positive decision. Last Monday marked my first official start to a part-time role with ESPN to enable me to better train at the level I need to in order to “really go after this”…just one of many sacrifices to be made. Training is going really well; I’m receiving the coaching I need, surrounded by great people and resources, all bonused by the fact that I can come back to a place that I love. In just seven days, I feel as though I’ve made galloping strides forward and cannot wait to see what the next several weeks and months will bring.

Life is about choices and the decisions we make, the paths we come across and then decide to take. In every decision there are consequences, sacrifices and compromise that determine the impact they will have. Some of those choices will break you or build you up, but inevitably shape who you are.

…I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

A friend of mine sent me this video, “How Bad Do You Want It” of Giavanni Ruffin, professional football player and what he did in his “off time” during the recently ended NFL lockout. The video montage was put to music and the inspirational words of Eric “The Hip Hop Preacher.” There are thousands of motivational videos like this out there, but this is one of the better ones I’ve come across. Powerful, but simple. I can watch it over and over and still get pumped up.

Success is something most of us say we dream about and desire in our lives. When it comes to putting in the time and energy, making the sacrifices and taking the risks to get to where we say we want to be, there exists a strict divide between those who achieve and those who let that dream fade for whatever reason. Making the cut takes passion, single-mindedness of intent, and the ability to sometimes trust in the power of irrationality. When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.