Limits were Made to be Broken

As a child, I had several of the famous "No Fear" t-shirts. My favorite was probably the one that said "Limits were made to be Broken." Being only 9 years old when I got it, I loved the fact that around the words on the t-shirt was the image of glass being shattered. I didn't completely understand the quote, but for a 9 year old, the idea of breaking things was a dream come true.

Many of us dream of breaking barriers that have been set before us. Whether they are barriers set at work, school, in sports or wherever, the idea of breaking them is something we strive for. They are something that drive us, motivate us, and give us something to live up to.

Throughout my years of being a sports fan (my entire 27 years on this year), I have had the opportunity to see several sports records broken. I can still remember putting off my 7th grade math homework to watch Mark McGwire break Roger Maris's home run record. Then a few years later watching Barry Bonds break McGwire's record. Over the last few years we have seen several other sports records shattered by the likes of Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Drew Brees and several others.

And tonight we witnessed another "limit" broken as Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions, broke Jerry Rice's record of most receiving yards in a season, a record that had stood since 1995. While it might not seem like that big of deal, records are a part of what keep the game interesting. The record came on a night when the Lions actually lost just adding to what has been a dismal season for them, but people still watched (like my dad and myself), to be able to say they saw the record broken.

Sports can teach us and inspire us in ways we maybe never thought about. Chances are you aren't getting up early tomorrow morning to start training to break Calvin's receiving record, but maybe you can use his accomplishment as encouragement to break a limit that currently stands in your way.