There are lots of numbers associated with my name.

I had a 14-year career in television news as anchor/reporter at WLOS, Asheville, North Carolina; WTHI, Terre Haute, Indiana; and WRTV, Indianapolis, Indiana. I served as executive vice president for H.H. Gregg, a consumer electronics and home appliance retailer, for 18 years and worked for Indiana University for 12 years including five as president and CEO of its Alumni Association. I’m among fewer than 300 alumni to receive IU’s highest honor, the Distinguished Alumni Service Award.

But there’s a number you won’t see next to my name, and it’s the number of knuckleballs I’ve had to swing at during my life. Sometimes I connected bat to ball and other times, I struck out. Yet, here’s the key: each time I was up to bat, I took my chances.

I’m sure you have heard every cliché around about the pitfalls of a missed opportunity. And I’m pretty sure you’ve heard this one before: ‘you can’t win unless you’re in the game’ (Are you rolling your eyes, yet?). I can imagine a voice in your head is saying, “Stitch it on a pillow already Beckley”. But I invite you to expand your mind a bit; after all, clichés are usually clichés because they’re true.

Look, there’s nothing easy about life. Every aspect requires work and dedication and perseverance. You won’t always get the calls you deserve. You won’t always see your sweat and effort equate to a win. But here’s what you can control—when and how you show up.

Showing up isn’t half the battle, it’s the whole battle.

Through this blog I will explore this idea of showing up and, hopefully, inspire you to “show up” in all areas of your life. As we explore together, I hope you will share what you are learning by leaving your comments below.

Let the games begin.