The odds are always against you no matter what your previous

“The odds are always against you no matter what your previous history is. You have to overcome the tendency to relax.” – Tom Osborne

There are truths that come to a man only through battle — not the battle of sword and shield, but of spirit and will. In this saying, Tom Osborne, the legendary coach whose teams tasted both glory and defeat, spoke the timeless law of perseverance. His words ring with the wisdom of ages: that no victory, however grand, grants eternal ease; that the odds are always against you, no matter how brightly your past may shine. For the universe itself, in its ceaseless motion, tests all things that live — and what does not strive, perishes.

The ancients knew this truth well. Empires rose upon rivers of triumph only to sink in the still waters of complacency. The great city of Rome, once unconquerable, fell not first by the swords of barbarians, but by the decay of discipline. The soldiers who had once marched with fire in their hearts grew soft in luxury. The leaders who once led with virtue fell in love with comfort. Thus, the empire that had conquered the world was conquered by its own tendency to relax. Osborne’s words echo through such histories like a stern reminder: it is not your victories that define you, but how fiercely you guard the flame after they are won.

Complacency is the silent thief of greatness. When one has tasted success — be it in sport, in craft, or in life — the heart grows heavy with pride and the muscles grow slow with ease. The mountain climber who pauses too long on the peak forgets that the cold winds still blow. And when the storm comes again, his strength is gone. So it is with all who think the battle is over. Osborne, who coached his Nebraska teams through seasons of triumph and toil, saw this danger clearly. He knew that each game, each day, must be fought as if nothing had ever been won — as if every dawn were the first and last.

Consider the tale of Muhammad Ali, the champion whose fists and words shook the world. He was called “The Greatest,” and yet, even he knew that greatness must be renewed with every breath. After winning his first heavyweight title, he faced exile and scorn for refusing to fight in a war he deemed unjust. Many believed his light would fade. But years later, he returned to face the younger, stronger George Foreman — a man thought unbeatable. The odds were against him, as Osborne would have said. But Ali had not relaxed; he had refined his spirit in the furnace of adversity. In the hot night of Zaire, he danced again — and the world remembered what endurance can do.

For those who live by effort rather than ease, this quote is a creed. It reminds us that life is motion, and motion demands resistance. The artist must paint anew though yesterday’s work was praised. The student must study harder after success, not less. The builder must sharpen his tools each morning, even when the walls already stand tall. For the enemy of progress is not failure, but the gentle whisper that says, “Rest, you have done enough.” In that whisper lies ruin.

To overcome the tendency to relax is to master oneself. It is to understand that comfort is a mirage, and that every summit conceals another climb. The wise know that the true reward of effort is not rest, but readiness — the ability to rise again, to fight again, to serve again. Those who build their lives on this principle are never defeated, for they are never done. They may fall, but they rise with clearer eyes and steadier hearts.

So let this teaching take root within you: do not measure your strength by your previous history, for the past is but a shadow of what you are becoming. Each day, renew your courage. Each dawn, begin again. When success tempts you to rest, remember Osborne’s words — the odds are always against you. But that is the beauty of it: for only in struggle is greatness born. Stand firm, sharpen your will, and move ever forward — for the fire that refuses to rest shall never die.