How Adults Can Learn About Success From Infant Development

While watching my cousin’s daughter the other day several things crossed my mind. First, I realized that the expression time flies is so much more than your average utterance.

Time flies is the unadulterated truth. Before you know it, yesterday is long-lost history and tomorrow is the day we never imagined in a million years.

Seems Like Old Times‎

It seemed like only days ago that my cousin was high school teenager. Now she is a successful woman: college graduate, computer scientist, wife, and mother of two. In addition to realizing that my cousin is getting old, I had the good fortune to witness as her daughter did something that she had not done before. Nadia, my cousin Robin’s daughter, rolled over from her back to her stomach.

As one who usually documents all my son’s accomplishments, I am almost ashamed to admit that I don’t even remember the first time that my son rolled over from his back to his stomach. During my son’s infancy, I was so focused on the day that he would be able to walk, talk and hangout with me that I missed some of the small but important joys of infant development.

Watching Nadia the other day was more than a trip down memory lane. Witnessing Nadia was evidence that I didn’t always take time to enjoy all the moments of infant development. Moreover, observing Nadia was a study in the achievement process. Not only did Nadia do something she had never done before, Nadia’s accomplishment was a roadmap for success.

Roadmap To Success

Everyone in the room watched with great interest as Nadia laid on her back, twisting from side to side, resolutely trying to gather sufficient momentum to turn from laying on her back to laying on her stomach. While her parents and grandparents cheered as only proud parents and buoyant grandparents can do, I observed the event quietly and differently but no less enthusiastically.

My observation from Nadia’s developmental milestone were as follows:

1.  Practice – Nadia, unlike Allen Iverson, did not appear to have a problem with practice. In fact, Nadia appeared to enjoy practice or at the very least she gracefully understood that without practice she could never expect to be able to turn over.

To the left she turned unsuccessfully. To the right she turned unsuccessfully. Undeterred by the lack immediate success, each attempt to rollover was but a heavenly gifted and greatly appreciated practice attempt.

For Nadia, it was not about rolling over for the first time. To the contrary, for my inspirational baby cousin, it was about learning how to roll over for a lifetime.

2.  Perseverance – Nadia’s performance that afternoon was as good as any athletic performance ever witnessed. You should have been there! Like the great gymnast, Nadia Comaneci, with whom Nadia shares her name, our little Nadia’s routine was also worthy of a perfect ten.

Just as her Olympic Gold medaling namesake, Nadia was not going to be denied her goal. No matter the challenge, no matter how long it took, Nadia was resolute about being able to rollover.

3.  Pleased Yet Dissatisfied – Then it happened. With a swift turn to her right, Nadia rolled over to her stomach. The crowd went wild. Okay, I know that was a bit of an embellishment but her parents and grandparents cheered as if Nadia had indeed just won the gold medal.

It was clear from Nadia’s disposition that she knew this was a life changing and life affirming moment. I don’t know if anyone in the room understood the significance of the event the way Nadia and I did. Nadia and I both knew almost immediately that she had just figuratively won the first of many gold medals.

Nadia took a brief moment to smile. A small smile that seemed more of an appreciation and recognition to her unwavering fans. However, in no way was Nadia satisfied with her achievement.

In fact, Nadia had a look on her face that I had seen many times before. It was the look that the Greats have – a brief allowance of personal satisfaction followed by an immediate and unwavering realization that there is still so much more that can, will and must be done. Next up crawling, talking, walking…changing the world!

4.  Head Control – Situated comfortably in the mini-push-up position – head lifted royally, shoulders high and arms providing greater elevation – Nadia surveyed the world from her new and conquering position. Nadia, “The Vanquisher” as she will be forever known, looked ahead and around in a way she had never done previously.

Nadia saw a brand new world. She saw the world right side up using her own powers. She perused the world for the first time on her terms. A world that – she would tell you in her baby cooing language of course – holds great promise for those with a vision, a willingness to practice, the conviction to be undeterred and a support system that encourages. There is nothing “The Vanquisher” can’t do!

Selfies and YouTube

Upon reflection, I wish that I had videotaped that moment for her parents and others. Nadia like all children will face situations in life were she will doubt her ability to succeed. Witnessing this early milestone could be the difference between future successes and a lifetime of failures.

Parents take lots of pictures and video but rarely if ever do parents add life affirming captions or narrations to those moments. Imagine if her parents wrote captions or narrated the moment as an important news story: “Nadia Refuses to Stay on Her Back”, “Nadia Gets Off the Mat and Holds Her Head Up High”, “Nadia Vanquishes the Twists and Turns of Life” and “Nadia Changes Her Life and the World by Changing Her Position”.

Upon reading or watching the captions and videos, how could Nadia or any child for that matter deny their ability to do anything they set their mind to? Wouldn’t all children instead believe that impossible actually means “I’m Possible”?

The Rest Of Us

And then there is the rest of us. Watching Nadia would have served as a reminder that if an infant will practice until she gets it right, adults – in particular parents – have no excuses not to continue to evolve and improve.

Parents already know how to rollover, the questions parents must answer are: are we willing to put in the work; will we commit to doing until it’s done; and will we choose to surround ourselves exclusively with those who lift us up and not bring us down. I’m sure Nadia, The Vanquisher, would tell you that if she can do it so can you.

Have you considered documenting your child’s accomplishments and milestones for future inspirational and motivational purposes? Do you remember the first time your child rolled over?