- I am doing my metaphoric analysis on the motivational speech “The Grind.” I have listened to this speech a multitude of times to inspire myself in athletics, and I have shown this video to inspire others. I think that it is so inspirational because of the poetic language and resonant word choice throughout.
Link:
Transcription:
Rise and shine: 6am and your hand can’t make it to the alarm clock before the voices in your head start telling you it’s too early, too dark and too cold to get out of bed. Aching muscles lie still in rebellion pretending not to hear your brain commanding them to move. A legion of voices are giving you permission to hit the snooze button and go back to dream land.
But you didn’t ask their opinion.
The voice you chose to listen to is one of defiance. A voice that says there was a reason why you set that alarm in the first place. So sit up, put your feet on the floor and don’t look back because we’ve got work to do. Welcome to the grind.
For what is each day but a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way. 10,000 streams span out like a river delta before you each one promising the path of least resistance. The thing is you’re headed upstream. And when you make that choice and you decide to turn your back on whats comfortable, safe, and what some would call common sense, well that’s day 1. From there it only gets tougher. So just make sure this is something you want because the easy way out will always be there ready to wash you away. All you have to do is pick up your feet.
But you aren’t going to are you? With each step comes the decision to take another. You are on your way now but this is no time to dwell on how far you have come. You are in a fight against an opponent you cant see but oh you can feel them on your heels can’t you, feel them breathing down your neck. You know who that is? That’s you. Your fears, doubts and insecurities lined up like a firing squad ready to shoot you out of the sky. But don’t loose heart. While they aren’t easily defeated they are far from invincible. Remember this is the grind. The battle royal between you and your mind, your body and the devil on your shoulder who is telling you this is just a game, this is just a waste of time, your opponent are stronger than you.
Drown out the voice of uncertainty with the sound of your own heart beat. Burn away your self doubt with the fire underneath you. Remember what we are fighting for and never forget momentum is a cruel mistress. She can turn on the dime with the smallest mistake. She is always searching for the weak place in your armor; the one little thing you forgot to prepare for.
So as long as the devil is hiding the details, the question remains is that all you got? Are you sure? And when answer is yes and you have done all you can to prepare yourself for battle then it’t time to go forth and boldly face your enemy. The enemy within.
Only now you must take that fight into the open, into hostile territory. You are a lion in a field of lions all hunting the same elusive pray with a desperate starvation that says victory is the only thing that can keep you alive. So believe that voice that says you can run a little faster, you can run a little harder, and that to you the laws of physics are merely a suggestion.
“Nobody can judge effort. Because effort is between you and you.Everyday is a new day. And every moment is a new moment. So now you got to show them you are a different creature than you were five minutes ago.”
So rise and shine.
2. The extended metaphor of the stream is one of the most effective throughout the speech, because of its explicit nature: “For what is each day but a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way. 10,000 streams span out like a river delta before you each one promising the path of least resistance.” It is explicit in that it presents the idea that we must choose to do what is easy, and what is right. However, this statement is also implicit in that it suggests many people choose the easy way, using the river delta comparison.
3. An example of a vehicle and tenor in this speech can be found in the comparison “momentum is a cruel mistress.” In this situation momentum is the vehicle because it is what is being compared and discussed, and a cruel mistress is the tenor. Or, what momentum is being compared to on a secondary poetic level.
4. I think in this speech there are many metaphors and comparisons used but overall the narrator is using hostile predatory language to vocalize that the athletic, intellectual, every-day grind is the battle of most resistance. That is the overarching metaphor that I am reading from this speech.