Keep Your Passion in the Game: A Lesson from Dick Vitale

Whenever Dick Vitale was calling a Carolina–Duke game, I knew there would be very little resting comfortably in my chair. Between the action on the court and his enthusiasm at the microphone, even the living room felt like part of the arena. Dick never seemed to have a halfway gear. Every possession mattered. Every promising young player deserved a little extra excitement. And somehow, after decades of basketball, he could still make you feel you were about to witness something extraordinary.

A couple of weeks ago, my longtime associate Joy and I had the pleasure of meeting Dick and hearing him speak at an Earlier.org fundraiser. The organization was founded by Martha Kaley, a longtime friend and collector whose commitment to earlier breast cancer detection has brought so many people together around a meaningful purpose.

I arrived eager to meet a broadcaster I had admired for years. I left thinking about how I want to live the years ahead.

Having faced cancer himself, Dick brought a deeply personal conviction to his message. What stayed with me was his determination to keep going, keep contributing, and use whatever strength he has to encourage someone else. Listening that evening, I found three lessons I wanted to carry home.

Keep something in your life worth getting excited about.
Dick has spent a lifetime giving himself permission to care out loud. There is something wonderfully refreshing about that. Somewhere along the way, many of us learn to temper our enthusiasm. We become more measured, more cautious, perhaps a little too practiced at appearing unimpressed. Yet enthusiasm gives life to our work and warmth to our relationships. I still feel it when a painting begins to come together or an audience connects with a story. Those moments remind me why I started. Whatever your calling, protect the part of you that still gets excited about it. That spark can encourage an entire room.

Let the people who shaped you continue to inspire you.
It is hard to think about Dick without remembering his dear friend Jim Valvano, the coach who led NC State on that unforgettable national championship run. Their friendship became part of a much larger commitment to fighting cancer. Dick has continued to put his voice and influence behind that cause, particularly for children. It made me think about the people whose encouragement still guides my own life. We honor them through what we do with what they gave us: the kindness we extend, the opportunities we create, and the person we stop to help. A friend’s influence can keep reaching people long after that friend is gone.

Take the next step you can take.
There are seasons when moving forward requires more courage than anyone else can see. Illness, loss, disappointment, and uncertainty can make even familiar tasks feel difficult. Dick’s determination reminded me that we can begin with what is possible today. Make the call. Accept the help, encourage a friend, spend a little time on the work that matters to you. Sometimes progress is a small, quiet act that takes everything we have. It still counts.

Here’s a Takeaway

Driving home, I kept thinking about how readily we postpone things until we have more time, more energy, or a clearer road ahead.

This week, choose one meaningful thing you have been putting off and give it your attention. Someone may need your encouragement, an idea may need your imagination. 

A cause may need the very gift you have spent a lifetime developing.