#nihontiger

For those of you who don’t know who Ayrton Senna is, he is a legendary Formula 1 driver from Brazil and universally regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time -- if not definitely so.

He won his first Formula 1 race when he was 25. He was a two-time world champion at age 30. He was dead at 34, killed in a racing crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, his first season at Williams F1 and a year in which he was the defending champion.

I was but a very young boy just getting into Formula 1 when he died in 1994. The year before, it had been a big deal that his team - McLaren - had signed Michael Andretti, who at the time was seen as the next great American racing superstar. while Michael's career never really worked out, watching those early morning races on ESPN was my first exposure to seeing him race, but it would be many years before the Internet really allowed me to understand just what kind of racer and man he had been. And how he, at times, perhaps reminded me a bit of myself.

When it came to racing, Ayrton Senna was known as a driver who pushed the limits of what his car could do. He was fast, but ruthless on the track, not afraid to make a hard block or a diving pass into a tight corner, even if it meant a wreck. He was competitive to the core, never content with just being the best. He was widely respected, not only by his fellow drivers, but by millions around the world, including eventually one young kid from Michigan who began to model his virtual driving style after him.

Likewise, as I grew up, competitiveness boiled in my blood. I was always trying to push myself to be better: better than my sister one grade below me, better than my classmates, better than everyone. I was happy to earn accolades but never wanted to be content. For me, that’s manifested in a drive to continue to push myself to be better, and in Minecraft, that’s really become my mantra for UHC.

Sure, I could take my many victories and accolades and be content with what a storied career I’ve had, but I’m not satisfied. In one recorded series with my friends, I’ve already tied for most all-time wins (3) and most Ironman awards (5), but I want that 4th win ... and the 5th one, and so on. I know somethings are weak in my game and can be made better, and I want to improve them instead of settling.

The same can be said for life. I know I have some rough spots to try and polish out that I’ve found in the past year, and once those are done, I’ll figure out new things to better myself in. New skills, new knowledge ... it never really ends. :)

That drive to continue to grow, to push yourself to the next level, is something that perhaps we both share as do many other successful people.

But Ayrton Senna was more than just the competitor on the track. He was a man who believed in generosity and gave millions to help the poor and underprivileged children and youth in his native Brazil. Before he died, he began to set up what would become the Instituto Ayrton Senna, which carries on his legacy of helping those most in need. And he did most of it quietly, not seeking attention for his deeds.

Even more than that, he looked out for his fellow man. He risked his life during practice for the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix to help save the life of a driver that had crashed, running across the track while other cars were still barreling down one of the fastest parts of the track. Shortly before his death at Imola, concerned about safety after several serious crashes and deaths -- including a death during the same weekend he would be killed -- he reached out to the other drivers about bringing back the Grand Prix Driver’s Association to again fight for better driver safety.

I also have that sharing of concern for others, seeking to make the world better though through different ways. Senna had millions to help give away to help those in need; I don’t have nearly as much, but I try to give my time and energy to as many causes as I can, and I sincerely would like to get more involved in charity streaming and other events, especially for those which help lesser known or overlooked causes. 

Maybe that’s what ultimately drew me to becoming a bigger fan of his over time: I loved his driving style, but once I began to see the person he was, and began to relate a bit to him myself, I started to appreciate him as a whole human being. Surely, he was not perfect and there were flaws, but we all have them, and it is up to us not to let those flaws keep us from achieving greatness.