Shaq

Shaquille O'Neal is a renaissance man.

Seriously:  take a look at the guy. Read about him.

He's one of the best players in the history of the game. He's funny, jovial. He, like many professional athletes, started humbly.  But he worked hard, ultimately achieving greatness. His number will be retired, and he, along with the other great ones, will be forever remembered.

That's not just it, though.

He's a deputy policeman. He's an actor -- albeit a poor one. He raps. He produces television shows. He writes books.

And he's working on a PhD.

Shaq, on his education:  "It's just something to have on my resume for when I go back into reality. Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 like everybody else."

The man understands that there is a world -- often harsh, uninviting, and full of drudgery -- beyond entertainment. Even so, he knows that one must never rest. To survive, one needs to constantly push himself.

But, he's not somber when undertaking this, no. He has fun. And he represents something that I think many of us have forgotten. It's this:  We're not locked in. We can try new things.

We just need the spirit and the drive and the heart.

So, let's take Shaq as a role model.

Get out there and go. Audition for that play. Try out for a team. Write a book. Get back to school.

Cut the rope and sail away.