After my second wreck and several scars, I decided it was time to stop riding motorcycles.

It wasn’t worth it to me. My heart wasn’t in it.

Sports, on the other hand, are a totally different story.

Even after a broken leg, a broken nose on three separate occasions and more bruises, cuts and sprained ankles than I can remember, I have never once wanted to quit sports.

Blood and tears are just part of the game. It is something athletes have to learn to deal with from the very beginning.

When something happens, we suck it up, rub some dirt on it and play a little bit harder. It does not necessarily make us tougher than others, or even better.

It just proves we are in it for the love of the game. It is not just a recreation to us. It is a way of life. It is a passion.

Everyone needs a passion. It is how we, as humans, survive. A passion drives us, molds us, defines us.

Whether it is sports or something entirely different, it is important to find something you love, something you can dedicate your life to. In the end, that is what life is all about.

When we die, we have no control over what happens. Maybe there is a Heaven and Hell, or maybe we have a soul that floats in some sort of limbo, or maybe there is nothing at all, no existence or meaning.

Maybe we just turn to dust in the wind, forgotten by the world.

But while we’re living, we do control our lives. We can be passionate. We can be happy.

We have to go beyond just finding a passion, though. We have to pursue it. We have to live it.

For athletes, it’s easy. Practice every day. Work out. Play more games. Then do it all again.

For others, though, it may be tougher. You might have to spend nearly 20 years in school to learn everything you need to know.

You may have to do dirty work that you hate for years until you get a chance to move to that corner office window.

Challenges will come your way. In sports, injuries are one of the biggest obstacles to overcome.

Instead of letting injuries defeat them, athletes learn to embrace the danger that comes with each play.

For me, there is a rush that floods my veins with each breath I take that no drug could ever provide. I would never trade that feeling for anything.

Those feelings of pure ecstacy are why athletes keep coming back. No matter what challenges may come, athletes have a passion that always brings them back.

That is how every person should be. You simply cannot let the challenges slow you down. You have to keep on fighting.

So what if you got rejected from a job? Find a different one, and prove to them why they made a mistake not hiring you.

If someone closes a door on you, there are two options. You can either find another way in, or you break the door down. Giving up is just not an option.

If you are passionate about something, you have to find a way to keep going.

Sure, you will struggle. You will most likely not succeed at first. In fact, you will probably become quite familiar with failure.

But if you truly love something, it will be worth it.

Despite all the hard moments, you will enjoy the ride. There will be highs and lows. It will probably lead to the best and worst moments of your life.

But it will be worth it. Find your passion. I’ve found mine.

Column by Ryan Richardson, Sports Editor.