Willie Mays was called, “The Say Hey Kid.” He was amazing. He played in 24 All Star games, and is in the baseball hall of fame. He is one of the greatest men to ever play the game of baseball.

Alex Rodriguez said, “There's absolutely no comparisons to me or anyone else to Willie Mays. Willie Mays, he's the greatest baseball player of all time.”

But he wasn't always like that. As a younger player he idolized the great Yankee ballplayer Joe DiMaggio. So he watched and studied everything about Joe: How he stood, how he walked, how he swung the bat, how he ran, everything. He tried his best to be just like Joe DiMaggio. But it wasn’t working.

Finally, a wise coach pulled him aside and said to him, "Willie, listen to me. Stop trying to be like Joe or like anybody else. Be yourself. God has given you great ability."

He took that advice, and he became Willie Mays, one of the greatest to ever play the game of baseball.

In 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a famous essay on self-reliance. He said three words that are so powerful: Imitation is suicide.

The Scripture proclaims to God, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)

There is no one else like you. You are unique. God created you the way you are, with your own unique talents and gifts and challenges. Let’s stop trying to be like someone else . . . and just be ourselves.