Quitters Quit, Winners Don't

In hundreds of presentations across North America, I have made an assertion that many would challenge, but I stand by it today as strongly as the first day I made it: no one in the history of human events has ever failed.

It's not hard to read that statement and think that I'm either a naive fool or just not very bright:) While the latter may be true, if you allow me to clarify the statement, I think it will make perfect sense. I don't believe that anyone in the history of human events has ever failed. Those who didn't succeed just gave up, before the realized their goals.

The principal here is two fold. Firstly, it is rare that if you are truly willing to work at something until it happens that it won't eventually take shape. Most of us don't give our goals and dreams nearly enough effort. We set a goal, we "work" at it a few times and when it doesn't materialize, we give up or move on to something else. People will often say to me that they would love to write a book but could never do it. We yes you can. You just write and write and write until you have enough material for a book. In truth, the editing is the hardest part! People will often say the same thing to me about running a marathon, "Oh, I could never do that". My response is always, the same: "Yes you can, you just put one foot in front of the other until you get to the end."

The second part of the principal, applies those who say, "but Mark, sometimes people just fail." Again my assertion is that is impossible if you don't give up because if you refuse to give up you have already achieved a level of success. You have done what most people never do, pursue their goals with passion and dedication. That is success in itself.

So this week I challenge you to persevere. When things are looking bad, when you feel tired and aren't sure you can keep going, when it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going. It is always darkest before the dawn. The highest mountains are preceded by the deepest valleys. If you hang in there, you will meet with success. If people knew how close they were to succeeding when they gave up, they wouldn't. Press on. And to my fellow Maritimers, the snow will melt, summer will come. As you shovel yet again tomorrow, remember, before you know it, we'll be on the beach again!

Feeling Adventurous?

Right now my wife and I are watching the season premier of "The Amazing Race" in my opinion, one of the few 'reality tv' shows worth watching. The Amazing Race teaches lessons about many life lessons including the need for teamwork, the joys of having fun, and the importance of effective communication, but the most powerful lesson I think you can learn, is the role that adventure needs to play in a successful and fulfilling life.

In the Amazing Race (for those who haven't seen the show) contestants travel to numerous countries around the world while completing various tasks as fast as they can. One of the best parts of the event is that fact that no one ever knows where they are going next. They don't know what the next day will bring, what challenges they'll face, where they'll be going, or who you will encounter. A great metaphor for life.

Far too many people live, as Thoreau once wrote, "lives of quiet desperation". Every day is like the day before. They do the same things, meet the same people, have the same conversations, over and over again. Life and the world are both too amazing to live that way.

This week I challenge you to live your life and work your jobs/businesses with a little more adventure. Take a trip to somewhere you've never been (it doesn't have to be around the world, it could be to a restaurant in your hometown you've never been t0) the point is to experience something new. Make social plans with someone from work you've never socialized with. Experience something you've never experiences before. It will enrich your life and create memories you'll be able to cherish. Hopefully it will also give you a taste of how awesome new adventures can be and encourage you to do it again.

Go out there and live the adventure!

Love is Fuel

I am called a "motivational speaker" and even though I don't really talk that much about motivation specifically, people often ask me "what is the secret to staying motivated?". Everyone wants to know what they need to do to say motivated at work, in life and in pursuit of their goals. So, what is that secret? One word... LOVE.

It's this simple:
Those who achieve the highest levels of success love what they do.
Those who have the greatest joy in life and at work, love what they do.
Those who we admire most because of their achievements, their attitude, and the difference they make in the lives of others, love what they do.

So I ask you; do you love what they do?
If you're answer is no, you now have two choices: figure out how to start loving what you do, or start doing something else. There are no other logical conclusions. And yet I know that some of you reading this right now, are working at jobs you hate. Some of you are stuck in relationships that are making you miserable. I challenge you right now, that if you are in that situation, start creating a plan for how you can change it.

Of course I wouldn't suggest that you quit your job or split up with your partner tomorrow, unless it's a real emergency. But I do want to say that life is too short not to love what you do and who you spend it with. No life is perfect, but if you love who you experience it with, and what you spend most of it doing, then you'll live a life as close to perfect as we can as human beings.

Life is meant to be loved. Create a life that you can love.

What Can We Learn from Aaron Rogers

If you were not one of the estimated 100million people who watched the Super Bowl last night, you missed something quite special. Beyond a great game, you missed a powerful lesson on success from a 27 yr old named Aaron Rogers.

Rogers, the quarterback of the champion GreenBay Packers and the Super Bowl MVP last night, put on a great show, completing 24 of 39 passes for 309 yards, 3 TDs and 0 interceptions. (For those non-football fans this is about as solid a performance as you can get). What's more impressive is knowing a little bit about Rodgers' back story. It is also, as is usually the case, where the lessons can be learned.

Last night Aaron Rodgers won a Super Bowl and was named Most Valuable Player of the game. The pinnacle for any football player. He is living every professional athlete's dream right now. But it hasn't always been roses for Rodgers.

Rodgers' career has been full of disappointments and set backs. Out of high school, he wasn't selected to a division 1 college like most NFL players. He only got one offer, and declined it, instead choosing to play junior college. After doing well there, he moved up and played well for UofC Berkley and by the time the 2005 NFL draft came along he was one of the favourites to go high, maybe even 1st overall some thought. Great turnaround right? He was picked 24th.

After being selected by the Packers, despite his great credentials, Rodgers didn't step into a starting job. He spent the first two years of his professional career in the shadow of Green Bay's storied quarterback Brett Favre. He thought he'd get his break when Favre announced his retirement in 2006, but Favre later changed his mind, relegating Rodgers to back-up status for another year. In 2007, Favre did the same thing and again Rodgers spent most of his season on the bench. On top of that, he broke his foot and spent lots of time not even being able to practice. Not exactly the story legends are made of.

But through all of the setbacks Rodgers was getting ready. He was studying film, learning from Favre, training, practicing, and preparing for when he would get the opportunity to show the world what he could really do. And last, night, in front of the biggest in-person crowd in Super Bowl history (an estimated 100,000+ saw the game live in Dallas) and certainly the biggest TV crowd he's ever played for, Rodgers played the game of his life. His team are Super Bowl champs and he is the MVP. It doesn't get better than that.

So what's the lesson for us? Never give up? Keep on believing? Sure. But the real lesson is what Rodgers did before he had the chance to start in the SuperBowl. In a world of professional sports when many spoiled athletes would have been insulted to be drafted 24th when some thought he'd be 1st, when many would have refused to spend two or three years as a back-up when they were as good as he was, and when many would have asked to be traded, or not shown up to training camp because he wasn't getting the "credit" he deserved, Rodgers stayed. He worked. He studied. He prepared. He didn't say, "why me?". He didn't complain that he wasn't getting his due. He just went to work, did his best, committed to constant improvement and waited for his chance. And when it showed up, he stepped up. Big!

So what are you doing to prepare? Are you in a job you don't love? Is there a promotion you think you deserve? Are you being over-looked, under paid and under valued? Don't waste time complaining and sulking and wishing things were different. Prepare. Study. Learn. Get better. And wait for your opportunity to come. Then, when it does, you'll be ready. And just like Rodgers, you'll step up and show people what you can really do.