From Chapter 12 “Indefatigable” in Ingredients of Outliers. Super Woman On September 16, 2007, I had to do something I never, ever wanted to do, nor do I ever want do it again. It was a beautiful Sunday in Phoenix. I was sitting in my office with the door to the rooftop patio overlooking twin runways open to let in the warm breeze. I was taking a bit of a break and called Bill and Colleen, close family friends. Bill was a founding partner in a law firm where I am “Of Counsel.” By coincidence, he and I went to the same university. He graduated from law school the same year I … [Read more...]
Knocking Down Barriers
From Chapter 12 “Indefatigable” in Ingredients of Outliers. The Reasons Why For many, going the distance or emptying the tank is simply for personal reasons, to overcome internal barriers, and to challenge themselves, or to get out of their comfort zones and test the limits of their ability, strength, endurance and courage. They want to discover how far they can go. Gordon Ritter, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, is another of those profiled in the SUCCESS magazine article mentioned above. In college, he’d been a member of the rowing team and later took up mountain climbing. … [Read more...]
MLK Day: Remembering a Powerful Leader in Civil Rights
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought so much hope and healing to America. His legacy is one which teaches valuable lessons of courage, compassion, dignity, humility and perseverance. With violent protests overtaking the news, MLK Day (January 18th), is a great time to stop and remind ourselves of the powerful leadership Dr. King provided in times of difficulty. His forgiveness and nonviolent demonstrations lead a nation to change for the better. Brief Facts about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King lead the American Civil Rights Movement for almost twelve and a half … [Read more...]
An Unlikely Hero
From Chapter 3, "Persistence, Press on!" in Ingredients of Outliers An Unlikely Hero Chances are you’ve never heard the amazing story of a man named Cliff Young, but he’s a legend half a world away—in Australia, the Land Down Under. The legend began in 1983, as the inaugural foot race from Sydney to Melbourne was about to get underway. It was an ambitious undertaking, covering a distance of 875 kilometers, or more than 540 miles. That’s the equivalent of running nearly 21 complete marathons—in a row! To put it in perspective, that would be similar to running from New York City to … [Read more...]
A Shining Example of Persistence
From Chapter 3, "Persistence: Press on!" in Ingredients of Outliers A Shining Example America’s history is replete with the stories of men and women whose “press on” and “never quit” attitudes are shining examples of the determination and the persevering spirit on which our nation was built. Among my favorites is Theodore Roosevelt, the President of the United States from 1901 to 1909. Although he was one of the most colorful and popular men to have ever served in that capacity, Roosevelt was far more than a political figure. He was—among other things—an adventurer, an historian, a … [Read more...]