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Why Not Almost There? I had never run a long race in my life, but here I am, in the middle of the 2015 Chicago Marathon. I’m feeling fantastic, even thinking I could go double the distance. Just being in this race was a mini-miracle. I had heart surgery and back surgery a decade earlier. I could barely stand back then, let alone run. Nonetheless, I’m fired up and feel better than ever. Then I see right in front of me— a sign that nearly stops me in my tracks, NOT ALMOST THERE. I try to brush it off but can’t stop thinking about those words. Every step seems heavier, harder, and then I start cramping up. I begin to walk and complain inside and out. I struggle the entire second half but finish (barely) with everything I have after being physically and mentally crushed. I have never stopped thinking about that sign but that’s fueled a quest to understand the power of the mind, body, and spirit. To understand how we accomplish things. To understand how we become better in the race against time and ourselves. Who am I? Southside Chicago kid. Young Father (20). Assembly line worker. Found 15 seconds between building cars to study. Graduated. Took 5 years. Created a few companies. Sold two. 800 employees. Created Refuel and Not Almost There to help others.
Episodes
Sunday Jan 10, 2021
Sunday Jan 10, 2021
Today, I’m joined by Chris Gardner. You may know Chris’s story from a movie called the Pursuit of Happiness where Will Smith plays him. It’s an incredible movie (and book) as he went from being a homeless single father to working his way up Wall Street and eventually creating his own firm in 1987.
Chris has since been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Forbes, and many other places.
I met Chris when he was a Keynote speaker at Refuel, a conference I created in which he references.
In this episode, Chris drops his thoughts on what folks can do during the pandemic to double down and take on new challenges "like a boss". As he states, this is the 4th quarter where the players play. I always learn something when I talk to Chris, and this conversation is no exception.
Please enjoy.