There’s a man I wish you could
meet. I was introduced to him while I was in Mexico city to deliver a speech to
business and social leaders. He moved me with his story. And he humbled me by
his courage.
David Mejia was born without
ears. Doctors predicted he would suffer from poor hearing throughout his
childhood and that he would be unlikely to live a full adult life. His youth
was riddled with operation after operation, a great deal of pain, and the
hurtful taunts of classmates who made fun of his appearance. But David
preserved. Greatness, in so many ways is determined by whether you persist
through failure or let it consume you. David dreamed. He worked hard. And he
believed. Because he know he was meant to do extraordinary things.
David has been blessed. With a
powerful mind. With a big heart. With a strong spirit. And with wonderful
parents, who told him on a near-daily basis that if he looked for the best from
the life, he would find it. They encouraged him never to play victim. Told him
to find the opportunity amid his challenges. And so he has. Masterfully.
The man I met in Mexico City is
a leader. A hero. And inspiration. Why? Because he has taken what life sent him
and turned what most of us would spend our days crying about into gold. He now
has prosthetic ears. He’s healthy and remarkably vital. He has achieved superb
success in his career. He has found great love and joy. He has more friends
than most people I know (far more than me). And he is stunningly positive in a
world where people who have nothing to complain about spend most of their time
complaining about trivialities.
You can curse the darkness, or
you can light a candle and show up as a leader. Life is all about how you can
exercise the choices available to you. And your daily choices stack up to craft
your destiny. Day by day. Week by week. Month by month. Year by year. David
knows how to make the choices that will raise him to his own personal
mountaintop. So do you.
“You can curse the darkness, or you can light a candle
and show up as a leader”
(these are not my thoughts J
and are copied from Robin’s book)
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