It’s Time to GIVE IT YOUR ALL!

Every time I speak to a new audience, one of the things I enjoy most about the experience is getting to know the people in attendance. It starts when I to talk to the event planners and organizers before I ever set foot – or in my case, wheels – in the venue. I learn about the company or organization’s values, goals and challenges – and what they are striving to accomplish as a team. That’s how I shape the content of every keynote motivational speech, because I have seen in over thirty years that every group is different. Even when speaking to college sports teams, the dynamic changes every season, so I have to tune in specifically to make the most impact.

And once I’m onsite, I also get to spend time with audience members. These are the people at the heart of the organization who are living in two worlds. One of those worlds is the workplace, where they are trying to perfect their craft, to contribute, and to be the very best they can be in support of their colleagues. The other world, of course, is their personal and family life, which is by far the most difficult to manage. Unlike their careers, there are no supervisors, no performance reviews, no coaches, no quotas to be met or safety targets to uphold. Instead, there’s a constant tug of war between our limited time, our personal dreams, the desire to share experiences with friends and loved ones, and so many other forces that nothing is ever cut and dry.

Dreams for a Lifetime

Do you ever wake up and recall some of the dreams from your past? The ones that gave your life a vision and purpose when you were a teenager or college student, when you competed in athletics, when you started working, when you looked in the mirror and thought that you should be healthier or get in your best shape ever, when you started a family, when you thought about starting a business, hobby or changing careers?

We only live this life once, but over the course of that lifetime, we give rise to countless, precious dreams that we give up on, for one reason or another. That’s inevitable, of course…even the most accomplished among us had to make hard choices, to sacrifice this goal for that one – and to dedicate themselves to a goal that would be their true calling, even if that meant that other interests would be left aside.

But this message isn’t for those ultra achievers.

It’s for everyone who is struggling to keep their goals within reach. For those who know that they haven’t unlocked their greatest potential yet. In other words, if you have a desire to improve your life in any way, you still have the power to achieve your dreams with the actions you take on a daily basis. This is true for transforming your body, learning anything, becoming financially independent, helping those in need, mastering a new skill, becoming the best athlete you can be. YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING when you’re willing to achieve high goals that might currently seem impossible. There is greatness within each and every one of us. But in order to crush your most important goals, it takes tremendous sacrifice, dedication, courage and perseverance and a never give up attitude! You have to give it your all!

The first step is to clearly set the goal and commit to its achievement. Lack of knowledge doesn’t hold us back… lack of action does. Everyone knows there’s no shortcut to success. It will take everything you have. But it will be worth it.

You want to change your life? Make the commitment to DO THE HARD WORK. You can learn anything else along the way. And remember that every day in pursuit of your goal, you’ll have 3 choices: Give up, Give in, or Give it your all! When you give it your all, you have to have an attitude that you’re willing to out-sacrifice everyone else. That no one is willing to put forth the efforts and take the pain necessary to reach the goals that you have set to be the very best.

You know the right choice…you always have!

In my earlier life, I never could have dreamed of being a world champion athlete. But then I survived an accident that paralyzed me from the chest down. A thousand doors closed on my dreams in a fraction of a second, but in time I realized that a new set of doors opened up. I didn’t appreciate it at first, and I made mistakes along the way, but I had to forgive myself as part of the journey. But once I realized that my life could be defined by more than my disability, I learned that the deepest part of my soul was not going to give up or give in. I was going to give it my all, no matter what it took, or what I had to overcome along the way. You don’t have to stare death in the face to make that decision, so why not start today?

I’d love to hear about some of my reader’s biggest goals, no matter how big or small. Please leave a comment or share them with me via Facebook or Twitter.

Keep Going for the GOLD! Never Give Up!

Kevin Saunders