Gunpoint Motivation

A fanatic is one who sticks to his guns whether they are loaded or not – Franklin P. Jones, American Businessman, 1887-1929.

Loved Ones At Gunpoint

What if somebody captured a loved one of yours and threatened to kill them if you did not do what they told you to do? Your children, wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister or even your best friend? Would you do it? I’ll make it easy to answer a “yes”…what if all they wanted you to do was something simple and harmless. Well of course you would take action to protect your loved one.

This week I had the opportunity to listen to a Jui Jitsui “Master” talk about his business and his life. This guy was dynamic as he paced the floor like a panther. He told it just like it was and put the gunpoint scenario out there for all of us to consider how successful we could be if we could only adopt that attitude.

911

Well before you criticize that as being overly dramatic, stay with the story for a bit longer. This Master then played an actual 911 call that his wife placed while she was locked in her bathroom. Her frantic voice was describing a real live house invasion…her own. She was begging for help to arrive.

That night she happened to have a full house with her husband asleep on the couch and one of his mixed martial arts top contenders in another room sleeping…and their kids. So maybe you’re now sitting on the edge of your seat as you can feel the adrenaline pumping…what would you do?

Not The Classroom

Well the Master first thought he was dreaming and rolled back over, only to shortly thereafter realize that this was no dream nor was it a classroom teaching about what to do in a situation like this. Staying calm he tried to help the two gunmen understand that he was not a drug dealer and had a family.

So there it was, staring down a loaded gun barrel. His life literally flashing before him as he thought of all the people in his life…but that’s when it kicked in. The years of training. If you can get close enough to your adversary you have a chance. He knew that he could not submit to their commands and leave his destiny in their hands, so he made his move….

Milky Way

At the beginning of this week I watched a program about the universe. I’m not so sure I had given it much thought before. It was the coolest journey as the voice of Alec Baldwin carried me through the solar system and out to the furthest corners of the Milky Way. There were crazy things like the temperature of Venus at over 9,000 degrees. The discovery that the ring around Jupiter is possibly the remnants of a moon shattered by the planet’s gravitational pull.

Black Holes

It got even cooler as they talked about stars that had destructed to form novas with densities so high that even a few teaspoons of it would weigh several tons! Or how about the black holes where the gravitational pull is so strong that not even light can escape.

Did you know we actually have satellites that carry directions to our planet inscribed in gold with a variety of languages broadcasting a welcome message to any possible life forms? Absolutely, a mind blowing experience that put everything in perspective.

Cut The Rope

Oh…that’s right…what about the Master? Well in that moment he took action. He stopped thinking and made his move. He disarmed one of the assailants, and that’s where he dropped the story. What about the other guy, I was screaming in my mind. How did it all end? Well you see, the true humility of a real Master was on display as he switched gears to make us all realize that we all have to stop making excuses and just take action. If you don’t know how to do something just ask for help. Anything else is just noise holding you back and as the Master said, just cut the rope!

With this as his backdrop, not only the Master, but also his wife has become two very successful entrepreneurs attacking any and all opportunities that come their way. They are starting new businesses and new opportunities faster than most people can dream them up! But you must understand that he started from scratch. Zero. Nothing.

The Real Deal

His advice to all of us was to do something. Anything. But the kiss of death was to do nothing at all and retreat to the status quo. As time goes on, the Master takes his bumps and bruises like all of us but he gets back up and keeps coming. A fighter will always tell you that the toughest opponent is the one that never quits. Well I just met one of those guys and wanted you to know his story to help grow your own!

This is dedicated to you Master Lloyd Irvin! You’re the real deal!