Here are five things we can learn from them.
James J. Braddock
Lesson: Never, never, never give up.
“I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them.”
In James J. Braddock we learn one of the most – if not the most – important lesson one can learn: never give up. No matter how dark things get, no matter how hopeless the future looks, giving up can never be an option.
Not only did Braddock not give up, he didn’t compromise the man he is. He didn’t cut corners. When other men were leaving their families during The Great Depression, Braddock, a heavyweight boxer, put his family on his back. He swallowed his pride and did everything he needed to do to save his family.
If you haven’t read “Cinderella Man” or watched the movie of the same title, I highly recommend doing so. It’s hard to find a better example of what it means to be a real man than James J. Braddock.
“I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them.”
In James J. Braddock we learn one of the most – if not the most – important lesson one can learn: never give up. No matter how dark things get, no matter how hopeless the future looks, giving up can never be an option.
Not only did Braddock not give up, he didn’t compromise the man he is. He didn’t cut corners. When other men were leaving their families during The Great Depression, Braddock, a heavyweight boxer, put his family on his back. He swallowed his pride and did everything he needed to do to save his family.
If you haven’t read “Cinderella Man” or watched the movie of the same title, I highly recommend doing so. It’s hard to find a better example of what it means to be a real man than James J. Braddock.
Winston Churchill
Lesson: How to be a leader.“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
Where would we be today without Winston Churchill’s unwavering belief in himself and his values? (Most likely we'd be living in a totalitarian state, with our success determined not by our talents or hard work, but by our race and social stature.)
Churchill had a clear understanding of right and wrong. He knew when he was right, and he wouldn’t compromise his beliefs for popularity – a rarity in politics. When the world turned a blind eye to the Nazi’s, Churchill saw an evil man, with evil ambitions and decided to take a stand against him.
He was an original. He was a painter, a soldier, a bricklayer, a politician, an award-winning author. More than anything, he was a leader. He inspired the British people even when the Germans were bombarding London and defeat seemed certain.
Too often we fall in line with what others think. We mold ourselves to become more liked and accepted. Being a leader isn’t about adapting so that more people will like you, it’s about leading the life that coincides with who you are. Churchill was unique and unwavering, two characteristics that helped him lead with courage, while others failed under the immense pressure.
Nelson Mandela
Lesson: Finding light amidst darkness.
We all have lows. We have dark times that seem like they’ll never end. Within this darkness some find light and opportunity, while others only see pain and sadness.
The thing is, we all have the ability to find opportunity where there seems to be none, but only a select few take charge of themselves and do so. Those that do are heroes. Those that don’t live in self-pity.
Nelson Mandela is one of those people who created a great life out of terrible circumstance. It didn’t just happen -- he made it happen.
When he was finally released after 27 years, Mandela became President of South Africa and kept his nation from a bloody civil war. He made his enemy his partner and brought peace to a place that was headed for mass bloodshed.
Optimism isn’t ignoring the bad and only focusing on the good. It’s acknowledging the bad, but refusing to let it dominate you. Mandela had a clear understanding of the hell that he was in, but chose to find ways to become better and move forward, when others around him let their bitterness and hate get the best of them.
His entire nation benefitted from the choices he made.
Warren Buffett
Lesson: Responsibility to human beings other than ourselves.“Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”
It’s human nature to think of ourselves first and foremost. And a lot of times it’s necessary. We need to take care of ourselves before we can turn the focus to others. But who of us actually turns the focus to helping others when we are stable and have what we need?
Warren Buffett is a very, very smart man. He runs his life and his business based on some very simple and logical theories and rules. He’s made billions, and has made others billions as well. And now he’s giving billions.
As one of the world’s richest men, he lives in an average house and gives most of his money to charities around the world. He’s been given a great gift, but he doesn’t simply use that gift to better his own situation; instead he’s turned his focus to helping others.
When we’re dust, who’ll remember the man who had the biggest house? No one. We’ll remember the guy who helped his fellow man live better lives. We’ll remember the person who had the greatest impact on humanity, not on his own wallet.
Buffett’s impact on humanity is – and will be – massive. We may not make the same amount of money as Buffett, but we all have our gifts. It’s great to use those gifts to better our own situation, but a real hero uses those gifts to help others as well.
Abraham Lincoln
Lesson: It’s not where you start, but where you finish that matters most. There’s no substitute for hard work.“Things may come to those who wait… but only the things left by those who hustle.”
Abraham Lincoln had ambition and a will to succeed that is hard to rival. He wasn’t privileged. He wasn’t even formally educated in grade school or high school because his father wouldn’t allow him to attend; rather, he learned to read and write by teaching himself.
He wasn’t born with anything extraordinary besides his need to prove others wrong, and to better himself. It was pure grit, hard work and hustle that turned him into a great man and an American hero.
His impact on society will be felt forever. He finished his life far too prematurely, but will go down as one of the greatest heroes in American history. Not bad for a guy who lived in houses with dirt floors growing up.
It doesn't matter where we start. What matters is where we end up. We might not have the best genetics or the most money; we might not be the smartest, or the funniest. But we all have the ability to hustle. And, as we see in Lincoln, we can all work hard and make something of our lives.
Best,
Marty Ozaeta
Velocity Performance Training
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