It’s the usual Sunday afternoon time when this weekly musing about life makes it way around the globe. But this is no ordinary Sunday. It’s Super Bowl 50, with the Broncos trying to upset the favored Carolina Panthers.
The competition for your attention is formidable, but I sure hope many find time to read a story about perseverance. It recently unfolded in front of my eyes while in Chicago to host a corporate event. As a motivational speaker, author and consultant, it’s my job at these types of gatherings to get the crowd, as College Hall of Fame football coach Bill McCartney would say, “Wired, fired and inspired.”
I did get paid afterward, nobody was throwing rotten tomatoes at your knucklehead scribe and the crowd seemed energized. But it had little to do with my effort. No, the kudos must go to a pretty cool lady, Kim Gottschalk. A senior executive in the staffing world, a friend and an inspiration to many. During the broadcast of the big game from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, announcers will boast of the toughness exemplified by the players, but trust me folks, ain’t none of them any tougher than this dynamo.
The Chicago native set the tone for her company’s 2016 kickoff event by sharing a wonderful testimony to the power of having a purpose in life. It’s just my opinion, but it seems to sure help us persevere, defined as, “to continue steadfastly especially in something difficult.”
The devoted wife and mom about five years ago began experiencing headaches, numbness in extremities and a feeling that things “Were just not right.” Doctors found a large mass, thankfully benign, inside her skull. Surgery removed the mass and began the long process of rehabilitation. A rising star in the staffing world, despite the health difficulties, continued steadfastly in her purpose. Sensitive to light in the early stages of recovery, the energetic leader would even work in the darkness of her office.
Life throws us curveballs all the time. Physical, emotional and financial challenges arise when we least expect it. We wonder, “Why in the heck is this happening to me? The question always becomes, “We will learn from, or become a victim of, the experience?”
This week, let’s take a cue from Kim. Or, a cue from Peyton Manning. In what is probably his final game of a certain Hall of Fame career, the 39-year-old has endured injuries, a demotion and criticism for declining performance. But the Broncos’ quarterback has, despite the difficulties, continued steadfastly in purpose.
Purpose and perseverance. Which comes first? Which is more important? Questions far beyond my pay grade. This much I know, two highly successful people, Gottschalk and Manning exude them in abundance. We’d be wise to emulate!
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