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Passing the Torch

Guest post by: Jim Stovall

Article Overview: In 1976, during a routine eye test to enter college, I was diagnosed with a rare disease that would eventually result in my blindness. As a teenager with my whole life ahead of me, the devastation that I experienced was indescribable. Several weeks later, a family friend called and offered to pick me up and take me with him to an event known as a "Positive Thinking Rally." I cared nothing about anything having to do with positive thinking, as I was settling into my own form of depression; but for some reason, I agreed to go.

Passing the Torch

In 1976, during a routine eye test to enter college, I was diagnosed with a rare disease that would eventually result in my blindness. As a teenager with my whole life ahead of me, the devastation that I experienced was indescribable.

Several weeks later, a family friend called and offered to pick me up and take me with him to an event known as a "Positive Thinking Rally." I cared nothing about anything having to do with positive thinking, as I was settling into my own form of depression; but for some reason, I agreed to go.

That day, I heard Paul Harvey, Robert Schuller, Zig Ziglar, Art Linkletter, and Ira Hayes. When the lunch hour approached and my host asked if I wanted to leave for lunch or stay and hear a speaker named Dr. Denis Waitley, I was amazed to hear myself say, "I believe I'll just stay and listen to this guy."

In the midst of an incredible event with some of the greatest speakers of the 20th century, somehow Dr. Waitley reached forty rows back into that arena and lit a fire in me that has never gone out or even dimmed to this day. His words about the psychology of winning encouraged me to explore

the possibilities of my condition instead of the limitations of my pending blindness. We have since formed a close friendship, and he continues to be my mentor to this day.

Dr. Waitley's inspiring message stayed with me, and although I did eventually lose my sight, I also become a national champion Olympic weightlifter, an Emmy Award winner, the president of a television network, one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans, and the national Entrepreneur of the Year.

The message is clear. In our personal and professional lives, we have the opportunity to reach out to hundreds of people every day-with an encouraging word, an act of kindness, or by simply taking a few moments to truly listen and help. We, as professionals, have a responsibility to

positively impact the lives of others not only with our products and services, but by our examples. How much more effective we can be if, from time to time in the midst of our search for excellence, we stop to light a torch and pass it on to another messenger.

Look around you. Then reach out to someone, and make a difference in their lives - and yours.

Today is the day!

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Article Tags: Ira Hayes, Jim Stovall, Paul Harvey, positive thinking, Zig Ziglar



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