Your World Within Podcast by Eddie Pinero - Have you given up too early? Best Motivational Speeches for Perseverance

Episode Date: September 16, 2024

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." — Thomas Edison In this episode, we dive into the powerful idea that success may be closer than you think. How many times have you given up right before a breakthrough? We explore how some of life's greatest accomplishments happen when people push through, unaware of the odds stacked against them. Join us as we discuss the importance of perseverance, the momentum that comes from staying the course, and how your next big win could be just one step away.  Monday Motivation Newsletter: https://www.eddiepinero.com/newsletter Free Ebook: www.eddiepinero.com/ebook  YouTube: www.eddiepinero.com/youtube 

Do you ever wonder how many times you gave up right before you were about to succeed? It's an impossible question because you can't possibly know the answer. There was an anecdote that was said to me once that was many of life's greatest accomplishments were achieved by people too ignorant of the odds to know that they were quote unquote, I just love the concept. And when you sit with it, it's a riveting thought. Like how many times did you stop just short of what maybe wouldn't have brought you to the peak of the mountain but would have created that momentum or, you know, been a slingshot for that trajectory?

There's kind of a funny story with one of my good friends. He's quite a bit older than me, but back in the day in Florida, we were business partners on a few things, still great friends with him. And, you know, there was some overlap in our circle, obviously. And, you know, down the street there was a, like a yoga slash interval training studio.

And we went to that a few times. And he met this girl there who, you know, her and a few other people, sort of became our circle. Like we'd have coffee every once in a while together, all of us. And, you know, he was all about this girl. And I checked with him, by the way. It's okay that I'm telling this story.

But, you know, he would ask her out or allude to, like, you know, grabbing a drink or dinner. And it was like, she just kind of wasn't hearing it, wasn't feeling it. Which is just, you know, that's life in the big city. Sometimes you shoot your shot and it works. Sometimes it doesn't. And, you know, he would, he was persistent. You know, not in a bad way. I know you can easily conflate this to be something bad.

It was in a charming way, right? And I remember being in the car with him and he was talking about her, you know, asking her to go on a trip or something like that that he was going on. And I said, hey, dude, at what point are you going to throw the towel on this? Like, at what point has your ego taken enough of a beating? At what point is your pride, you know, taken so much that you just walk away? And it's one of these moments, I'll never forget. You know, Eddie, she only needs to say yes once.

I laughed and I said, okay, dude. and a few years later they're engaged and probably the happiest couple you know I've ever seen they're always together they're just always laughing they're just they have this beautiful thing and you know

it's the same question like how many times do we stop just short like maybe the time he asked when her plans fell through and it was her favorite restaurant whatever it was, right? And again, I want to be very careful with this

because, like, you know, it can be conflated or blown out of proportion. He's a very respectful human being. But it's just, it is, for me, a perfect metaphor of, like, just stopping way before you've gotten what you've wanted in other areas of life. You know, it's like, I remember John Paul DeGioria talking about, hopefully I didn't butcher's name.

but way back, it was one of the first speeches I ever wrote. You know, when a door closes in your face, it could be the very next door. And so you have to depersonalize failure and keep knocking. And I think I'll speak for myself, like one of the things that you're sort of sheltered from in a lot of, or I was in my old world, where, you know, things were very structured and predictable. when you're sort of out on your own in the wilderness

building something, starting your own business, you know, knocking on doors, reaching out, creating things, seeing what works, you learn that failure is part of the process, that rejection is just, it is an important character in the story. And if you let it define you, it will. Right?

The thing about progress, in a particular endeavor is that life doesn't stop. You choose, right? So I can tell you some projects I've worked on that, man, they just, I thought they would be game-changing. I thought they would be life-altering. I thought they would bring value to millions of people. And look, sometimes they just swing and miss.

And it's very easy to look around and go, Maybe I'm not good enough. Maybe I'm not what I thought I was. Right? The mind will write stories for you if you let it. But it's like, no, this is just a door that was shut in your face. Go knock on the next one. And the funny thing is the thing that takes off or the thing that is perceived well

that does add value oftentimes isn't even much different from the thing that was rejected. It's a slight pivot. It's a slight alteration. Right? And so I say all of this to put in your brain that so many of the things we want in life, we stop short. And I like to think of almost. I like to think of, you know, the best-selling book that was almost written, right? Imagine Jake Haraling picks up the pen and goes, ah, maybe later.

when Michael Jordan famously, you know, cut from his varsity basketball team, people don't talk about the fact that he was a killer on the JV squad for a while, but still he looks around and he goes, and maybe basketball is not my jam. There is that version of success for you in something that you will either say yes or say no to. You can't let outside circumstances dictate that in your. world. You don't want to be a victim of almost because some of the most important, most

powerful things you will ever do live on the other side of almost. They live behind mountains of almost. If you're looking around and you're going, hey, this isn't for me, this isn't what I thought, I've tried, I've dabbled, I'm not really feeling it, that's different. But the world does not get to dictate your story, you do. And this is obviously not in the same narrative is dating. This is like life, right? It's like the world cannot tell you when to stop or what's enough. You decide that. You take in the information, in the pieces, you know, you take all these variables and you decide, right? Don't forget how much power you have there. Don't forget how fragile our egos are and how we're always tempted to stop when things become difficult.

You only need one yes. in many situations. The question is not whether that yes is out there. The question is, are you willing to keep stepping towards it until it arrives? There was a point a handful of years back where I had one of the most important breakthroughs of my lifetime. And I've talked about this with people close to me, family and friends, to clients, business associates. And it seems like there's a commonality amongst all of us. And maybe, depending on the person that happened in a different way, certainly at different times,

but everyone at one point or another comes face to face with the realization that they have a tremendous amount of control over their lives. And it's at that moment, you know, where one becomes empowered. It's like you realize you have the key, to the cell you've been locked in this whole time. And at that moment, one is prompted to ask, well, why not start living like it? You know, there will always be responsibility and sacrifice in life.

But that awareness makes one ask, well, what am I sacrificing for? Where am I going? Am I spending time with people that lift me up? Am I doing things that contribute to a great, greater vision. And perhaps most importantly, am I even living a life that is true to myself? Because I'll tell you something, our time here flies by. Not only will next month, next year, next decade be here before you know it, but it's not even guaranteed. And if one doesn't

take the time to look in the mirror and ask the tough questions, life will keep on ticking. Time will not stop. No one's going to walk up to you and point out the fact that you're just going through the motions here. No, that one's on you. You have to see that this world can become what you decide it will be. That you are presented the tools, but tools require an architect and a creator. Tools require someone in seeing what is not yet there to pick them up, And build. And so maybe this is the time for you to ask, what am I building? Where am I going?

And when my day starts, both feet hit the ground and I walk out the door. What am I moving towards? Maybe today is the day you realize that there are parts of your life that don't need to be there, that you can cut away. People that don't deserve your time, that don't elevate you or contribute to your well-being. Maybe there are places you're going because that's where you've always gone. Things you're doing because that's what you've always done. But you don't need to live life on repeat. If you're not happy about it, how about doing something to change it?

There is nothing in your life that can't be adjusted or all. Just like yesterday is now a story, so is the idea that you are confined to a specific set of parameters. Break down those walls. See things not as they are, but as they can be if you have the courage to walk away from old stories and characters. What if today you created a new ending, one that lights you up in the morning, contributes to your sense of purpose when you close your eyes at night. Again, remember, no one will come up and hand that to you. No one will let you know you're selling yourself short.

That transformation must be internally prompted. And so I hope you'll ask. I hope you'll ask the questions that you've been neglecting for far too long. I hope today can be the first page in an entirely new chapter. A chapter in a story that is truly and entirely yours. I spent some time in Roanoke, Virginia, one of the most beautiful places I've ever lived. It's this little valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

And across the street from where I lived was a park. You can look over in the evening, and you would see hundreds of fireflies flying around. I always thought it was such a cool thing, bringing back to when I was young, when I was a kid, and it was such a thrill in running around trying to chase those things. And seeing this day in and day out let me to think 24, 25 years later

about all the things that have changed in my life. Back then, life was pretty straightforward. You know, as a child, you place your value on what feels right in the present. You're not thinking about two years down the road or wondering what others are going to think. Your creativity and your sense of exploration are running on all cylinders.

Then something happens. We begin to understand the way of things. We see what's valued in society. We see what's expected. We see how success is defined. And so begins our ascent up the ladder. And rung by rung, we climb, looking above us, below us to see where others are, see how fast they've moved in relation to us. And eventually this coincides with how we see ourselves.

And as you know, how you see yourself is the best indicator of what you will become. Which is why when so many people aren't happy with their day-to-day, that's a huge red flag. That's breathing, that's not living. Folks have been climbing this ladder their entire lives. It never stopped to ask if it's where they were meant to be. Maybe the top of the community ladder isn't what you want. But you never thought you only acted. And if you don't think, if you don't ask yourself the question,

you will climb and you will climb and you will climb until you burn out. I try and spend a few minutes every day thinking about this. It's the most important thing I can spend time on. It's my life. It's more important than green paper. It means more than the opinions of others. It's the backbone of everything.

Everything around me and the meaning I give it stems from how I identify myself who I am. Which brings me back to those fireflies. to running around on a hot summer evening, not having a care in the world. There is something intrinsically perfect about those moments. Life is about peak experiences, joy, excitement, so that you never lose that spark

because it's all that separates us from every other being on the planet. If we don't have that, what do we have? What separates us from ants moving dirt? Monotonous action based on instinct. There's just no thrill in that. Why not create a life that allows you to feel that excitement every day? Don't act because you're supposed to.

Act because you so desperately want to that there's no other option. Because you couldn't live without the adventure. You couldn't pass on the experience. Here's a secret. If you become fixated on a life that means nothing to you, at some point you will probably get to the top. And from there, you will have a beautiful view of everything you missed out on. So maybe there is something to the whole chasing firefly routine. Maybe a four-year-old running after a glowing bug with a jar deserves more credit than he's given.

The road to this moment wasn't an easy one. There were times where you thought you knew, but simply didn't. There were plans made that drastically differed from the one's fate had prepared. There were days that made you question yourself, your beliefs, that made you ask, what is my purpose? Look, to live is to have felt these things, asked these questions, to have seen first-hand the discrepancy between what we draw up and how life unfold. Now, I think about this discrepancy often.

The swings and misses, they hurt. You know, that quick shiver you feel down your spine when thinking about the wrong turns made. the tugging at your heartstrings when reflecting back on things said or perhaps worse left unsaid. It's easy to get lost in that feedback loop, letting the past dictate the present, letting yesterday define today. But here's what I've come to see as the truth. To experience the things that make life beautiful. We have to be vulnerable in a way we are. otherwise would open ourselves up to an unknown that, you know, we could have skipped

altogether if we really wanted to. All that pain, all that hurt the past provided could very easily be the reason you shut down, the reason you play small. That hell you walked through could be your justification for never stepping out into the chaos of life again. That would at first glance appear to make sense. Seem ideal, even. But that pain could also be the reason you look around you and say, after all that, after experiencing everything life through with me, I'm still here.

And as I stand here now, I'm looking out at an array of possibility that is infinite. I'm equipped with an understanding and a worldview that was once foreign to me. I'm armed with the perspective that has changed my life for the better. By stepping out into the often dangerous, brutal, unforgiving world, I have elevated myself. And that has made all the difference. And while it may feel intuitive, to run from a reiteration of yesterday's pain, it's wisdom that urges us to instead use that pain as a multiplier. The key to something more.

Something miraculous. Not to cower because we once endured it, but to stand tall because we overcame it. And that's what we often miss. We can think back to the adversity, sure, but we're often unable to see how that adversity shaped us. Our own strength, it's never going to scream out at us. It's never going to let us know it's there. We have to take the time to acknowledge its presence. We have to peer over our shoulders to see how far we've traveled.

We'll always have obstacles before us. that if we don't stop and assess, we won't see that the obstacles have gotten bigger. Not because life's gotten harder, but because our own evolution has permitted us to step into bigger arenas. It has equipped us to take on larger adversaries. A simple willingness to be vulnerable

has become the flame that lives, up your soul. So the question is will you step out? Will you see that vulnerability not as a crack in the foundation or a chink in the armor but as strength to love? It requires accepting a susceptibility to being hurt. To play the game requires an acceptance that you just might come up short. To bet on yourself means understanding that you might fall right on your face. To want more than you have now means acknowledging that you might be humbled along the way. This is what it means to live, giving a peace of yourself in order to acquire that which means

the most. The torturous often counterintuitive willingness to step out into the darkness of night when your heart races and your mind moves a million miles a minute, that's vulnerable. That is power. And it's an investment in a tomorrow that otherwise would not have been available to you. You are not your past. You are the wisdom derived from its lessons. The courage removed from its trials. And the hurt That hurt that was perhaps at one point the only thing you felt. It's not your reason to shrink into yourself.

It's your reason to step back out. To say to the universe, I have the strength to again dance with the unknown. To risk the short-term discomforts that life often hands out like candy in exchange for the chance years from now to look at your reflection and say I got back up. I did the hard thing. I followed my heart. I wandered into that darkness to obtain the wondrous reality that is for a time concealed. I did that.

So love again. Grow again. Try again. again, believe again, see again, feel again, step out into the world again, this is who you are underneath the fear and insecurity, underneath all those reasons to not go. There lives the beginning of the miracle that is life. And it won't be easy. The timing will never feel perfect, but the question will always exist.

It will always exist within an arm's reach of where you stand. Can you be that vulnerable? Can you be that courageous? And not just when things are going well, but amidst the turmoil, the chaos, the self-doubt. When your memory only wants to play highlight reels of where things went wrong, where you swung and missed, will you choose to see those moments not as the chains that confine you, but as the strength that elevate you? Will you be vulnerable enough to give away some of you in order to expand and transform all of you?