The Most Important Lesson
No matter what obstacles life inevitably throws in your way, the most important lesson to respect is that of
perseverance. Do everything in your power to incorporate this into your life and…
– Never stop running down your dreams.
– Never stop giving everything you’ve got.
– Never stop growing as a human being.
– Never stop creating.
– Never stop nurturing relationships.
– Never stop loving.
– ALWAYS make the most vivid memories possible
When it is all said and done those who fail to achieve their goals will only have themselves to blame…Unlocking your true potential is far easier than you might think. It takes the right kind of motivation…
Persevering in the Face of Odds
Mark Black was born with a life-threatening heart defect. Undergoing two open-heart surgeries before his first birthday, he battled his condition valiantly and adjusted to every last one of its limitations for the first 22 years of his life. Then at 23 Mark was faced with the biggest challenge of his life.
Informed by his doctor that his heart was failing badly, and that without a rare and incredibly dangerous heart and double-lung transplant it wasn’t likely that he’d live to see his 25th birthday, Mark chose to persevere in the face of life-threatening odds.
In October of 2001 he moved thousands of kilometers from home and was put on a transplant waiting list. Four months later his condition worsened severely and was admitted into the hospital and monitored 24 hours a day. For six months Mark lived in his tiny hospital room. Any one of those days could’ve been his last.
But throughout those dire straits he refused to give-up hope. His resolve never faltered—not once. On September 7, 2002, after almost an entire year on the donor list, Mark Black was given a second chance at life. A suitable match had been found and he received the perilous heart and double-lung transplant that saved his life.
Forging Adversity into a Competitive Advantage
His inspiring story sheds a dazzling and powerful light on not only how to cope with adversity, but how to turn it into the fuel which drives your journey toward self-actualization. Mark never once wasted a single moment.
Today Mark Black is a motivational speaker, author, and success coach. Nicknamed “The Adversity Advisor,” Mark took every last ounce of adversity he ever faced and forged all of it into his own competitive advantage. He works with cutting-edge companies and associations across the financial services, insurance industries, healthcare and educational fields, his powerful words and inspiring vision help people break through their preconceived notions of self-limitation.
Having inspired nearly 70,000 people across North America with his unique story and powerful life lessons, his audience members learn how to live a full life that resonates with passionate purpose. He is truly a remarkable man who has even pushed himself so far as to have completed four different marathons.
Today he lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, where he spends as much time as possible with his wife and their children.
Mark’s every waking breath is a testament to the power of courage, fortitude, the human spirit, and most importantly… perseverance.
Unlikely Places & Perilous Circumstances
Oftentimes spiritual gifts are found in the most unlikely of places and can be brought out by the most perilous of circumstances. It’s difficult to say what Mark’s life would’ve been like had he not come so close to death at such a young age. The TRUTH is that all that he endured during those difficult days brought out of him a thirst for life which most people never fully realize…before it’s too late.
All the adversity that one will inevitably face in this world must in no way crush your resolve. Change and challenging times need not pose a threat to your existence, but they must be adapted to and / or dealt with in new and creative ways.
Mark Black was able to put his catastrophic problems into perspective in order to move forward with his life…and you can and must do the same.
Finally, the zest in life comes from continuing to create a compelling future for ourselves. We have been told that it’s not the destination, but the journey. Absent taking deliberate steps to design our life – we have a default future. By that I mean our past and current patterns, along with our daily activities, are a great predictor of what our future will bring forward.
We all have gifts inside of us waiting to be opened. No matter how we seek to dull it or avoid it, there is a dream knocking on our hearts. If Mark Black can live each day with the uncertainty of life and what his day will bring, we surely can push past our own challenges to the life we once only dreamed of.
And as it comes to futures, Mark has new books in the works along with a media empire to be built. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, he is also setting his sights on completing his first Ironman Triathlon.
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James K. McPartland ‘Mac’ – Chief Inspiration Officer of “The JMac Performance Group”, McPartland is an architect of transformational change. Working with CEO’s, Executives, Corporate Teams and Professional Athletes, he helps produce a lasting shift in behavior that leads to powerful and fulfilling life results. Visit him at www.jamesmcpartland.com
-what was your biggest takeaway from the ideas shared in the above article? Share your feedback in the comments below.
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