Redefine Impossible
While James is an astonishing athlete, sport is really not what he talks about. He is a master of mindset, focus, and of managing self-doubt. This is what he teaches.
James talks about the incredible power of hope and teamwork. He speaks about accountability, both to yourself and to your team. He shows his audience how to remove excuses from their own lives in order to unlock more ability.
In one of the most moving sections of Redefine Impossible, James reflects on his time with Dayton Hayward, a boy with Cerebral Palsy who loved to feel the wind in his face. James teamed up with Dayton and pulled, pushed, and carried him through an entire Ironman race. During that race, despite the increased physical demands, James gained a deeper understanding of perspective and privilege. As James shares in his presentation, “I remember looking at him many times that day, thinking Dayton can’t swim, he can’t bike, he can’t run… but I get to swim today, I get to ride today, I get to run today. Despite the pain, all of that is a privilege.”
Whether speaking to a room full of C-suite leaders, an international sales team, a finely tuned military group, or any one of countless professional sports teams, James’ expertise is in teaching people to change how they think in order to remove self-imposed limits.
Takeaways Include:
- Aim Higher – You’ve been told your entire life what is and is not possible. To achieve greatness, you must redefine boundaries and set your sights higher.
- Set Milestones – You can’t reach greatness overnight. Short-term wins and reaching milestones are key to reaching higher.
- Do the Small Things Right – The key to long-term success is to do the small things right over a long period of time.
- Overcome Personal Limitations – Our minds will tell us we can’t far before we actually reach our true limitations.
- Overcome your Fear – Uncharted waters can be a scary place. To reach new heights you must be able to push through fear and doubts.
