Sometimes, when it comes to motivation, it can be a matter of ”easier said than done.“
If you feel this is your truth, you will be pleased to know that all hope is not lost. There are many ways you can attempt to motivate yourself. These are not quick fixes. They do take a degree of thought and focus. (more…)
If you’ve ever heard the phrase “Follow your passion!” and wondered whether you even have one, then you’ve come to the right place. (more…)
Few motivational speakers can connect to healthcare professionals the way Scott Burrows can.
Scott’s experiences with life-changing accidents and working closely with healthcare professionals has given him an understanding of how medical professionals can impact the lives of their patients. (more…)
What inspired me to write this Blog was a Tweet I read after I presented to the Canon Solutions Annual Conference: “We are all ‘dreaming in full color’ with @ScottVMG at #thinkconference2016.”
It’s easier to tone DOWN a Colorful idea than it is to tone UP a Boring one! So, be willing to see complete success in your mind’s eye first. Now, imprint that outcome. Do it so frequently that your Mind can no longer tell the difference between your heavily-etched idea and what is real. In doing so, it becomes your reality, which then becomes your Belief.
This is one of many strategies that I used to help me conquer adversity and ongoing change when I was told by my doctors that I would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life. That happened in 1984 when I was 19 years old after a life-changing automobile accident left me paralyzed from the chest down and diagnosed a quadriplegic. And, it’s one of many strategies that I continue to have in my tool kit that has had a profound impact in both my personal and professional life, and I know it can have the same impact on you if you’re willing to take action!
I detail my success strategies in my Book: Vision-Mindset-Grit.
Vision Mindset Grit : How to Stand Up When Life Paralyzes You (Book and eBook)
On September 27, 2016, I was in New York with my fiancé, Kim, as the Keynote Motivational Speaker for a Fortune 500 Company’s Annual Conference. There were over 1,200 Global Finance Associates and CFOs in attendance. Afterwards, many of the attendees were sending me LinkedIn requests and, as I was accepting them, a blog by Todd Zint,CMP, CMM, founder and creative force behind Ignite Event Solutions, caught me off guard. Todd listed me as 1 of 6 speakers whose messages resonate. It was such a humbling experience that I wanted to share it because in life, if you work hard, Expect the Unexpected!
Todd writes:
Researching and deciding on a session or keynote speaker who can deliver on an intended objective and truly resonate with an audience can be exhausting, if only because of the seemingly endless talent available in the marketplace today. Fortunately, the Internet and speaker bureaus have made it easier to decipher the vast ocean of speaker options and to narrow down choices based on search requirements.
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to observe several speakers — some left me confused about their intended message, some who hit the mark, and some who inspired me to take positive action. The speaker experiences that didn’t hit the mark usually happened because of a lack of due diligence and management of the three key planning pillars. If the pillars are not managed correctly, you could get a less than stellar outcome.
Pillar 1: Know Your Message: The first pillar is the determination of a theme and message that aligns with your conference theme. Normally, you should do this before you select a speaker, though on occasion, decision-makers will have a specific speaker in mind and then build a theme around the speaker’s existing outline.
Pillar 2: Engage Your Audience: The second pillar embraces the thoughtful consideration of the audience interaction. What does your organization want the audience to “know, feel and do” during and after the session based on the speaker’s message.
Pillar 3: Engage the Speaker: The last pillar is the procurement process, which includes researching, calling speaker references, and contracting based on mutual understanding of the message and final concessions.
These three pillars combined will ensure the best opportunity to select the right speaker who will deliver the greatest return on investment and leave audiences engaged.
Todd then includes me in his list of “extraordinary speakers” who he says “epitomize the art of public speaking. They are experts at engaging audiences, and their messages resonate long after the event is over.” Here are the details:
SCOTT BURROWS
Speaker Category: Author, Communications, Motivational, Personal Growth, Sales, Storyteller
“Scott has an amazing story of not letting anyone alter his life’s journey. Scott had his whole life in front of him, including playing college football for Florida State under Bobby Bowden and being a top ranked kick-boxer champion. But his world and dreams were shattered when he was in a critical car accident which left him paralyzed from the chest down. That is when he heard he would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Through his inner perseverance and inspiration from those closest to him, Scott defied the odds and has risen to new heights personally and professionally. Scott has a best-selling book, Vision Mindset Grit, which has inspired audiences to rise up to any challenge in life, work, and the marketplace.”
Lately, as I travel the country speaking to industries and associations, I’ve been encouraging CEOs, top sales producers and frontline employees to Reflect. To Reflect back on how far they have come, on the choices and decisions they have made, both personally and professionally, as well as on the challenges they have overcome. In doing so, I have found that it gives you the inner strength, the grit to continue pushing forward regardless of what challenges you’re facing.
During a long bike ride recently, I started to Reflect on the choices and decisions I’ve made in my life. In doing so, the words Leaders Leading Leaders kept speaking to me. My mind drifted back to 1983, when I was just 18 years old and playing college football as a wide receiver at Florida State University. During that season, I noticed that coach Bobby Bowden led from the bottom up as opposed to the top down. He would encourage frontline players like me to lead on and off the field and challenge each other, day after day, to perform to the best of our abilities. (more…)
In my book, How to Stand Up When Life Paralyzes You I mention that the actress Helen Hunt inspired me with her Mindset. She started acting at age 10 in a weekly TV show and later moved on to movies such as Cast Away with Tom Hanks, What Women Want with Mel Gibson, and Twister with Bill Paxton. At age 35, she won the Oscar for her role as a single mother and waitress grappling with the idea of having Jack Nicholson’s character as her lover in As Good as it Gets. After winning the movie industry’s highest accolade, a reporter asked her, “Now that you have won the Oscar we hear you are receiving a number of different types of movie scripts to choose from. How will you go about choosing the role that best suits you?” Hunt said, “I’ll go with what scares me!” Think about that statement for a moment, now ask yourself this question, “What kind of Mindset do I need to be in to go with what scares me?” From my perspective, you need to be willing to leave your comfort zone, your paralyzed state and flex your risk taking muscle. (more…)
On Nov 3, 1984 my life changed forever. 28-years later, another life has been changed!
April 7, 2013
Barnes & Nobel customer book review: Vision Mindset Grit
Posted by Beep Shoe
Anyone who wants to know what perseverance, grit and plain old fashioned faith and then how to apply it in your life needs to buy, read and more importantly apply the principles that Scott Burrows shares in this book that MUST be read universally. Life throws us all curve balls, but very few have the gumption and determination to STAND UP and hit them out of the park! Scott Burrows has ALWAYS hit the ball out of the park, before and after his injury!
(more…)
Scott,
I was in the audience today at the AOCA conference in Nashville, and I meant to come by and say ‘hello’ but unfortunately did not get the chance. I very much enjoyed – and learned from – what you had to say today. Thank you.
In particular, I couldn’t help but notice how much you talked about your father and, in particular, how emotional it made you when you did. Keep doing that; all this macho man crap has to go away and we have to recognize the good Dads in the world. From what you described I can tell that you picked a good Dad, and I can also infer that you don’t take his continued presence for granted.
My Dad was incredibly inspirational to me too, although I have to admit that I haven’t had anywhere near the level of adversity in my life that you have had. Just the same, his support and guidance continue to help me on a daily basis, even though he passed away 10 years ago. If I can impart even a sliver of what he did for me on my four (4) kids (well, they aren’t kids anymore as they are all in their 20s) then I will say that I have done something very right.
Like you, I love to snow ski, and my favorite place is at Heavenly at South Lake Tahoe. While not as high as what you described in Colorado (the summit is around 10K feet) the views and the terrain are just spectacular. I’m always looking for skiing buddies, so if you are ever interested in skiing in that part of the world please look me up. My only request is that you wear a helmet (too many yahoos on the slopes these days; I noticed you weren’t wearing a helmet in the video you showed us today). Thanks again, (Charlie) Charles E. Ayers President & Chief Executive Officer | CCARHi
I heard Scott speak at a convention. What a compelling story. He gave most of the presentation from his wheelchair but then stood up for the last ten minutes. His book goes into more detail and depth of the challenges and tragedy followed by the lessons that were learned. Each of these lessons can be applied to our daily lives, our families and our businesses. I am impressed with Scott’s determination in the face of overwhelming challenges and his ability to thrive in adverse circumstances. This is an easy to read book and one that deserves a review several times a year to capture the chapter highlights and lessons.
Deanna Connell – April 30, 2013