Do you ever wish you could turn back the hands of time? Even for a few hours? I do.
It’s not easy dealing with everyday challenges. But I’ve been learning from a pro in positive thinking. His name is revered in the industry of public speaking – Zig Ziglar. As Zig says, “You cannot tailor-make the situations in life, but you can tailor-make the attitudes to fit those situations.” And he repeats, “You can have everything in life you want, if you help enough people get what they want.” Zig’s lifelong track record of speaking and writing about having a positive attitude has touched countless lives across the world. I heard him speak many years ago at a convention, and was amazed by his energy, enthusiasm and wisdom. In late March 2007, his life instantly changed. He fell down a long flight of stairs in his home, seriously injured his head, and was unable to do the simplest things. Suddenly, Zig was forced to “walk his talk.” It must have been traumatic for everyone around him. But all of Zig’s inner positive programming and his many friends kept his spirit strong.
He just wrote a book, “Embrace The Struggle,” about his story. The summary states, “Amazingly, Zig’s injury actually helped reenergize him as he continues speaking, writing and teaching others about the benefit of living with a positive attitude.” I happened to see Zig on stage this past year at a motivational seminar. He walked up a short flight of stairs, holding onto the rail, with his son by his side. They both sat down on chairs, while the son explained the new type of presentation. “Even though dad sustained a serious head injury,” said his son, “he still wants to keep speaking. My dad says it’s not over till it’s over.” The son continued by explaining that Zig’s presentation would be different than the way he spoke before the accident.
“We’re going to do this as an interview,” said his son, “because my dad has some memory loss.” Afterwards, they would show video clips, a montage of Zig’s past talks. Even with hundreds of people in the audience, the room was perfectly still. Everyone listened raptly. Zig was still Zig… even though he wasn’t pacing across the stage. The wisdom, humor and caring shone through.
Zig still credited his wife as the “cute redhead” who had been his motivation through his life. And when he reflected over each question, you could tell that the answers were deeply imbedded into his soul. His gift for sharing his positive attitude would stay with him forever.
“Make your car into a university,” he urged the crowd. “Spend the time in your car listening to tapes and learning,” said this teacher who was always learning himself.
Afterwards, we gave him a standing ovation. We were clapping for Zig’s spirit. His unstoppable attitude. His faith and determination. I admit that I sometimes want to turn back the clock. I feel concerned about the obstacles. But Zig shows us what’s possible. I can choose to be positive and move forward. Yes, Zig. I can do it.