6-24-2013
Life is too short to let it pass you by. Live your dreams. This one goes out to Vince Flynn. We lost not only a best-selling author this past week, but a fine individual. Vince passed away after two years battling prostate cancer. Vince Flynn was the best-selling, and I mean best-selling, author who wrote the Mitch Rapp counterterrorism thriller series. He sold more than 15 million books in the United States alone.
What made Vince special in addition to his keen writing ability was the fact that he was following his dreams in his chosen vocation. I had the opportunity to meet Vince at Rush Limbaugh?s wedding three years ago, which was only a few months before his diagnosis. Vince and Lysa, his wife, allowed me to join their group at the wedding. I still remember his infectious smile and attitude in the courtyard of the Breakers Hotel during an after party the night before the wedding.
When I heard that Vince had died at age 47, I went back to that evening three years ago in the courtyard. I was intrigued with Vince since I knew of his writings and best-selling series. Talking to him made me realize that he was fulfilling his dream to be a best-selling author. Have no regrets in this life. Play it to the fullest. When I ran across this saying the other day, I thought of Vince.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling. But in rising every time we fall.
--Confucius
I also thought of someone who started making their dreams happen at an early age. Lou Vito asked me to train the sales team at his radio stations in Bellefontaine, Ohio, back in the late 90s. When I stayed at his house, I noticed his son Louie only wanted to go snowboarding. I wondered, ?Who snowboards in Ohio?? His son did. Louis is now the X Games World Champion in snowboarding. Good work Lou and Louie! I am sure Louie fell down, literally and figuratively, a few times on his way to fulfilling his dreams of being a championship snowboarder. There is no doubt that Lou instilled in his son that passion of always rising each time after a fall while pursuing your dreams.
Sometimes, we meet people who missed the chance to live their dreams. On a plane ride about a month ago, I sat next to an 86-year-old woman who was quite incredible. What a great attitude! As we talked, she shared with me that her husband died one day before he was to retire at 65. His lifelong dream was to retire at age 65. He had just one day to go. He never saw that day. Life is too short.
The moral is to live your dreams in the here and now. Wouldn?t it be great if we could play first then work? Unfortunately, life is not set up that way. We need to learn to enjoy our dreams through our work, too. Have fun and love life while you are in your prime years! If life is not fun, and that includes work, then it might be time to find something else to do.
Here?s to you the infectious spirit of Vince Flynn! Thank you for the memories. You lived your dream!
Sean Luce is the Head International Instructor for the Luce Performance Group and can be reached at sean@luceperformancegroup.com or www.luceperformancegroup.com.
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