Column

There’s a man I wish you could meet. I was introduced to him while I was in Mexico City to deliver a speech. He moved me with his story. And he humbled me by his courage. David Mejia was born without ears. Doctors predicted he would suffer from poor hearing throughout his childhood and that he would be unlikely to live a full life. His youth was riddled operations, a great deal of pain, and the hurtful taunts of classmates who made fun of his appearance. But David persevered. Greatness, in so many ways, is determined by whether you persist through failure or let it consume you.

David Mejia has been blessed. With a powerful mind. With a big heart. With a strong spirit. And with wonderful parents who told him on a near-daily basis that if he looked for the best from life, he would find it. They encouraged him to find the opportunity amid his challenges. And so he has. The man I met is a leader. Why?

Because he has taken what life sent him and turned it into gold. He now has prosthetic ears. He’s healthy. He has achieved success in his career. And he is stunningly positive in a world where people who have nothing to complain about spend most of their time complaining about trivialities.

You can curse the darkness, or you can light a candle and show up as a leader. Life is all about how you exercise the choices available to you. And your daily choices stack up to craft your destiny.