Achieving the Impossible? The Erik Weihenmayer Way …
| This is a story of dreams, heroism, grit and determination, and a blind man’s passion to achieve the impossible…. Erik Weihenmayer is that extraordinary mountaineer, skier, author, premier motivational speaker, teacher philosopher and visionary, all in one. He was born on September 23, 1968 and was diagnosed with a rare eye disease at the age of 3 years; and was totally blind at the age of 13. His true to life adventures and achievements since then border on legend and fantasy. He is a man with the daring to dream of impossible conquests when surrounded with nothing but emptiness, darkness, hostility and challenges with the heaviest odds. Erik’s enthusiasm to harness one’s adversity to great advantage and the fortitude with which he struggles to accomplish these dreams without eyesight inspires not only those millions differently disabled; but also many more millions across the world blessed with the functioning of all their faculties to the fullest without any impediment. On May 25th 2001 he became the only blind man ever to conquer the summit of Mount Everest. He created yet another impossible landmark in the timeline of history, when on August 20, 2008, he stood atop the Carstensz Pyramid – the tallest peak in Austral-Asia; thus realizing one of his burning quests to conquer the Seven Summits – the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. In one of his missions impossible, he led a team of 6 Tibetan blind teenagers in 2004 to a mountain peak 21,500 ft. high in the shadow of Mount Everest. Eric has co-authored a few novels with renowned author/researcher Paul Stoltz. Touch the Top of the World and Adversity Advantage are two of his classics where he gives honest and vivid descriptions of his adventures spicing them with humor and fortitude that characterizes him. Among other documentaries and videos put out by him is further than the eye can see – a winner of 20 International Film Festival Awards and Blindsight. Well known for his inspiring motivational speeches, one of his latest was in 2008 at the inauguration ceremony of President Obama. In 2009, he was awarded a PhD in Humane Letters by the Babson College.
Think about his achievements. Is he a leader? What do we learn from Erik? I am certain we could use some of his leadership values in our day-to-day tasks. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnR2dpLnS14[/youtube] |
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