407. Life Crisis Stokes His Drive for Greatness

At age 19, something clicked when Rob signed on with Cutco Cutlery Corporation selling knives door-to-door. “It’s one of the hardest jobs you could possibly have, but the people who succeed at it end up being extremely successful. You have to work really hard for your paycheck! Cutco is very big on personal growth, so for six years while I was with the company I was in a bubble of personal growth, pushing myself to get better and better.  When I left, at 22 or 23, I had personally trained over 2,000 sales reps in the company. It was a fast-track to growing up and learning skills for life.” It was there he learned about his passion for teaching and coaching.

When Rob was 15, his father died. It was the first time someone close to him had died, and it drove home his own immortality. “I have a very deep feeling—no fear at all—a kind of drive because of that. My father’s death was the worst thing that ever happened to me, but it was also the best thing. For the past 15 years, I’ve been driven to make something of my life. There was no money for a psychologist, so I focused on fixing whatever problems were already there, figuring out how to get past them.  That’s why I’m so passionate about helping other people, so they don’t have to take 10 or 15 years like I did.”

Even in his teens, working at PetSmart or delivering pizza, Ron knew he had a greatness inside. He just didn’t know how to bring it out. “Today, when my alarm goes off at 6 a.m., and I want to go back to sleep, I repeat to myself, with every step to the bathroom to turn off the alarm, ‘Demand greatness! Demand greatness!’ You don’t have to know what you’re going to be passionate about at some future point. You just have to know what you are passionate about right now.”

1.Never stop learning. Start each day with uplifting messages and persona development.

2. Invest the time to discover what you truly want to do with your life, and reassess it often.

3. Write it down! With pen and paper, not online; journal daily and write your goals.

4. Look for ways to share your knowledge and experience with others.

The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human, by Steven Kotler

Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World, by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler

Think and Grow Rich: The Landmark Bestseller – Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century, by Napoleon Hill, with Arthur R. Pell 

YouTube.com – Rob uses this more than Google, often searching for, “how-to” videos and inspiration, self-help and personal growth videos.