I was not sure what to expect when he walked out on the stage with his dog, took a seat and grabbed the microphone. He was confident, relaxed and articulate. He drew me in and I was captivated by his amazing story, enthusiasm and attitude. How did he accomplish, contribute and experience so much given he had been blind since birth? His parents were told to put him in an institution where he would receive the care he needed. But his parents refused the advice and proceeded to give him a greater gift than his sight. Tom Sullivan was instilled with the belief he could do anything he chose to do and his parents encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Tom says,
“If extraordinary people can do impossible things, isn’t it reasonable to assume that ordinary people can do extraordinary things?”
Tom believes God equipped him with everything he needed to succeed and contribute. He lives by “Sullivan Rules” which can be best summed up with the rule, “Any negative can be turned into a positive.” Tom did not let a limitation most would label as a handicap keep him from dreaming and achieving.
Tom is a speaker, author, screen writer, actor, singer and athlete. Tom has written nine best selling books, appeared as a guest on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 60 times, was a correspondent on “Good Morning America” for five years, nominated for two Emmy Awards, and acted on many high profile TV series including Designing Women, Highway to Heaven, Fame, and M*A*S*H. He was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame, shoots golf in the 80’s, ski’s and has competed in marathons and triathlons. His autobiography, “If You Could See What I Hear” was turned into a major motion picture.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
-Theodore Roosevelt
You can do more, be more and give more. God places dreams on your heart, it is up to you to act upon them. Most of our limitations are self imposed. We focus on what we don’t have instead of what we do have and place boundaries on what we can do instead of doing what we should do. What should you do?
- Do you want to improve your health?
- Do you want to pursue a new career or improve your current career?
- Do you want to mend a relationship?
- What have you put off or set aside pursuing?
- Who needs you to help care for the hungry, homeless and sick?
- What self-imposed limitation have you allowed to hold you back?
You can do more, be more and give more. Tom Sullivan is right! It is reasonable to think ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Just think of the impact you can have by just raising your expectations and taking the next step in that direction.
Coming soon! “14 for 2014, 14 Strategies for Making 2014 Your Breakthrough Year!”