A Commencement Speech.....of sorts

Blind Adventurer PHIL TEMPLET: Finding fulfillment in the face of adversity

PHIL TEMPLET was born completely blind, regained vision in one eye shortly after birth, and then later lost all vision when he turned 40. Despite being completely blind, Phil has been a successful hospital administrator, appointed by the Governor to sit on various committees, and lived a life full of adventure. From skydiving to snow skiing and turkey hunting to officiating weddings , Phil is pretty much up for any challenge that comes his way. In this conversation Phil shares his insights and experiences that has helped him create a life of fulfillment even in the face of extreme adversity. Phil is one of my dearest friends and has been a true guiding force in my life. Join us in this inspiring conversation with Blind Adventurer, Phil Templet.   Show Notes: :15 Intro 3:42 Overview of Affiliated Blind of Louisiana 4:31 Assistive technology for the blind 6:41 Born with congenital glaucoma 9:10 Gains vision in right eye 10:21 What Phil actually sees 10:48 "I was going to go blind" 12:15 First spike in loss of vision 12:35 First cornea transplant 13:22 Thought process of preparing for blindness 14:10 Light and recorded memory in the brain 15:42 Eyes surgically removed 16:21 Fun with removable eyes 19:40 Why the need for prosthesis 25:25 "There's nothing to be sorry for" 26:30 Everyone else accepts his blindness 28:06 Difference between hope and finale 28:41 At peace with blindness 30:12 Not being held back 32:58 "…going blind was not that big a deal…" 34:23 Guiding belief: I am alive 34:42 Being grateful for life 36:26 Trying to give back 37:40 Not allowing one event to define you 38:24 Trying out new things 38:47 Running, skydiving, turkey hunting, hiking in the Himalayas, skiing 40:01 Gratitude from tragedy 45:40 Future adventures 48:41 Half marathon training 50:20 Advice for those experiencing vision loss

Creating a Life of Awesome with Disney Animator SAUL BLINKOFF

SAUL BLINKOFF is a Hollywood filmmaker who has worked for many high profile clients including; DISNEY, DREAMWORKS and NETFLIX. He was a Disney Animator on iconic Disney films like Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan and Tarzan and has directed movies such as Winnie the Pooh and Kronk's New Groove, as well as the hit tv show Doc McStuffins. Saul has had an amazing career in Hollywood, and over the past several years has also become a keynote speaker and host of the highly inspirational podcast LIFE OF AWESOME.  Besides animating and directing new projects Saul is on a mission to inspire others by sharing practical tools for finding success, meaning, and fulfillment in ALL aspects of Life. Whether you are big fan of movies or just interested in creating an awesome life…..I think you're really going to enjoy this conversation. Saul's website: saulblinkoff.com Instagram: @saul.blinkoff

Matt Eicheldinger - The incredible 15 year long journey to becoming a bestselling author

The journey to bring a dream to reality is often filled with lots of ups and downs and all sorts of unexpected challenges along the way. New York Times Bestselling author, Matt Eicheldinger shares his incredible 15 year long journey of coming up with the idea for a book...getting it published....and ultimately landing a multi-book deal.  Matt talks about going all in, the power of kindness, taking risks, and telling stories on social media (which have gotten more than 70 million views).   If you've ever thought of writing a book...Matt will walk you through all the steps he took...from self publishing...to landing an agent....and everything in-between. Matt shares some awesome nuggets of wisdom and life perspectives in a conversation that highlights the importance of pursuing big dreams...and telling some great stories along the way.   TikTok: @matteicheldinger Instagram: @matteicheldinger Show Notes: 1:42 Intro 3:51 From conception of a book to New York Times Bestseller 12:17 Writing query letters and trying to get an agent 20:02 Support from family and asking the right questions 24:05 Kickstarter and self-publishing 34:07 Power of kindness 36:05 Finally getting representation 37:50 Selling the book 39:05 Working with an editor 41:52 Expectations of the big pay day 42:33 Life changes and going all in 44:46 Taking a risk and helping others 47:24 Telling stories on Instagram 54:00 Sticky Notes - the book 56:07 Showing humanity through the lens of a child 57:48 Four more books coming out over the next year 1:03:28 Buying books and helping authors

Conversation with U.S. Paralympian Hagan Landry

Amazing conversation with U.S. Paralympian Hagan Landry.  We discuss winning the Silver Medal at the 2021 Paralympics, setting the American Record in the shotput, as well as all of the highs and lows of forging an incredible 10 year career as a Paralympian.   From small town Louisiana roots, Hagan has used his grit and determination to travel all over the world and compete at the highest level.  His story is one of resiliance and persistence in the face of countless setbacks.  Hagan is a world class athlete looking to compete in the 2024 Paris Paralympics while also using his knowledge and experience to help coach the next class of future Olympians and Paralympians.   Follow Hagan on Instagram: @hagan_landry

A Commencement Speech.....of sorts

It's graduation season....and one of my favorite things are commencement speeches. On this episode Rich attempts to give a commencement speech....of sorts.....not necessarily offering up life advice but just proposing 2 little ideas.   If you like commencement speeches as much as I do......you might want to check these out..... Tom Hanks at Yale in 2011:   https://youtu.be/baIlinqoExQ?si=S1gn0pb5AihJ3TfD [https://youtu.be/baIlinqoExQ?si=S1gn0pb5AihJ3TfD] David Foster Wallace's "This is Water": https://youtu.be/DCbGM4mqEVw?si=dwLmYSwwUVs62FJq [https://youtu.be/DCbGM4mqEVw?si=dwLmYSwwUVs62FJq] Charlie Day's speech at Merrimack College: https://youtu.be/IulvPqb1Eus?si=wvDJAV0FdpyFEd6i [https://youtu.be/IulvPqb1Eus?si=wvDJAV0FdpyFEd6i] Conan O'Brien at Dartmouth: https://youtu.be/KmDYXaaT9sA?si=oG5_CSbPPVMd8crO [https://youtu.be/KmDYXaaT9sA?si=oG5_CSbPPVMd8crO] Neil Gaiman at University of the Arts: https://youtu.be/ikAb-NYkseI?si=0CAlYCVO-MvFIisg [https://youtu.be/ikAb-NYkseI?si=0CAlYCVO-MvFIisg]