Move or Die
Have you ever heard of Hugh Glass? If you remember the movie “The Revenant” which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass. He was a fur trapper who was mauled by a bear and was left for dead after his fur trapping “friends” left him near a small stream because they were being hunted by a group of indigenous warriors.
Hugh Glass’s story was even more perilous than the one depicted by DiCaprio. Before being mauled by the bear he, as a youth, had been taken by a group of pirates. He lived with them for a couple of years before jumping overboard with a friend. Later he and his friend were captured by a local indigenous tribe (in modern-day Texas). His friend was tortured to death. Glass was able to show he had more value alive than dead. Eventually he would escape this predicament also.
Glass then became a woodsman, trapper, guide, and hunter. He would join the expedition that was shown in the movie that took him into present North and South Dakota. These invaders were not welcome and ended up fighting the plains tribes. This became the norm of the trip. And then there was the mother bear. And his friends leaving him with no weapons, 200 miles away from any place that would help him (as depicted in the movie).
Glass crawled, stumbled, and fell the entire 200 miles to the nearest fort. During this trip he was hunted by both man and wild animal. None of which could get a hold of him. This is a true Move or Die story.
From his early upbringing to his encounter with the sow bear, he constantly had one foot in the grave and the other was nearly in the hole with him. But each time he seemed to be done, he found a way to push on.
Have you had a Move or Die moment?
That time when you knew if you didn’t keep moving you would physically, mentally, emotionally, or professionally “die”? If you have then you understand what it is to dig deep inside and find the will to force yourself to continue to move along your path, rather than staying stuck, stagnating, and then finally capitulation … death.
I have had my fair share. Some people have said that I am on the seventh of my nine lives. That’s how many times I have been at the threshold of death. But I wasn’t ready. I know there is a reason for me to continue to fight the good fight to bring these ideas to you each week.
I thought my endgame was winning championships. But after I won them, I was still not satisfied. As a motivator I get to do this every day. My wins come through emails, texts, phone calls, letters, and social media posts thanking me for helping them become better and for helping them move down their path.
I use my life’s story and those of others who have persevered through what life can throw at them to become who they want to become. Too many times life scares people off from moving down their path. These people stop and get stuck.
