It’s not a joke.
The only parts of my body I can move are my eyes and lips. My hands, feet, arms, and legs, are almost totally paralyzed, managing the occasional twitch and nothing more.
And yet… I have an amazing life.
Using speech recognition technology, I’ve written articles read by more than 5 million people. I’ve also built several online magazines that have, shockingly, made me a millionaire.
“This can’t be real,” you say. “You did all this, and you can’t freaking move?”
Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true. I do it all from home, sitting in my wheelchair, speaking into a microphone.
I’ve traveled a good bit too. I’ve lived in San Diego, Miami, Austin, and even Mazatlan, Mexico. Here’s a photo of me living the good life south of the border:
I look totally miserable, don’t I? Poor baby. 🙂
Not to imply it’s been easy, mind you. During my 34 years, I’ve had pneumonia 16 times, recovered from more than 50 broken bones, and spent literally years of my life in hospitals and doctor’s offices.
But I’m still here. Not only have I survived my condition, but I’ve built a life most people only dream about.
And starting today, I want to talk about how.
Over the coming months and years, I have a great deal to share with you, but I thought we would begin with the biggest lessons I’ve learned, lessons I’ve paid for in blood and tears, lessons that have saved my life, over and over and over again. Let’s begin.
Sidenote: Once you’re done reading these, be sure to check out 33 Books That Helped Me Become a Millionaire from My Wheelchair. Lots of great wisdom there.
Lesson #1: If You Can’t Win the Game, Change the Rules
About a decade ago, I was totally dependent on Medicaid, the U.S. government-run health insurance, to pay about $120,000 per year in medical bills. On the one hand, I was immensely grateful, because without it, I would’ve certainly died, but I was also trapped by their benevolence.
You see, Medicaid has income limits. If I made more than $700 per month, I would lose all medical coverage. Doctors, caregivers, medications, everything.
It was basically an ironclad contract preventing me from ever getting a regular job. I had a college degree, plenty of ambition, and even a few job offers, but I couldn’t accept any of them, because the government wouldn’t let me.
It seemed like a hopeless situation. If I got a job, I would lose my health insurance. If I didn’t get a job, I’d be forced to live in poverty forever. There was no way to win the game.
So, I changed the rules.
One of the job offers I received was from a small online magazine named Copyblogger, but instead of accepting it, here’s what I told them: “I’ll work for you for free. Don’t pay me anything. The only catch is, sometime in the future, I’m going to ask you for some favors, and if I do good work for you, I’d really appreciate your help.” They agreed, so I spent the next two years working 40-80 hours per week, mostly free of charge, although they did find ways to throw a few dollars my way every now and again.
During that time, I explored moving to Mexico. By moving there, I could reduce my health expenses from $120,000 to $18,000 per year. $102,000 in savings!
Eventually, I pulled the trigger. I called my boss and said, “Remember how I said I would ask for favors one day? Well, it’s time. I’m starting a consulting practice, and I’d love some help getting clients.” The next day, he allowed me to reach out to about 50,000 readers, and I filled my entire client roster within 24 hours.
Then I moved to Mexico, abandoning the U.S. healthcare system entirely. Within 30 days, I was making more than $10,000 a month, living in a beachfront condo, and paying for all my own health care expenses.
How?
By not playing the government’s game. Instead, I created a different game, a game that worked by my rules, a game I could win.
“But Jon,” you say. “You don’t understand. My situation is hopeless.”
Bullshit. The options available to you right now may be hopeless, but you can always create new ones. It’s not easy, but if you’re strong enough, you can turn any situation to your advantage. The key is to develop that strength in advance. Here’s how:
Lesson #2: Pain is Power
At some point or another, life punches everyone in the face.
The punch may be hard, or it may be soft, but it’s definitely coming, and your success or failure is largely determined by the answer to a single question: how well can you take the punch?
Do you roll around on the ground, weeping and moaning? Do you rock back on your heels but then keep going? Or have you been punched so many times already you don’t even notice?
Personally, I’m a living example of the last one. If you want to know what it’s like to live with a severe disability, just imagine that every morning six big guys sneak into your room and beat the hell out of you. Most days, the beating isn’t so bad, and you can limp through your day. Every now and again though, they keep punching and kicking you until you’re bleeding and broken, lose consciousness, and wake up in the hospital breathing through a tube.
That’s the best way I know to describe my life. Since the day I was born, muscular dystrophy has given me a daily beating.
The upside?
It’s made me incredibly strong. I can take any punch life throws at me without even breaking stride.
Lost $100,000 on a business deal? No biggie. Key employee quits? Yawn. Getting audited by the IRS? Wake me up when something important happens. Next to fusing my spinal vertebrae together, shattering my legs, or nearly drowning in my own mucus, none of it is honestly that big of a deal.
This, my friends, is the advantage of pain. The more you experience, the more you can handle in the future, and the less it knocks you off your game.
The way you respond to that pain is another matter, which we’ll talk about in a moment. For now, the point I want to make is this: if you feel depressed and weak, unable to cope with the difficulties of life, it’s not because you are a flawed human being. It’s because you were unprepared for the pain you are experiencing. The problem, ironically, is that you haven’t suffered enough.
The opposite is also true. If you want to become a stronger and more capable person, the smartest thing you can do is systematically (and safely) increase your pain tolerance.
For example, Tim Ferriss recommends lying down in the middle of a crowded public place like a supermarket or a coffee shop. You’ll feel like a fool, but the experience will condition you to deal with embarrassment and discomfort in the future.
The bottom line?
The degree of success you achieve in life is directly proportional to the amount of pain you can tolerate. If you ever want to accomplish big things like building a successful business, becoming the best in your field, or changing the world in some way, you need to start training yourself to endure the pain all those things require. It’ll also prepare you for the next time life punches you in the face, which is inevitable.
The only caveat is you have to keep the right mindset. If you respond to pain the wrong way, it makes you weaker, not stronger. Let’s talk about how to make sure that doesn’t happen…
Lesson #3: The Secret to Survival
In 2006, a teenager who we’ll call Bill was late to work at Wendy’s. Worried that his boss was going to fire him, he decided to floor it, driving through the city at 85 miles per hour, weaving in and out of traffic, running red lights, and squealing around corners. At first, everything went fine, but then something happened…
He plowed into my minivan going through an intersection. He was going so fast that it nearly ripped the entire front end of the van off, spinning me like a top in the street. My head went through the window, knocking me out, and when I woke up, I was stuffed underneath the dashboard, my 300 pound wheelchair lying on top of me, blood squirting out of my head, my legs shattered from my toes to my hips.
I spent the next month in the hospital. The bill was about $130,000, and not surprisingly, I discovered good ol’ Bill had crappy insurance, paying out a maximum of $20,000 for the accident. To top it off, doctors predicted it would take an entire year to recover enough to work or go back to school.
In other words, I was fucked.
As if it wasn’t enough that I was already dealing with Medicaid, poverty, and muscular dystrophy. Life decided to pile on a little extra, just to see how much I could take.
And honestly? It was a miracle I didn’t crack.
How easy would it have been to sink into despair? Or rage against the unfairness? Or maybe even take a little bit too much morphine one day and end it all?
But I didn’t. Mostly, I was able to handle it because I’d been conditioned by all the other difficulties of my life, but it was also because I deliberately shifted my perspective.
The people who struggle most are the ones who can’t accept the incessant unfairness of life. They become so consumed with what should have happened, the way other people should have behaved that they become incapable of dealing with reality.
If I allowed myself to be angry at Bill for even one moment, I may have sunk into a pit of rage and despair so deep I would’ve never climbed out of it. Instead, I forced myself to say, “Okay, this is my life now. What’s next?” After all, I couldn’t change what happened. The only thing I had control over was how I responded to that change, and the first and most critical response was total and complete acceptance.
A lot of people view acceptance as weakness. They think that, if they accept what’s happened to them, they’ll be admitting defeat.
But it’s the opposite. It’s only by acknowledging reality that you can create a plan to change that reality. Acceptance, as it turns out, is the first step to victory.
Following the accident, I hired an attorney who fought the insurance companies, the hospital, everyone. It took months, but he eventually settled my medical bills and gave me enough money to purchase a new car, totally debt-free. Meanwhile, I focused on my rehab, completing it in six months instead of the year doctors predicted, and I resumed my life even healthier than I was before the accident.
The point?
We’ve all heard the cliché about turning lemons into lemonade, but to do that, you can’t be pissed off at the lemons, go into denial about the existence of the lemons, or get depressed because you’re tired of making lemonade. You just have to grab a lemon and squeeze the shit out of the motherfucker.
Or better yet, just discard the lemons-to-lemonade metaphor entirely. Here’s a much better way to think about it:
Lesson #4: The Art of the Counterpunch
Remember how we talked about the importance of being able to take a punch?
Well, it’s only the first step. Once you’ve built some endurance, it’s time to learn how to fight back.
Consider this:
In boxing, every beginner learns the importance of the counterpunch. By attacking you, your opponent has to let his guard down, and it creates a brief but very real opportunity for you to sneak in a blow. You just have to train yourself to spot the opening.
Ironic, isn’t it? The best time to attack your opponent turns out to be right after he attacks you. In fact, the stronger the attack, the bigger the opportunity for a counterpunch.
And it’s true for more than just boxing. In life, every difficulty carries with it a corresponding opportunity of equal size.
For example, let’s go back to the car accident from the last section. I mentioned how I got an attorney to settle the medical bills and dedicated myself to rehab, completing it in half the time, but I didn’t tell you the best part of the story.
In between rehab visits, I had a lot of free time on my hands. A lot of people would’ve flopped down in front of the TV and zoned out, but thankfully, I had the presence of mind to recognize the opportunity. I’d always wanted to write more, but I’d never had the time… until the accident. So, I seized the opportunity and got my gimpy ass to work.
At first, it was only a journal, a way of jotting down my thoughts and emotions as a way to cope with the trauma. I enjoyed it so much I decided to start a blog, and within 60 days, it got nominated as one of the best blogs in the world. Following the nomination, I got an offer to help run an up-and-coming magazine, the one that eventually helped me launch my consulting practice when I got to Mexico, allowing me to live the life of my dreams.
Was it luck? A mere twist of fate that turned tragedy into triumph?
Not at all. It was a deliberate counterpunch, a way of taking the force of the blow life had dealt me and turning it to my advantage.
It’s just one of many throughout my life. Here are some more:
Punch: None of the cool kids in school want to be friends with me, because the wheelchair makes them uncomfortable. I become an outcast.
Counterpunch: I hang out with the other outcasts: nerds. They teach me how to code, and I’m writing my own software by the age of 12.
Punch: I can’t play sports, go swimming, or any of the other fun stuff kids do. I’m stuck inside, trapped in a body that can’t move.
Counterpunch: To keep from going crazy, I read half a dozen books a week. By the time I graduate high school, I’ve read more than most of my teachers.
Punch: I get accepted into MIT, but I’m dirt poor. For a year, I beg for help, but everyone ignores me. I have to turn down the offer.
Counterpunch: I apply to my somewhat crappy local university, and they offer me a full scholarship. I graduate debt-free.
Again, it looks like luck, but it’s not. The people we call “lucky” are ruled by the same fickle hand of fate as everyone else. The difference: when that hand turns against them, they look around, and they spot the opening.
The moral of the story:
The next time life punches you in the face, stop for a moment and ask yourself this simple question:
What’s the counterpunch?
No matter how bad the situation, no matter how hopeless it seems, there is always an opportunity to turn it to your advantage. You just have to discipline yourself to spot the opening, and then find the courage to use it.
Lesson #5: How to Find the Courage to Face Anything
The heart monitor flatlined.
I was lying in a shabby little bed in a nursing home you’ve never heard of. For years, I’d drifted toward death, and blessedly, mercifully, it was finally here. My heart stopped, my limbs quivered, and my bowels let loose, filling the air with a sickly stench. One last breath escaped my lips, and I was gone.
A few minutes later, a nurse walked into the room, wrinkling her nose at the stink. Pulling out her clipboard, she glanced at her watch and wrote down the time of death. Next, she pulled out her phone and called the morgue. “Got another one for you. Room 305,” she told them. With that, she pulled a sheet over my head and left the room. Two days later, they cremated me, and that, as they say, was that.
Pretty depressing, right?
Obviously, none of this ever happened. I wouldn’t be writing right now if it did.
But it could’ve happened. Years ago, if I’d made different decisions, I could’ve easily ended up in a nursing home somewhere. Crazily, it could still happen now. A few missteps, and I could lose everything, dying broken, useless, and alone.
And I’ll be straight up with you:
It scares the hell out of me. More than anything. You could pull out a gun, shove the barrel in my mouth, and start counting, and it wouldn’t even come close to scaring me as much as the scene I described.
Dying is one thing. A pointless death where no one notices or cares is quite another. To me at least.
Here’s why I am telling you this:
Every now and again, somebody asks me how I found the courage to move to Mexico with no money, no friends, and no backup plan. There are a gazillion different ways it could have gone wrong. I could’ve been robbed and murdered by thieves along the highway, scammed by immigration officials, or starved to death because I couldn’t afford food. Let’s face it, Mexico can be a dangerous place, and moving there in my condition was absolute insanity.
I knew this. I’ve never been one of those delusional people who thinks nothing bad will ever happen to them. On the contrary, I was pretty sure I was about to die, and I was scared shitless. When we drove across the border, I was sweating and shaking so much I was worried that immigration guys would think I was on drugs.
So, why did I do it? Why didn’t I turn back to the relative safety of the U.S.?
Well, my thought process went like this:
Worry: I could be scammed by immigration officials.
Response: True, but that’s still better than dying in a nursing home.
Worry: I could be killed by robbers along the highway
Response: True, but that’s still better than dying in a nursing home.
Worry: I could starve to death because I can’t afford food.
Response: True, but that’s still better than dying in a nursing home.
In other words… yes, I was terrified, but a sad, quiet little death in a nursing home terrified me more. I consciously and deliberately harnessed that fear, using it to propel me to do things everyone thought were insane.
And that’s how courage works. The people we think of as heroes don’t have a mystical ability to transcend fear. To them, the alternative to taking action is simply unacceptable. They do what needs to be done, not because they want to, but because they feel there is no other choice.
Same for me. To get myself to take action, I didn’t meditate, clear my mind, and proceed to do the impossible with calmness and confidence. I woke up each morning and pictured what would happen if I didn’t act. I envisioned the heart monitor, the nurse, my body being pushed into the flames. I deliberately put myself into a state of such intense terror that everything I had to do felt manageable by comparison.
It’s dark, I know, but it’s also an immense secret. If you find yourself paralyzed by fear, the only way out is often to find something that scares you more. Imagine what will happen if you do nothing, make it so real in your mind that you’re about to jump out of your skin, and then harness that energy to do the crazy things you need to do.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting you live your life in fear. The moment you’ve faced down the impossible situation, stop torturing yourself. Adopt a positive attitude, and go about your life.
But if you’re just trying to survive?
Fear is fuel. So burn, baby, burn.
Lesson #6: Embrace the Crazy
The world is full of people who will tell you to “be reasonable.” You should have reasonable goals, reasonable expectations, a reasonable attitude.
But listen…
Was it reasonable for me to give up all my government benefits and move to a country not exactly known for its stellar medical care?
Was it reasonable to work 40+ hours a week for a company that didn’t pay me a dime?
Was it reasonable for me to start a business when failure would’ve meant starving to death on the streets of Mexico?
Not in the slightest. It was actually pretty crazy.
Here’s the thing, though:
If you’re in a crazy situation, sometimes the only way out is to make a bold move that appears insane, but it’s not, because the alternative is worse.
For instance, I’ll readily admit that working for a company full-time without asking for a penny in return is a dumb idea most of the time. Compared to the alternative of not working at all though, it’s actually a smart move.
The problem is, we’re not used to thinking that way. We’re so used to evaluating options on their own merits that we become paralyzed in situations where all the options are bad.
The solution is to train yourself to at least acknowledge the crazy alternatives. Whenever you’re making a decision, ask yourself, “What are the options I’m not considering because they seem too crazy?” You don’t have to choose the crazy option, but you should still train yourself to recognize it, because there might come a day when you need it.
Here’s a current example from my life:
I cope with a fair amount of back pain. This surprises some people, because they assume I can’t feel anything from the neck down, but I can. My disease only affects the motor neurons, not the sensory ones, so I’m able to feel just as much as anyone. Most days, the pain is manageable, but sometimes it’s unbearable.
The typical treatment options: narcotics, anti-inflammatories, herbal therapies, surgery, exercise, stretching, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, a new wheelchair seating system, and lots of other reasonable things.
But what are the unreasonable options?
In order of increasing craziness, I could…
- Buy a $5,000 bed that’s like floating on a pocket of air, lie down in it, and never move again, conducting all my business from bed for the rest of my life.
- Destroy all the nerve endings in my back, making it totally numb. Believe it or not, this is an actual medical procedure. It’s called denervation.
- Sever my spine, losing not only sensation but also the ability to breathe without a respirator. Obvious drawbacks, and I’m not sure I could get a doctor to do it, but still better than the last option…
- Suicide
Am I seriously considering any of these options?
Hell no! The pain isn’t nearly bad enough to take such drastic measures.
But it’s also comforting to be prepared for the worst. No matter how bad it gets, I always know I have options. If I’m forced to explore those options, I’ve prepared in advance, so I’m not trying to figure it all out in the moment.
The bottom line?
No matter how impossible the situation seems, you’re never trapped. There are always options.
And that brings us to the final lesson…
Lesson #7: Never, never, never give up
My mother rammed her hands into my ribs, forcing the air from my lungs. I coughed, the mucus rattling deep in my chest.
And then I screamed.
A few weeks earlier, I’d caught pneumonia, a respiratory infection that’s dangerous for a healthy person and a near-death sentence for someone like me. I didn’t have the strength to cough the mucus up myself, so doctors taught my mother to thrust her hands into my ribs, supplying the necessary force.
And it worked, but then something terrible happened:
My ribs cracked. Worse, the bones would grind together and fracture a little more every time my mother helped me cough.
But we couldn’t stop. If we did, doctors were absolutely certain I would suffocate and die.
So, literally hundreds of times per day, my mother would shove on my broken ribs. I screamed, I cried, I begged her to stop. Still a child, I couldn’t understand why she had to hurt me so much. Even today, I marvel that she could bring herself to do it.
But she did. For weeks.
One night, when I was lying in bed, wheezing and whimpering, she brought this little plaque of a quote from Winston Churchill and put it on the table beside me. It sits on my desk now.
“Say the words,” she said.
I shook my head. “It hurts.”
“Whisper them, then,” she said, and so I did. Every night, she would push on my ribs a dozen times before going to bed, and every night, she would make me whisper the words…
Never, never, never give up.
Hokey? Yes, but it worked. I never gave up, not because I was strong or brave or special, but because my mother wouldn’t let me.
And now I want to do the same for you.
Sooner or later, we all reach a point in life where our trials become unbearable. Determination turns to despair, self-confidence becomes self-pity, and our hope for a better tomorrow dwindles and dies, replaced by a grim certainty that our life is over.
But it’s not. We simply need someone to remind us that triumph over adversity isn’t about being the strongest or the smartest, the “perfect” human being who can overcome anything life throws at them. On the contrary, the greatest victories are won by the weakest people, living in the darkest times, facing monsters that make even the stoutest heroes cower and run.
And yet they prevail. Not through riches or genius or even luck, but by setting their jaw, bracing their feet, and weathering the storm. They don’t defeat misfortune; they outlast it, clinging stubbornly to their spot, absorbing blow after blow, roaring their defiance into the wind until their lips crack and their voice breaks, and yet still they find the strength to whisper, “I will never, ever give up.”
You can be one of those people. I know you can, and so I came here to tell you…
Today, you might feel too poor or sick or unlucky to reach for your dreams, but you’re not.
Today, you might feel too tired or depressed or sad to even try, but you’re not.
Today, you might feel like an outcast, forgotten by your friends or family or anyone who might help you, but again, you are not.
You’re still breathing, my friend. That’s all it takes to stage a comeback.
So, say it with me now, would you?
“I will never, ever give up.”
Say it. Believe it.
And then recognize you’ve begun the journey to becoming totally unstoppable.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 12:39 pm
“I will never, ever give up.” – This was my mantra before i had even heard of you Jon. The difference? Now, I have a way to make that a reality. Everything I was expecting from you Jon -and more.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:08 pm
Hey John, this is amazing! I hope it is also a book, it feels like a book… You could call it ‘F*cking the Lemons’! xo
Jan 17, 2017 @ 1:06 pm
Hello Jelila, very good point!
He should write a book, or record a film? It would have been much better than what’s running on TV!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:12 pm
Jon thank you for this inspiring, live changing article. I had so many aha moments!! I cut and pasted many sections. You have given me the game plan I need to move beyond the crazy I am now experiencing. I am also changing the rules!!! Thank you Jon for never giving up and having the guts to move to Mexico to take care of yourself. I am looking forward to more from you.
Dec 30, 2016 @ 3:25 am
I too wanted to cut and paste into my game plan. What a perfect time of year. “The end and the beginning”. How often with you blog???
Dec 29, 2016 @ 10:33 pm
Hello Jon my name is Jorge, I live in Los Cabos Mexico and I have to be honest with you in parts of your blog I felt uncomfortable and annoyed by your comment about my country, but as I continued reading I realized that the comparison you make is true in some of our cities but not all, at the same time I realized that I find myself in that position where I have not been able to win the game and fear of success has slowed me down, so it’s time to change the rules and make my dream come true. I want to tell you that I admire you for your determination in life and that from this moment I will never give up to achieve my goals and help others. I hope that someday I can meet you in person. God bless you and to all who follow you .
Dec 30, 2016 @ 3:51 pm
Very uplifting article!
Thank you!
Jorge, it would be great to speak to you. I’m thinking of moving to Cabo one day. I might even have an interesting business idea that you may want to offer some feedback etc.
Please find me on FB. Shawn Thomas Kennedy.
Cuidate y buena suerte!
Dec 30, 2016 @ 12:16 am
One of the most powerful things I’ve ever read. You’re an inspiration buddy. Keep kicking ass.
Dec 30, 2016 @ 6:31 am
Hello Jon.
Reading your story have added to my mantra. I have been a fighter and I will continue fighting back. I will never never never give up. I hope to get more and more of your stories. You are a positive thinker.
Dec 30, 2016 @ 1:01 pm
I will never, ever give up. Thank you Jon.
Dec 30, 2016 @ 3:40 pm
Loads of love, Jon! So much of inspiration and positive energies. Looking forward to read more of your stories and would love to meet one day. – Anu
Dec 30, 2016 @ 4:18 pm
Amazing, a true warrior of this world. Through all the adversity your words shine a light so true, like a compass showing true north, you are the gravitational pull that will guide the many. Lucky number 7 was truly worth waiting for ! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP. Jon, thank you for changing my day and my outlook on life and thank you for the time you spent writing this article. You are one badass, margarita sipping mofo 😀
Dec 29, 2016 @ 12:45 pm
John, That is best cut through the bullshit and get real with life post I’ve ever read.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:28 pm
Outstanding and I will be sharing this. I will never complain about anything ever again! I’m looking forward to more inspiration from you Jon. You’re the best!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 12:48 pm
Your stories are incredible. Your story is incredible. And number 7 was worth the anticipation. Thanks again for sharing your insights and experiences with clarity and humour. Already signed up and expecting great things from this blog.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 12:48 pm
Hi Jon,
I know you have been working on this for a while, I am really excited that you going to be breaking into self growth genre. Looking forward to expecting the same great quality of content that you have been delivering in all your other endeavours. Amazing post, Amazing lessons, and an amazing closure, because of your commitment “I will never, ever GIVE UP”
Dec 29, 2016 @ 1:11 pm
Love your take on acceptance, Jon. That’s always how I’ve seen it too, once I learned to use it to my advantage – the first step to victory.
So happy you’ve finally launched this project! Congratulations!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 1:16 pm
Embrace the crazy 🙂 I love that one!
You live a crazy life. You do the things most people only dream about. You chose not to follow the safe road. That is something most people do not dare to do.
Looking at your pirate picture I can only think… he never stopped being a pirate. He continues to live his life on his conditions!
Please continue to amaze us with your thoughts and never, ever stop being an example!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 1:35 pm
This is pure gem. Classic Jon.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 1:48 pm
Wow. You are so inspirational, Jon. Thank you for never giving up.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 1:48 pm
Congratulations Jon!
I know you’ll touch many hearts with the “never, never, never give up” mantra.
“If you can’t win the game, change the rule,” this is my favorite. I have changed a few rules in life to survive.
Cheers, Ann
Dec 29, 2016 @ 1:54 pm
Hey Jon! Such an inspiring article.
Congrats on the new blog. Can’t wait to read your future posts.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 1:59 pm
Brilliant – as expected. Looking forward to the next post. This genre is a fantastic fit for your writing style, authenticity and life experiences. Cant wait to hear more
Dec 29, 2016 @ 2:07 pm
What a powerful, inspiring story. A story that you hear once in a 100 years.
And since I know your work, Jon, I know it’s written from the heart without hot air and BS.
Thank you for sharing it – I’ve learnt a lot for it.
I’ll never ever give up 🙂
Ps. Congratulations on launching your project
Dec 29, 2016 @ 2:09 pm
Beautiful and inspiring! Thank you for sharing this gift! Hope you are enjoying a great warm, sunny day in Mexico.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 2:28 pm
Hey Jon,
Great article! Love your writing style. Can’t wait to read future posts.
Best,
Shayan
Dec 29, 2016 @ 3:02 pm
Jon,
Thank you for sharing your journey. I really needed the encouragement you just provided! I have been a never, never give up person until just this week. I have been feeling just like what you wrote….too tired, don’t care, life stinks……can’t come back one more time, until your article:) You reminded me of all the lessons I have learned but that the current feelings were pushing out. Thanks again and good luck with the new venture.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 3:10 pm
Love to see comments like this. Thanks Marilyn.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 3:07 pm
Love that you’re doing this new blog, Jon. I consider it an honor to have met in person with not just you, but the only person I know who’s MORE awesome than you — your mom. 😉
Dec 29, 2016 @ 3:11 pm
I agree with that 100%. 🙂
Dec 29, 2016 @ 4:33 pm
Carol, I met her too. She’s amazing.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 3:14 pm
Your a HUGE inspiration!!! Congrats on the new site! Looking forward to more! 🙂
-Sarah
Dec 29, 2016 @ 3:34 pm
So happy for you Jon. Your story is inspiring. No, that word just doesn’t do it justice at all. Your story grabs me by the scruff of my neck, kicks me in the butt and injects me with a huge dose of ‘I can and I will’ all at the same time. No excuses. Never give up. I can’t wait to read your future posts.
Dec 30, 2016 @ 9:28 pm
Hey Miranda, your post brought a wide grin on my face. Incredible how Jon with his no bs style cuts through with clarity; in doing so infuses clarity for the reader too.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 3:57 pm
Hi Jon,
The Art of The CounterPunch is brilliant. Your description really resonates with how I tackle adversity. I see no other option.
But perhaps most important, I’m making this post required reading for my son. I can’t think of a better role model for him.
Thanks for sharing your life…and inspiring mine.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 4:11 pm
Hello Mr. Jon, extending a heart warm Thank you for a wonderful share. I can so relate about getting back up with counter punches. I’ve always enjoyed Tecumseh,’ live your life so the fear of death can never enter your heart …’ being a minority as a First Nation and a woman with an education has brought many punches but I keep going forward, slowly but surely. This post is an awesome intro to enjoy what will come next.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 4:36 pm
Jon, I love this post. Hearing you talk about these things – fear, pain, failure – gets to my very core. Thanks for sharing your story.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:02 pm
Wow. I’m speechless. With tears in my eyes. Not out of pity, but out of complete & total respect. Your story is remarkable. But the lessons are priceless. I’m dealing with some medical issues of my own, and losing control of a previously healthy body is hard to take – both physically & emotionally. My body keeps getting worse. And I keep getting more depressed that nothing can be done. I’ve read all the motivational stuff, and I get it. But the idea of a counterpunch – now that resonates with me. Thanks. Really. And keep being unstoppable…
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:06 pm
This is an amazing story and life-changing lessons, Jon. Thanks you for this incredible post.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:08 pm
Jon…to say I needed this today is an understatement. I have been through some things in life (physically a broken neck that never healed right and a brain tumor on the brain stem that has required two surgeries so far, leaving me more and more disabled each time. I, like you, am a “pick yourself up by the bootstaps” kind of a gal (nothing like you, really), and I just keep going. Now I need two total knee replacements as I can hardly walk so that’s coming. Then, this morning, I realized I am having symptoms similar to when they found out my brain tumor had grown back with a vengeance and I needed the second surgery. To tell you the truth…I was feeling sorry for myself. Then I read your post. I will be reading it again and again, I’m sure. What a guy. Thanks, Jon.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:08 pm
Wow. Just wow. What a life, what strength and what a story. Truly inspirational – thanks so much for sharing. I’m really excited to see what else this new blog will bring.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:09 pm
Thanks Jon – such an important message at just the right time. I’ve felt a bit beat up from life lately, and the other day I yelled “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”
This post gives me the practical “how to” to stop “taking it” and fight back.
Many thanks! 🙂
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:13 pm
Hey Jon,
Thank you for sharing your story. You’ve been such a help to so many people. Now it’s nice to hear the lessons you’ve learned from your life. I am rather unexpectedly losing my job in two days and I didn’t realize it but I’m applying the art of the counterpunch as we speak. Rather than being frustrated or angry I’m storming the gates of opportunity. I’m excited for what the future holds.
I can’t wait to hear more of your story.
Thanks for being authentic and real.
Jesse
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:15 pm
“In life, every difficulty carries with it a corresponding opportunity of equal size.”
If my arm was longer, I’d tattoo that right on there!
I have embraced the crazy. 1) Because I already am 2) Out of necessity.
And yeah, brah. Never, Never, Never Give Up!
Very Jason Nesmith Galaxy Questy and very real!
Thanks for the motivation. I hope we talk soon!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:19 pm
When I say the new Unstoppable, I was like Whoa…Jon is at this again…It’s a step in the right direction. This is becoming more personal and deep.
Really inspiring.
Thanks
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:20 pm
Thanks again Jon for a great post. I’ve been following you fo a while now and one of the reasons was that you always give great content for eveyone even if they haven’t bought anything. So it lead me to feel you have a good heart and a good sole. And now after reading this post I can see you have some big balls. You sure make my life look like a cake walk.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:21 pm
Jon…And here I am at almost 83 with a lot more to learn. Thanks so much for giving me the re-start so I badly needed.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:22 pm
You’re the man, Jon. I’ve been following your work through the journey. Thanks for digging into the personal part of it all. You are appreciated.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:23 pm
It’s funny…I know “of you”, but haven’t really followed you online. Yet I can sit here right now and say this is one of the most moving, powerful, beautiful and inspirational things I have ever read.
While I find it absolutely heartbreaking that you have had to endure so much in your life, I am so very thankful you took the time to write and share this. I don’t imagine it’s the last time I’ll read it.
Thank you 1,000 times over. I’m humbled at your strength Jon.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:24 pm
You’re a rock star. Please read this amazing blog post. You and Lisa Magill are kindred spirits in a league of their own:
http://terminallyfabulous.weebly.com/blog/will-this-be-my-last-visit-from-santa#comments
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:27 pm
Jon,
I only have a minute right now. Trying to think of something that doesn’t sound cliche. But I still end up going back to the old “You’re Amazing and Inspiring!” cause it’s so true. You amaze and inspire and motivate me. Thanks so much. At one time, I believe that you lived in Florida where I live. Do you still live in Florida or are you in Texas now? Thanks again. And you are such great writer and storyteller. Such a great attitude. Thanks again for sharing and writing and living life the way you do.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:29 pm
Send lots of love your way, Jon. I needed this today. And your mother sounds amazing.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:30 pm
Jon, I truly believe in synchronicity. What I needed to read when I needed to read it. Thank you. You’ve touched upon these topics in your other forums, but I’m so glad that you’ve launched this blog so it can be a focal point. I will never give up.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:31 pm
Wow. Wow. Just. wow. This is by far THE best post I’ve ever read. I’ve been following you for just over a year now and I know how spectacular your writing is but this blew me away. This deeply resonated with me and I’m so grateful you shared your story and life lessons with us today. I needed to hear this. So very encouraging. Thank you.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:33 pm
Fanfuckingtastic! Never ever give up and change the rules. I will be 62 in January and although I have rebuilt myself several times, never got it quite right until I also adopted these same processes. I am now doing it right and won’t stop this time – as yes it finally hurts too much to not do
Thank you!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:35 pm
Hadn’t planned on crying.
Never give up.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:36 pm
JON IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are a long time follower since the “On Moneymaking” days then you know what I am talking about! Writing that is tough, emotional, true…. this is what initially attracted me to Jon all those years ago. I am personally so damn glad he created this site!!!!!! It’s like Brendon Burchard, Brian Tracy with a little Grant Cardone mixed in to smack you so you don’t get to comfortable! Thank you for coming back Jon!!!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:38 pm
JON
thsnks for your Encoyragementand your Strength to overcome what you have. THIS is a wonderful blog. Always followed you. Congratulations.
LORI ENGLISH
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:43 pm
Hey Jon, I’m so excited you started this new blog!
I have been following you for sometime, you are beyond inspiring, helpful and motivating! Thank you!
I’m off to spread this around to my following
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:44 pm
Jon I’ve always thought that you have a truly amazing story. It’s honestly one of my favorites of all time.
In 2009 (my senior year of high school), I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. Soon after I quit the wrestling team, lost my job, was dumped by a girlfriend, kicked out of my home, and lost a full ride scholarship to my dream university.
I too was stuck in the medicaid system. Getting a bill for $20,000 at age 18 after one weekend at the hospital is a little discouraging.
I spent the next 5 years practically homeless and living off of food stamps.
For almost 10 years I’ve been fighting a chronic incurable disease. Every day is a battle.
Seeing the things that you do, and your attitude, motivates me to keep going.
It gives me hope.
I believe that, even despite this disease, I can have a good live and still accomplish my goals.
Thank you so much for being such a huge inspiration.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:47 pm
I can’t think of anything that hasn’t been said. So looking forward to following these posts!
Thank you from my heart for bringing your story to us to demonstrate the raw power of NEVER giving up.
Kay
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:49 pm
Jon,thank you so much for your post. You are such a inspiration I look forward to reading more of your work. Again Thank You- Ahmad Crump
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:49 pm
I love you Jon.
And I love your child-beating mom too.
This is going to change lives; millions of ’em.
Hope you’re ready for the onslaught.
Eternally grateful that God lead me to you!
xoxoxo
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:49 pm
Without question, one of the best, most inspirational articles I have ever read. I am most grateful for your post, partly because I’m in the middle of a comeback and it’s been far more difficult than I had ever imagined. Reading your words gives me a great deal of comfort. More importantly, I know you’re for real, and not some schmuck who can write fancy words without having lived through what he writes about. People who are the real deal mean everything to me and I am grateful to have found you, your posts, and to have the benefit of reading your story.
While my journey has been difficult and extremely painful at times, it doesn’t even come close to what you’ve endured. I wish I had the power to make a difference (physically) in your life.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:52 pm
Oh my god Jon! You said in yesterday’s email that the excerpt would mean something to us in context. Once the post was fully read, it surely did. The last line, I cried.
You, my dear Jon, have been such an influence in my (till now, shame on me for saying it) stagnant life. Yes. I have all kinds of reasons to feel as low as I do today but this..this is what I needed.
“my tea is cold I wonder why I..got outa bed at all”… For some reason this line went through my head. That said, no worries. No one can be ‘the greatest’ fan and I certainly am not crazy like Stan. (fyi, the only song by Eminem I know) 🙂
Thank you for digging so deep, as you have told us to do many, many times before. I cannot but take a deep breath continue to never give up.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:52 pm
Love this quote: “Pain. The more you experience, the more you can handle in the future, and the less it knocks you off your game”.
Thank you Jon, you’re a special guy.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:53 pm
A tour de force, Jon. You had a lot to say, and you assured us it would be worth reading. You did not lie. I have some things to add, and I ask for the same forbearance, and make the same promise. I hope I keep it as well as you did.
Some years ago I had the good fortune to have met and spent quite a bit of time with Ron Kovic, author of “Born on the Forth of July.” He also lived in a wheel chair. I told him one night, after reading his book, that in reading it, I had the impression that here was a man who had a zipper installed in his chest, and that he pulled it down and let everything in him spill our onto the pages. I had the same feeling as I read your piece here.
I have been at this more twice as long as you have, and though I have not faced quite the same challenges as you, I have had my share. I still do. I have also learned many of the same lessons you write about, and a few more as well. Like you I love to share what I’ve learned, and to do so I collect stories, examples, and expressions that help me do that. Here are a few of my favorites, all of which tie nicely into several of the ones you discussed. I’ll let you decide which ones fit with which. 🙂
From Tom Robbins’ book, “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” I offer Robbins’ Law:
“Anything that goes wrong can be turned to your advantage, provided it goes wrong enough.”
A simple observation: Whatever you reach for, but can’t seem to grasp, know that it is true because there is something that you fear even more that you think will happen if you succeed.
Desperation is my friend.
From Richard Bach’s novel “Illusions:”
“There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. We seek out problems, because we need their gifts.”
And my favorite of all time I first encountered in the book “Shackleton’s Boat Journey,” a fabulous example of never, ever, ever give up. What follows is my retelling of it
Hillary’s eulogy:
In the 1920s, George Mallory led an expedition to try to conquer Mount Everest. The first expedition failed, as did the second. Then, with a team of the best quality and ability, Mallory made a third assault. But in spite of careful planning and extensive safety precautions, disaster struck.
An avalanche hit and Mallory and most of his party was killed. When the few who did survive returned to England, they had a glorious banquet, saluting the great people of Mallory’s final expedition. As the leader of the survivors stood to acknowledge the applause, he looked around the hall at the framed pictures of Mallory and his comrades who had died.
With tears streaming down his face, he addressed the mountain on behalf of Mallory and his dead friends.
“I speak to you, Mount Everest, in the name of all brave men living, and those yet unborn. Mount Everest, you defeated us once, you defeated us twice, you defeated us three times. But Mount Everest, we shall someday defeat you, because you can’t get any bigger, but we can!”
And they did.
I would love to discuss these and other related topics with you, Jon. I think we may have much more to share. For now, may your chair take wing.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 5:56 pm
Love you Jon; I’ve followed your writing off and on which, helped me endure some of my own medical and legal challenges! Another, of many of your remarkable virtues, is, your amazing sense of humor!!! Maybe it’s because (on a much smaller scale) I’ve endured and, overcome some of the challenges you’ve mentioned here. But, one must keep their humor in tact if they are serious about survival, right?
Thanks for sharing your amazing, wonderful, courageous self with all of us, you are a HERO!!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:00 pm
Like Kris, I’m dumb-struck. Tears streaming down my face. I’ve read your whole blog
aloud to my husband. He thinks I’m unstoppable with regard to the sucker-punches I’ve been delivered, but I wanted him to hear from a master. You not only GET it, but your gift at passing it on is just stunning. As a retired film producer, I see a film in the offing. Another win for you. As a present day healer I see this blog as required reading for some of my clients. A win for them. If this piece doesn’t pick you up and throw you across the room, make you want to cry and cheer at the same time, well. . . we don’t have anything in common. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Jon.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:00 pm
Thank you so much for pushing through all the pain that has come your way, and finding a way for others to benefit from it. Another person WOULD be spending their life in a nursing home…so glad you choose differently!Many people do not see choices beyond the obvious.
Although I suspect not many have ever had to endure what you do on a daily basis, I am just trying to process my own injuries from being pushed off a truck by a young driver wanting sexual favors in exchange for a lift. I knew my thoughts needed sorting out if I was to leave behind the bleakness and general feeling that everything is beyond my control. Now is the time! If i want the body to mend, the thoughts have to guide it. I am so grateful for the timing of this piece. I can absorb the principles and apply them, and get stronger, rather than give up and feel sorry for myself. Thank you, Jon! You are very special.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:04 pm
Thank you so much for letting these words come out of you. Jon, the way you write and craft a story, the way you teach me things I’ve known for years but show them to me in a new way. I love it.
Changing the Rules, The Counter Punch, Never Give Up!
Can’t thank you enough.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:09 pm
Jon, life has kicked my ass for the past eight years. I feel like I’m emotionally on the canvass for the 10-count. I hear the ref counting, but I don’t seem to care most of the time.
Then I hear a dogged voice like Mickey Goldmill’s in the Rocky movie yelling, “Never, never, never give up!”
And I’m a bit ashamed about being ungrateful for all the things I have that you don’t.
So, alright, alright! I’m getting up, dammit!
Thanks for the back slaps, Jon Tzu.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:10 pm
I can’t say anything new or better about this post, but I can say this, it truly rocks. You’ve learned to love every moment of life good or bad experience notwithstanding knowing you can’t run away form life, you can only live and leave it here unless you believe in life after death.
The human spirit is not subject to disability and that is what makes you, alive. But that is a different story altogether. Great stuff! .
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:11 pm
Done and done! What a great story and I just had to share it with the lady I care for who also has a rare form of MD called FA. I wanted her to see that you are so much worse off than she is, and look at how you triumphed!! She also has Medicaid, and while I don’t know all the details, I know she can’t afford to move away from her parents cause it sucks. If it weren’t for her parents and caregivers like me and several she has had in the past, I don’t know what she would do. Anyway, thanks for being an inspiration to me, and hopefully, to her. I will find more people to forward this to as well as share on Facebook- as a writer, I’m trying to plan for my 2017 calendar and one of the things I want to do is something that would help people more than just the conversational blog I run right now. Maybe we can come up with a few ideas together, but one that strikes me now, is to feature some of your posts on my blog so other people can see what an inspiration you are and how you overcame adversity. I’m not sure how, but I will think of something. I have so much to do before next year and I don’t even know where to start, short of buying a brand new desk calendar, lol. It has been a busier year for me this year with my writing than last, still, I have not figured out the direction I want to go, just that I want to write, and help people. My website sucks, my blog is cool-I’m up to around 80 followers and I have about the same on Medium, another platform I began writing on this year. I’m sorry I have been too busy to read any of your emails this last 6 months or so, but I’m glad I read this one. If it helps one person overcome their situation, it’s a win! Good luck and God bless you!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:14 pm
Congratulations on your UNSTOPPABLE launch. You’re my hero Jon. I LOVE your writing style. That’s why I read most emails you send me. Yup I said “most”. I like brutal honesty, which is why I like you. So, yes, admittedly the odd one does get lost in the “read later” file. I’m working on a better system for 2017 though…promise!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:19 pm
Jon, thanks for that from-the-heart guidance. The words “Never give up” have a more powerful impact from this moment on. I am in a tough spot right now but have the inspiration to keep faith. You have gained a life-long reader with this and your other pieces revealing your excellent perspective. God bless.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:20 pm
Hey Jon: You’ve been inspiring me for years with your other blogs, but I think this one is going to be magic. And, it’s my kind of thing having been a life coach for 15 years.
I’m going to share this online because I think more people need to hear what you have to say and become unstoppable. Heck, I’ve been a little stuck myself after a big move this year. I look forward to more of what you have to share…
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:22 pm
You rock, Jon! Without you stepping up and never giving up, I don’t think I’d have the courage to boldly do the same thing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:24 pm
Hey Jon,
I’m with Carol Tice, I’d love, love to meet your Mom:)
Bless your incredible Mom for her determination and bravery.
To say you “take after” your Mom is definitely an understatement.
Please thank your Mom for never, ever giving up and teaching you the same, so that you continue to inspire all the rest of us with the same attitude.
All the best,
Martha
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:28 pm
Jon,
Thank you for being “Unstoppable!”
Thank your Mom for instilling that in you!
With much gratitude!
♥
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:32 pm
What a magnificent, wonderful piece of writing, Jon! I have been knowing your touching life story for some time, but put into such raw truthful words, these lessons really get under one’s skin.
I actually have a note in my kitchen that says “Use your fear.” It’s great fuel indeed.
Excited to observe you start a new project from the very beginning.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:35 pm
To read this going into 2017 has been the perfect inspiration. I’m so looking forward to your next post and I really believe this blog will transform many lives – you’ve certainly had an impact on mine during the time I’ve read your content. Thank you! Nat
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:37 pm
I too find myself in the poverty trap. Pension and home will be gone. Damned if you don’t step out of it and crazy if you do. If you can do it so can I.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:39 pm
In Sparta there were the “300”. Now I see one more.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:47 pm
… and another as a mother.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:45 pm
Absolutely inspirational. I will be sharing with lots of my friends who suffer a chronic illness the same as mine. It’s a walk in the park in comparison with what you have been through, but a big dose of kickass positivity is always welcome to us.
I’m also going to share on our Facebook page for our grief website, (written by my Mum who is almost as positive as you!) as those folks definitely need a shot of Never, never, never give up.
Thank you. Two totally inadequate words.
Lesley
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:47 pm
Jon, yes I am very glad I took the time to read this post. You are one awe-filled person. Your “options” is my Plan Q, in business and in life. There is never just one way; there is Plan B, Plan C, etc. Thank you for all you are giving us.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:50 pm
I will never miss a single post on this blog.
Even though I am yet to read all the rest, this first post will always be my favorite. I will print this up and stick it to my wall.
And those mornings when I’m feeling inadequate, lazy, or uninspired, I will look up at it and get myself moving. Never, ever give up.
Thanks Jon, for the inspiration.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:50 pm
Jon, I wish I could come up the words to properly express how much of an inspiration you have been to me. When I discovered your writing, I was at an all time low point in my life. My father had died, I was bankrupt, I lost my home and my car, and I was a failure. I had muddled through for a while and started a blog. I worked a million hours a week on another gig to try and keep my family afloat.
Your writing and your instruction gave me the courage to take the leap. I signed up for SBO, reinvented my website, and threw myself into it wholeheartedly. I can’t thank you enough for changing my life.
I’m really looking forward to your future posts.
Best wishes and my eternal gratitude,
Daisy
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:52 pm
Jon – your stories never fail to inspire. Nor kick where it matters most. I can’t think of anyone more qualified – or skilled – to deliver this message. It’s kind of surprising you left it this long to create Unstoppable. I look forward to reading more.
P.S. My cousin died of Muscular Dystrophy when he was twenty-two. Seeing him (and his mother) struggle as his life slowly faded was heart-breaking. Your determination to buck the odds and indeed, prosper, is incredible.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:52 pm
I never take the time to comment on blogs, and damn, this one was worth it! Thank you. For being so talented, brave and open. You are a huge gift, and this article is one of the most brilliant I’ve read amongst the mostly fluff land of self-help and motivational articles. Amazing words and message!!!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:52 pm
Dear Jon,
The first time I read your post that went viral in which you described your life and your mother’s fight for you, I was moved to tears. Then I thought: “I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel in my life now and there’s no-one to fight for me. No-one cares.” I’ve just read this and I take my hat off to you for giving the likes of me, somewhere else to go with that. My story is very different. I have had amazing opportunities and yet, I sit here tonight looking at the emptiness in my life and acknowledging the pity people have for me, either because the thought of being in my shoes scares them, or because they are going to get further down the road than me with less than I have been given. I don’t have much patience for super positive quotes or online advertising that bores with its transparent design, but this works precisely because self pity is not an option, for myself, in the light of what you have gone through, or from you to me, the reader, because you know you’ve been through worse. Go for it. 2017 is going to be a great year!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 6:56 pm
Literally the best article I’ve read in my life. You are my hero man.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:00 pm
Your writing is all meat. Thank you, Jon, for being real.
You have me rethinking how I think about life and particularly how I relate to pain.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:03 pm
Totally inspiring. I cannot even begin to imagine the suffering you’ve had to contend with. You’ve come through the other side, but not just that, you’ve smashed it! Amazing.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:03 pm
I have been following you for some time and knew a few things you have said here, but this read was still very refreshing and inspiring. It’s great to know you!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:09 pm
Jon, you da bomb. I’ve decided this is my year. We emailed a time or two some time ago, and I was trying to find out how you live so well. We have the same diagnosis with similar physical limitations, and I was struggling with ideas of how to live independently. You were raw and honest, and I appreciated that. Since we emailed, I’ve launched a blog, started a publishing company, moved to another state, and am beginning a speaking venture this year. All that on top of my full-time teaching job. Keep motivating people, Jon! It works!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:12 pm
So happy to hear that, Holly. Keep it up!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:10 pm
We are all on a journey. Some of us are content to be passengers while others need to drive. It would have been far easier for you to simply coast along for the ride. Congratulations for taking control of your destiny. Your story is both humbling and inspirational and sharing it with the world also took courage. Thank you.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:17 pm
Jon,
There is probably nothing I can say here, which hasn’t already been echoed a few dozen times. But allow me to add my voice to this choir.
You lift me up. I am so grateful to have been led into your path. When I think of what this world might have been had you not fought to survive– to win– it would have been such a sorrow. The inspiration (and wisdom) you give so many of us is not to be taken lightly.
My gratitude for your presence in my life is so immense, it brings tears to my eyes. I cannot thank you enough for choosing to be who you are and sharing yourself with us. And I thank your incredible Mom.
This time of year can be difficult for many. You remind us to overcome it and rise to the opportunity of a new year. Thank you.
Congratulations on your new site. This is gonna be so amazing. I’ll bet this one will be the best one yet. You keep “raising the bar,” and I love it.
God Bless you!
~Paula
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:35 pm
These are the words I needed to hear. I am at the crest where determination meets despair and you opened my eyes to see that it doesn’t have to be that way. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your story and pushing me, your reader, to greater goals. I can’t wait to read your next post.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:36 pm
What a brilliant first post on your new blog, Jon! I have shared it, and will be looking forward to reading each new post as it is published!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:47 pm
Thank you so, so much. I am in the middle of getting punched in the face by life. Thanks for reminding me to look for the counter-punch. This is everything that we expected from you.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:48 pm
Jon – Consider me another member of your “Team Unstoppable!” I try to inspire and motivate others like me with ALS, but now… I have you to inspire me! Am sharing your blog – – and adding it on my blog’s “must read” list. Thank you for your frankness and your 7 Life Lessons. Looking forward to your next post!
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:49 pm
“Okay, this is my life now. What’s next?”
Give me your best punch, o dear Life, and I’m ready with the counterpunches.
Thank you, Jon, for teaching us the counterpunches.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:53 pm
I just feel like expressing my inner thoughts in an unknown language.
In the language of God. For in you I have seen the magic of a fighter.
Of an brilliant and unstoppable swordsmith.
A man who defied the laws of man-fed on the dish of perseverance.
Meandered through life’s difficulty with every bit of equanimity.
You are a book.
You are a movie
You are unstoppable.
You are a diamond unleashed by heaven to bestrode our colossus.
You are a gifted born by a gifted.
You are fire wrapped by whirlwind.
You are impeccably beautiful.
You are a maestro.
You are a dumdum unleashed on planet earth by a creative God.
You are motivation.
You are the harbinger.
The hope child.
The magic letter.
The swordsmith.
I am eternally grateful to my great God for letting you grace planet earth.
Thank Jon Morrow.
Thank you God for such purified talent
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:56 pm
Bravo for holding the lamp high and saying that-a-way! We are not far behind.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:56 pm
Jon, what you did is truly amazing and honestly speaking, seems like out of this world. Great story and more importantly, your desire to share it with others with a view to give them inspiration.
You are right, never ever ever give up. Best wishes, great write up.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 7:58 pm
This is a most inspiring read. I shared it as we all need to be reminded of what we do have and not focus on what we don’t. I felt encouraged to never give up on my dreams and plans
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
I just feel like expressing my inner thoughts in an unknown language.
In the language of God. For in you I have seen the magic of a fighter.
Of a brilliant and unstoppable swordsmith.
A man who defied the laws of man-fed on the dish of perseverance.
Meandered through life’s difficulty with every bit of equanimity.
You are a book.
You are a movie
You are unstoppable.
You are a diamond unleashed by heaven to bestrode our colossus.
You are a gifted born by a gifted.
You are fire wrapped by whirlwind.
You are impeccably beautiful.
You are a maestro.
You are a dumdum unleashed on planet earth by a creative God.
You are motivation.
You are the harbinger.
The hope child.
The magic letter.
The swordsmith.
I am eternally grateful to my great God for letting you grace planet earth.
Thank Jon Morrow.
Thank you God for such purified talent
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:02 pm
Jon, You are a star… thank you for giving me the strength and no bullshit encouragement to deal with my own problems and to turn them into an opportunity..
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:02 pm
Brilliant! Thank you.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:07 pm
Jon, congratulations on your new site. Your story is one of inspiration, courage, and perseverance. Thank you for being so generous! I’m going to share this with everyone I know.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:08 pm
Thank you Jon, for taking the time to write this awe inspiring lesson in overcoming adversity (something which makes us stronger). You don’t know how many times I’ve actually referred to your “success” when working with clients, who tell me all the obstacles that they face in starting up a blog or a business. Most of which I gleaned over the years from other articles you’ve written. But this one, this is the ultimate in your face, get up off your ass, stop whining and get it done no matter what (!) article.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:09 pm
Thank you Jon. My husband was a quadriplegic for the last 16 years of his amazing life. I say ‘amazing’ because he was the most inspiring person I have ever known and he remained just that way every day of our lives together. I always marveled at his ability to relate to and encourage everyone around him; I constantly found myself wondering how he did it day in and day out and I lived with the guy! That was my privilege and now I continue, hopefully, in his footsteps – so to speak! In a vicarious way, I think I can relate to your story and look forward to following your blog.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:19 pm
Thanks Jon, I was wondering about the guy (you) who teaches about successful blogging. And now I know. God Bless.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:35 pm
Thank you for being raw, real and willing to share your journey. As a long time follower and student, I knew part of the story but having it all laid out as it is here is just more powerful than I can accurately describe. It’s also very timely for me where I am in my life’s journey. And I will not quit either. Only now, I’m feeling a little more vigor for the fight. Stay strong my friend and know that your fight is saving more lives than you own.
Dec 29, 2016 @ 8:36 pm
Thanks Jon.
You’ve already inspired so many bloggers in their journey, but this new venture, I believe, will inspire a wider audience, and in a much more important way.
What could be more important than having a courageous, never-give-up, unstoppable attitude to embracing life with all its challenges?
To come back to your boxing analogy for a moment, you’re every bit as much of a fighter as the greats like Mohammad Ali and Manny Pacquiao, and then some!
Best wishes with Unstoppable.me. I’ll be following.