Every once in awhile, I come across an individual that truly blows me away. Kyle Maynard is one of those individuals.
My friend Lewis Howes (also a very inspiring guy) recently introduced me to Kyle Maynard, and, as I was sorting through content for December’s LIST, I realized that it was not necessary to list five things that inspired me this month. I just want to share Kyle’s story with you and give it the spotlight it so deserves.
Kyle Maynard is a motivational speaker, author, entrepreneur, and athlete. This kind of description might compel you to believe everything about Kyle’s life is pretty normal. In a sense, it is, but Kyle was born with a congenital amputation with arms that end at the elbows and legs near the knees.
Despite what others might consider to be a “limitation,” Kyle has beat the odds to be extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary.
Kyle’s wrestled for one of the best teams in the Southeast, set records in weightlifting, fought in mixed martial arts, and, most recently, became the first man to crawl on his own to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa!
One of the most awesome insights that I think Kyle offers is how his parents didn’t baby him, even through the trials. They watched him fail. They let him fail. They stood guard as safety nets to his pursuits, but they ultimately lay the choices of success into their son’s hands.
As a result, Kyle is constantly moving to new heights, pushing past what others deem “impossible,” and being a real teacher of adventure and pursuance of dreams to a global audience. He has been interviewed by many, including Oprah and Larry King. He just won the ESPY this past July for “Best Male Athlete with a Disability.”
“I had to go through failures in order to learn how to do it.” — Kyle Maynard
Kyle Maynard on the summit of the Continental Divide in Colorado at 12,000 ft.
What’s more amazing? I am not just introducing Kyle Maynard to all of you today as a new friend or inspiration but as our newest contributor to Positively Positive. I have no doubt that he is going to bring so much perspective, energy, and impact into our online community. I cannot wait for him to share his story to the world through the lens of Positively Positive.
“When we start anything, it’s hard, but…in order for the next generation to be a better version of ourselves, than we do have to learn how to fail. Failure is not fun, but I believe it is the only way to go outside our comfort zone and learn how to be not bound and to stand back up.”
Kyle Marnard
Please be sure to watch Kyle’s first (must watch) video below:
Wanting more of Kyle’s inspiration? Be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
New to THE LIST? THE LIST is a monthly post featuring the top inspiring finds that hit me at my core. Morsels so good that I cannot possibly think of keeping them to myself. Good works, good people, good books, and good movies—all rolled into one post. Missed the last LIST? Check it out here!
As usual, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I personally read them all. And Kyle will be reading and responding to your comments as well!
Eric Handler is the publisher and co-founder of Positively Positive. Check out his TEDx talk. Follow Eric on TWITTER.
* Video above shot by Takashi Doscher of INTELLECTUAL PROPAGANDA
