A Genuine Trailblazer

Trevor Thomas was the real thing - a trailblazer. He just
graduated from law school, is about to join the Navy and
become a JAG officer, and soon to be stationed in Greece.

He lived his life in the fast Lane. He raced Porsches
for fun. He was a runner. He was into rock climbing
and parachuting. He also liked mountain bikes.

Then his whole life changed. He was having vision
problems and so he went to the first of many eye
doctors.

He was diagnosed with atypical central serous
chorioretinopathy. His disease is extremely rare
and so it's not studied enough.

He would be blind for the rest of his life.

He doesn't know how he'll get a job.

He's afraid to leave his house - especially at night.

He then heard a speech that would change his life
forever.

The speaker's name was Erik Weihenmayer. He went
blind when he was 13. He became a middle school
teacher and wrestling coach. He also skied and
paraglided for fun.

Then he started to climb mountains.

In 2001 Erik, who is blind, climbed Mount Everest.

In 2005, Trevor Thomas heard Weihenmayer speak
for two hours in Charlotte North Carolina.

Erik decided if Weihenmayer could climb Mount Everest,
he could do something too.

He decided to walk the Appalachian Trail. The trail is
2,175 miles long and stretches all the way from Georgia
to Maine.

On the trail, most everybody abandons their real name
for a trail name. His eyes gave him his new name.

Trevor became Zero/Zero.

50,000 hikers have attempted to walk the entire trail.
Only about 8000 have finished.

His injuries included:

• 1 foot fracture
• One head gash closed with superglue
• four broken ribs
• eight hospital visits
• 78 - the most falls in a single day
• 3000 - total falls while hiking trail

The last hundred miles of the trail are the most
challenging because you can't quit. There's nowhere
to go. The only way to quit is to continue.

The 100-Mile Wilderness is long and lonely and stretches
between Monson Maine and the northern end of the trail
at Mount Katahdin.

It was during this 100-Mile Wilderness that he fell 78 times in a single day and almost drowned during three different river crossings.

His darkest hour came when he was sitting in a shelter by himself freezing to death and he didn't think he could finish the last 60 miles.

However, he finished what he started. He climbed 5,268 feet to the summit of Mount Katahdin.

When someone asked him "What's next," he said, "I want
the Triple Crown."

In 2010 he will attempt to walk the Pacific Crest Trail -
it's 2650 miles from Mexico to Canada. He then said,
"if I can figure that one out, then I'll do the
Continental Divide."

What are you dealing with in your life today and how does
it compare to what Trevor Thomas is dealing with?

This guy is a genuine trailblazer.

When you look in the mirror, the person who you see is
the only person preventing you from becoming a trailblazer
in your life and in your work.

Henry Ford once said, "Don't complain, don't explain.
Just deal with it."