Let me introduce you to my new friend, Nick Ingel from South Africa - and in that context, our new initiative, FutureFit.International!
You want to take a look at the site to get some context for this post, and today's daily inspiration.
Essentially, it's an extremely precarious and difficult situation in the country, as years of neglect, combined with economic and social challenges, come to challenge the reliability of the energy infrastructure. Imagine living your daily life - individually, corporately, and professionally - with regular and constant power blackouts, euphuistically known as 'load shedding.' That's the reality for many South Africans today. Do a search for the phrase "South Africa and load shedding" and you can get a sense of what is going wrong.
With that in mind, what a perfect time to visit the country!
Seriously, though, Nick and I have had long conversations as of late about what is going on. As a strength coach and fitness instructor with a series of gyms across the country, he trains a number of CEOs and senior executives across the country. With that, he regularly hears from them as to what they are thinking in terms of keeping their teams motivated in the face of dispiriting circumstances. What he is hearing is that they need a sense of hope, a message of optimism, an outlook that goes beyond the challenges of today into the realities of tomorrow.
Hey, that sounds like a guy I know! Hey, that's me!
Since Nick also does some speaking around the country on resilience, strength, optimism - mindful fitness - we thought we'd roll together a half-day program offering for large-scale corporate groups in the country. Despite the challenges and massive political uncertainty, leadership teams need to continue to try to move their teams forward. With that in mind, while preparing the Web site that might draw some interest to our new initiative, I came up with the phrase "At the bottom of the pit of hopelessness, there is a mountain of opportunity!"
Because there is. There always is. It's when you think you are at the absolute bottom that you can choose to rise to the top. It's when. you are at your absolute worst that you have an opportunity to try to be your best.t It's when you think there is no hope that you can reach into your inner soul and find some optimism.
Nick and I are kindred spirits in our pursuit of a better tomorrow - and in fact, met during the early, difficult days of Coivd. The website describes how we met - and how he became one of 7 individuals in my latest book.
As with so many millions around the world, they met during the Covid lockdown.
A Canadian, Futurist Jim Carroll was busy building a virtual broadcast studio to support his keynote speaking activities online. At the same time, Nick Ingel was busy doing the same thing in order to provide virtual fitness programs. By happenstance, they found each other through an online support group for their virtual studio software.
They bonded, sharing a similar mindset of opportunity, hope, and growth.
Collaborative partners, Jim wrote Nick's story into an entire chapter of his book, "Now What? Reinvention and the Role of Optimism in Finding Your Next Future"
Constantly in touch, they've discussed the current complex reality of companies in South Africa and knew that there had to be a path forward.
The result is this unique and powerful motivational leadership offering. A half day leadership workshop that corporate South Africa organizations need now.
What do we offer in this unique event? We offer tomorrow! The Website describes this:
THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA BEYOND THE CHALLENGES OF TODAY
IMAGINE A BETTER FIT FOR TOMORROW
The pace of change today is extraordinary - and the current challenge for South Africa is real, complex, and often lacking in hope.
What your corporate team needs today is a sense of hope for the future, and a motivational message to move beyond the challenge of today into the opportunity of tomorrow.
You need powerful insight into what comes next, and what to do about it. You need to realign to the future.
To do that, the future demands a motivated mindset - a plan for action, and a determination to align and act on fast-moving trends to bring your organization and team into tomorrow
This unique half-day workshop, combining two powerful keynotes combined with a high degree of personal interaction, will provide you with a foundation for the opportunity of what comes next - and how to be 'fit for the future!'
Delivered in person in Johannesburg, Capetown, or elsewhere, you'll share the powerful future-oriented insight of Jim Carroll of Canada, and Nick Ingel, a native of South Africa.
We have absolutely no idea if anything will ever come from this; we have both talked about the fact that this could be - and likely will be - one of those initiatives that are put together and put out there that goes nowhere.
But we've had wonderful discussions while we have organized our thoughts, have rewarded ourselves with our mutual talk of resilience and fortitude, and have further developed a bond of friendship that is rooted in the opportunities of tomorrow rather than just the challenges of today.
Because it's when times are tough that you find the mental fitness to keep going forward - always!
An early morning person, Futurist Jim Carroll often chases the sunrise write after writing his Daily Inspiration. It's his way of chasing optimism. Since golf season starts in a few days, he'll be chasing that optimism while chasing the sunrise while chasing a little small white ball.
Thank you for reading Jim Carroll's Daily Inspiration. This post is public so feel free to share it.