Why I Believe in Miracles I went from being a problem to society to being a CEO of multiple companies. Miracles are real.
By Grant Cardone Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
During the 1980 Olympic Games, the U.S. went up against the legendary Soviet Union hockey juggernaut. With the world watching, the U.S. underdogs rose to the occasion and TV broadcaster Al Michaels' famously yelled, "Do you believe in miracles?"
Yes, I do believe in miracles. No sporting event ever made me a believer. My life made me a believer.
Let me take you back to my childhood. When I was 10, my Dad died of a heart attack. Growing up without the direction of a father was difficult. Most of my teenage and early adult years I was described as "out of control" and "troubled." In high school, I had problems with authority figures, which accelerated to abusing drugs, abusing alcohol which turned into not keeping a job. So I became bitter and resentful.
Then, when I was twenty, I lost my older brother. Another hit to my family, my direction and my life.
Later, in my early twenties, I got beat up so bad I nearly lost my life.I still have the scars today.
My drug problem progressed to the point where I had to put myself in a treatment facility. At 25 I was financially and emotionally broke, I lacked direction, and I was a problem to society and to my family.
Today, at age 58, I'm financially on my way to a becoming a billionaire and emotionally I've never been happier. I wake up each day with purpose. I know where I'm going and what I'm doing. If you knew me 35 years ago and compared me then to today, you too would believe in miracles.
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Going from a problem to society who couldn't go one day without drugs to a CEO of multiple companies producing millions and millions of dollars of revenue each month and working with Fortune 500 companies, the question should be asked -- how did this miracle happen?
A person told me, "Life isn't about what has happened, it's about what you make happen."
That simple idea that my future was more important than my past began a shift that allowed me to start creating on my life rather than being a mere spectator of it. I quit the drug thing cold turkey, despite being told to get on prescription drugs to help me handle my "other" problems. Instead, I made a life-saving decision. I took all of the energy and misdirection I had been wasting and threw 100 percent of myself into my job.
The miracle in my life happened because of the 100 percent philosophy.
I began showing up early and staying late. I hit the wall and went all the way. You too can make a miracle happen if you quit putting half of yourself into something and put yourself 100 percent into something. Giving 100 percent gives success in such large proportions that it changes lives forever. Doing things part way never feels as good as going over the top does. Go over the top. See, it's better to crash going all the way than playing it safe and never feeling anything.
Try this: for no apparent reason at all start clapping. Go ahead and clap. Give a 5-second applause to your new 100 percent commitment. Do it.
How did it feel?
Did you give 50 percent to that applause? Was it 75 percent? Was it 100 percent? I doubt it. This time, I want you to go all the way. Put your hands together and applaud for being alive. Freak yourself out and hit the wall. Clap for a moment and give it 100 percent.
Do it.
Now how do you feel?
Does your body feel different? Do you feel the energy?
Now show up and go 100 percent every day in every way. If I'm at Starbucks and saying thanks for the coffee I'm going to pour it on. "Hey, that's a great coffee, I appreciate you making it just like I like. Here's a tip for you, and by the way, you have great arms." Her whole being will light up. It's not hitting on somebody, it's saying thank you at 100 percent. She brightens up, I brighten up, she feels better, I feel better and we're both happier.
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If I have a party, it will be a PARTY. People come for the circus because they know I'm 100 percent all-in at my parties. I'm fully alive and anything can happen as I'm going for the possibilities and the excitement. People like being around me because of that. I don't feel good when I'm not going 100 percent. It's a great way to live being at 100 percent. It's caused me problems. Being at 100 percent has caused me lots of problems, lots of judgments from other people and I've gotten into difficulties. But I would rather have problems because I live at 100 percent than have problems from living at 25 percent or 50 percent.
I'd rather learn how to bring it in rather than get it up.
Be 100 percent with your enthusiasm. Be 100 percent about your goals. You want to hit the wall before your competition hits the wall. How many walls can you hit? I want to hit them all. Because sooner or later I'm going to be going 100 percent and there isn't going to be a wall but rather success on the other side.
My life is a miracle and it's because I began to take the game of sales seriously. I went all-in at 100 percent. Going from where I was 35 years ago to where I am today is every bit a rags-to-riches story as you will ever find. It's a greater miracle than what happened in the 1980 Olympics, and it's a miracle that anybody can make happen. I promise you though -- any miracle that you create in your life will involve the 100 percent philosophy.
