I enjoyed reading about Les Brown a former accountant with an investment firm out of West Palm Beach Fla.. who just may be on the threshold of a nice NFL career. Whats more interesting, is that it almost didnt happen!!
Les Brown was a college dropout who decided to take a longshot by attempting the near impossible! (becoming a NFL player) Being an accountant is a respected profession, businesses have a dire need for them. Here was this young man in his early 20s who had the dream.. if you looked at him, you would have said, "hmm not your typical accountant."
John had a dream, to play in the NFL. Now granted many young men do, but John had the raw athletic ability. However John did not even play college ball, however his brother was an offensive tackle for the Cougars of BYU, but John never played organized ball. The clock was ticking on his dream, so he asked his brother to arrange a tryout at the PRO day workouts onthe BYU campus. Who did this guy think he was? After all only a small fraction of DIV 1 schools produce NFL roster players.
First shockwave, his workouts...He vertical jumped 39 inches and his 40 times was at 4.4. great for anybody, but phenomenal for a guy in a 6 foot 4, 255 pound frame!!.. Enter Brian Gaines, director of player personnel for the Miami Dolphins. Brian had offered Les a tryout with the Dolphins in South Florida..
To prepare for the opportunity, he quit his job (normal security) to prepare for the workout at a 3 week pro facility in Hawai, with Ikei. After wowing the Dolphins, he signed a minimum contract with a small signing bonus. Wow, did you just read what I wrote??
An accountant chases a dream..despite not playing college football and drops a secure career with Huntsman Capital, in a prestigous business! That my friends, is a perfect example of the American dream in a nutshell. That is the power to change your destiny by sailing your boat in another direction.
Lets see if we can review this:
He overcame doubt and fear and took action.
He saw an opportunity and thought he had a chance.
He acted on that opportunity, but preparing himself. he put himself in the best position to win!
he worked the angles, His brother had pull with BYU that allowed him the workout to get his name out there!
Now the fact that his brother played college football helped of course, The fact that maybe his father who runs Huntsman Capital had strings to pull with Steve Young, who is a managing partner helped, sure it did! We all need some help and some luck.
Lessons we can learn from Les.
One for some dreams it is not too late, You can go after them now!
Two you have to prepare yourself for that dream and train hard!
You have tute your own horn, no meek and mild here. If he didnt where would Les be today?.. back in that office,as a bean counter.
You cant listen to your friends, well meaning as they may be. They told Les, as you can imagine.! Les you screwing up a good career in your fathers business! Use some good sense.
Ironically today many of todays great businesses are the result of that very thing. The very naysayers of today benefit from the Googles, Starbucks, and the Amazons of the world!
For a interesting sidelight take a look at Forbes business site and you will find a mulitplicity of business success from every quarter. Take a look at your paper, our local paper features one almost every week. Heres to you Les Brown!!http://www.wpbf.com/news/sports/Accountant-Les-Brown-signs-contract-with-Miami-Dolphins/-/8789130/11238434/-/c0d07sz/-/index.html
Les Brown was a college dropout who decided to take a longshot by attempting the near impossible! (becoming a NFL player) Being an accountant is a respected profession, businesses have a dire need for them. Here was this young man in his early 20s who had the dream.. if you looked at him, you would have said, "hmm not your typical accountant."
John had a dream, to play in the NFL. Now granted many young men do, but John had the raw athletic ability. However John did not even play college ball, however his brother was an offensive tackle for the Cougars of BYU, but John never played organized ball. The clock was ticking on his dream, so he asked his brother to arrange a tryout at the PRO day workouts onthe BYU campus. Who did this guy think he was? After all only a small fraction of DIV 1 schools produce NFL roster players.
First shockwave, his workouts...He vertical jumped 39 inches and his 40 times was at 4.4. great for anybody, but phenomenal for a guy in a 6 foot 4, 255 pound frame!!.. Enter Brian Gaines, director of player personnel for the Miami Dolphins. Brian had offered Les a tryout with the Dolphins in South Florida..
To prepare for the opportunity, he quit his job (normal security) to prepare for the workout at a 3 week pro facility in Hawai, with Ikei. After wowing the Dolphins, he signed a minimum contract with a small signing bonus. Wow, did you just read what I wrote??
An accountant chases a dream..despite not playing college football and drops a secure career with Huntsman Capital, in a prestigous business! That my friends, is a perfect example of the American dream in a nutshell. That is the power to change your destiny by sailing your boat in another direction.
Lets see if we can review this:
He overcame doubt and fear and took action.
He saw an opportunity and thought he had a chance.
He acted on that opportunity, but preparing himself. he put himself in the best position to win!
he worked the angles, His brother had pull with BYU that allowed him the workout to get his name out there!
Now the fact that his brother played college football helped of course, The fact that maybe his father who runs Huntsman Capital had strings to pull with Steve Young, who is a managing partner helped, sure it did! We all need some help and some luck.
Lessons we can learn from Les.
One for some dreams it is not too late, You can go after them now!
Two you have to prepare yourself for that dream and train hard!
You have tute your own horn, no meek and mild here. If he didnt where would Les be today?.. back in that office,as a bean counter.
You cant listen to your friends, well meaning as they may be. They told Les, as you can imagine.! Les you screwing up a good career in your fathers business! Use some good sense.
Ironically today many of todays great businesses are the result of that very thing. The very naysayers of today benefit from the Googles, Starbucks, and the Amazons of the world!
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