I owe my career success to three traits the first is a love of strategy the
the first is a love of strategy the
the first is a love of strategy the second is a bias for action and the
second is a bias for action and the
second is a bias for action and the third is what friends and colleagues
third is what friends and colleagues
third is what friends and colleagues would describe as an approach to work
would describe as an approach to work
would describe as an approach to work that’s calm cool and collected
that’s calm cool and collected
that’s calm cool and collected in the early morning hours of June 14th
in the early morning hours of June 14th
in the early morning hours of June 14th of this year all three of those traits
of this year all three of those traits
of this year all three of those traits would be tested like never before while
would be tested like never before while
would be tested like never before while on a business retreat at a rented home
on a business retreat at a rented home
on a business retreat at a rented home straight out of Architectural Digest I
straight out of Architectural Digest I
straight out of Architectural Digest I was brutally attacked by drug-crazed
was brutally attacked by drug-crazed
was brutally attacked by drug-crazed intruder I went to bed at 11:00 p.m. and
intruder I went to bed at 11:00 p.m. and
intruder I went to bed at 11:00 p.m. and at roughly 12:30 in the morning the door
at roughly 12:30 in the morning the door
at roughly 12:30 in the morning the door opened up I saw a flood of light from a
opened up I saw a flood of light from a
opened up I saw a flood of light from a hallway I looked at a shadowy figure a
hallway I looked at a shadowy figure a
hallway I looked at a shadowy figure a man and all I could process at 12:30 in
man and all I could process at 12:30 in
man and all I could process at 12:30 in the morning was that it must be one of
the morning was that it must be one of
the morning was that it must be one of the colleagues who was with me on this
the colleagues who was with me on this
the colleagues who was with me on this trip because there were four in the
trip because there were four in the
trip because there were four in the house so I thought surely this is
house so I thought surely this is
house so I thought surely this is somebody pranking me so I turned to the
somebody pranking me so I turned to the
somebody pranking me so I turned to the man and I said cut it out
man and I said cut it out
man and I said cut it out that’s not funny and he replied in a
that’s not funny and he replied in a
that’s not funny and he replied in a cold
cold
cold monotone voice I’m not joking I’m going
monotone voice I’m not joking I’m going
monotone voice I’m not joking I’m going to kill you so I jumped on my bed with
to kill you so I jumped on my bed with
to kill you so I jumped on my bed with my feet Sherly intimidating in my
my feet Sherly intimidating in my
my feet Sherly intimidating in my j-cruise snowflake boxer shorts and
j-cruise snowflake boxer shorts and
j-cruise snowflake boxer shorts and t-shirt
t-shirt
t-shirt and then he came around the bed so I
and then he came around the bed so I
and then he came around the bed so I jumped to the floor and get myself in a
jumped to the floor and get myself in a
jumped to the floor and get myself in a ready position ready for I don’t know
ready position ready for I don’t know
ready position ready for I don’t know quite what because I had no weapons as
quite what because I had no weapons as
quite what because I had no weapons as he came around the bed he began to poke
he came around the bed he began to poke
he came around the bed he began to poke at me he poked and I danced he jabbed
at me he poked and I danced he jabbed
at me he poked and I danced he jabbed and I danced he struck me on the upper
and I danced he struck me on the upper
and I danced he struck me on the upper chest but the wounds were not severe he
chest but the wounds were not severe he
chest but the wounds were not severe he then began to slash at me and he slashed
then began to slash at me and he slashed
then began to slash at me and he slashed me on two sides of my face I wasn’t so
me on two sides of my face I wasn’t so
me on two sides of my face I wasn’t so fortunate I looked at him and I said
fortunate I looked at him and I said
fortunate I looked at him and I said what the f are you doing I think it was
what the f are you doing I think it was
what the f are you doing I think it was quite clear what he was doing he was
quite clear what he was doing he was
quite clear what he was doing he was trying to kill me
trying to kill me
trying to kill me he had already told me that at that
he had already told me that at that
he had already told me that at that point he raised his arm to the sky and
point he raised his arm to the sky and
point he raised his arm to the sky and he hit me as hard as he could with all
he hit me as hard as he could with all
he hit me as hard as he could with all his drug-induced might with a knife
his drug-induced might with a knife
his drug-induced might with a knife sharpener they held in one hand I fell
sharpener they held in one hand I fell
sharpener they held in one hand I fell to the floor six feet below and I was
to the floor six feet below and I was
to the floor six feet below and I was bleeding profusely out of my head into
bleeding profusely out of my head into
bleeding profusely out of my head into my eyes and I had a do-or-die moment as
my eyes and I had a do-or-die moment as
my eyes and I had a do-or-die moment as in do-or-die right now or else so I
in do-or-die right now or else so I
in do-or-die right now or else so I stood up and I took the closest thing I
stood up and I took the closest thing I
stood up and I took the closest thing I had to a weapon which was my forearm I
had to a weapon which was my forearm I
had to a weapon which was my forearm I stuck my forearm out and I charged my
stuck my forearm out and I charged my
stuck my forearm out and I charged my attacker
attacker
attacker I hit him under the chin and we both
I hit him under the chin and we both
I hit him under the chin and we both fell about eight feet into the adjoining
fell about eight feet into the adjoining
fell about eight feet into the adjoining master bathroom I landed on his legs I
master bathroom I landed on his legs I
master bathroom I landed on his legs I pinned him to the ground and his legs
pinned him to the ground and his legs
pinned him to the ground and his legs were incapacitated but the bad news was
were incapacitated but the bad news was
were incapacitated but the bad news was his torso and his arms or not so again
his torso and his arms or not so again
his torso and his arms or not so again he reached to the sky this time with a
he reached to the sky this time with a
he reached to the sky this time with a carving knife where he hit me in the
carving knife where he hit me in the
carving knife where he hit me in the calf again with all his drug-induced
calf again with all his drug-induced
calf again with all his drug-induced might the pain was unlike anything I’ve
might the pain was unlike anything I’ve
might the pain was unlike anything I’ve ever felt he struck me pure I later
ever felt he struck me pure I later
ever felt he struck me pure I later found out the knife snapped in half
at that point I stood up and I screamed
at that point I stood up and I screamed for help with all my might the good news
for help with all my might the good news
for help with all my might the good news was that a colleague had heard the thud
was that a colleague had heard the thud
was that a colleague had heard the thud when the bathroom when we landed in the
when the bathroom when we landed in the
when the bathroom when we landed in the bathroom and he began to run and so when
bathroom and he began to run and so when
bathroom and he began to run and so when I screamed for help I heard the two most
I screamed for help I heard the two most
I screamed for help I heard the two most comforting words I’ve ever heard I’m
comforting words I’ve ever heard I’m
comforting words I’ve ever heard I’m coming and with that I darted out of the
coming and with that I darted out of the
coming and with that I darted out of the room
room
room luckily my attacker was on the other
luckily my attacker was on the other
luckily my attacker was on the other side of me and I uh I went in the
side of me and I uh I went in the
side of me and I uh I went in the opposite direction he was unable to stop
opposite direction he was unable to stop
opposite direction he was unable to stop me we went down the stairs I met my
me we went down the stairs I met my
me we went down the stairs I met my colleague outside the stairs we went
colleague outside the stairs we went
colleague outside the stairs we went down the stairs and my attacker chased
down the stairs and my attacker chased
down the stairs and my attacker chased us down the stairs we fled outside a
us down the stairs we fled outside a
us down the stairs we fled outside a sliding glass window onto the patio we
sliding glass window onto the patio we
sliding glass window onto the patio we ran up a set of stairs outside and we
ran up a set of stairs outside and we
ran up a set of stairs outside and we fleed into the front of the home to a
fleed into the front of the home to a
fleed into the front of the home to a grove of tall pine trees where we waited
grove of tall pine trees where we waited
grove of tall pine trees where we waited for two minutes constantly thinking yet
for two minutes constantly thinking yet
for two minutes constantly thinking yet the attacker would be right around the
the attacker would be right around the
the attacker would be right around the corner at that point my colleague said
corner at that point my colleague said
corner at that point my colleague said we need to try to get to the other house
we need to try to get to the other house
we need to try to get to the other house to get help so we escaped the woods we
to get help so we escaped the woods we
to get help so we escaped the woods we went toward a dirt road and he looked at
went toward a dirt road and he looked at
went toward a dirt road and he looked at me and he said I need you to run because
me and he said I need you to run because
me and he said I need you to run because I’m afraid he’s gonna see us so what did
I’m afraid he’s gonna see us so what did
I’m afraid he’s gonna see us so what did I do
I do
I do I began to run how I ran with my calf
I began to run how I ran with my calf
I began to run how I ran with my calf sliced in half I have no idea I made it
sliced in half I have no idea I made it
sliced in half I have no idea I made it up the hill we got to the other home
up the hill we got to the other home
up the hill we got to the other home it’s now 12:45 in the morning and we
it’s now 12:45 in the morning and we
it’s now 12:45 in the morning and we rang the doorbell but nobody awoke we
rang the doorbell but nobody awoke we
rang the doorbell but nobody awoke we went to the back of the house banged on
went to the back of the house banged on
went to the back of the house banged on windows nobody awoke we went to the
windows nobody awoke we went to the
windows nobody awoke we went to the front of the house and banged and
front of the house and banged and
front of the house and banged and screamed until somebody awoke I went to
screamed until somebody awoke I went to
screamed until somebody awoke I went to the home they took a dish towel and a
the home they took a dish towel and a
the home they took a dish towel and a belt I created a tourniquet on my leg
belt I created a tourniquet on my leg
belt I created a tourniquet on my leg raised my leg we called 9-1-1 and within
raised my leg we called 9-1-1 and within
raised my leg we called 9-1-1 and within about 20 minutes an ambulance was there
about 20 minutes an ambulance was there
about 20 minutes an ambulance was there I was brought to the hospital where I
I was brought to the hospital where I
I was brought to the hospital where I was stabilized prior to surgery and the
was stabilized prior to surgery and the
was stabilized prior to surgery and the good news is I’ve recovered fully
good news is I’ve recovered fully
good news is I’ve recovered fully I wish this real-life horror story on no
I wish this real-life horror story on no
I wish this real-life horror story on no one no one should have to go through
one no one should have to go through
one no one should have to go through that but I think there’s some lessons to
that but I think there’s some lessons to
that but I think there’s some lessons to be learned in adversity and I’d like to
be learned in adversity and I’d like to
be learned in adversity and I’d like to share them with you the first is that
share them with you the first is that
share them with you the first is that relationships are everything and the
relationships are everything and the
relationships are everything and the moments after my attack as I was sitting
moments after my attack as I was sitting
moments after my attack as I was sitting in that hospital bed I never thought of
in that hospital bed I never thought of
in that hospital bed I never thought of my four bedroom house I never thought of
my four bedroom house I never thought of
my four bedroom house I never thought of my supercharged OD I never thought of my
my supercharged OD I never thought of my
my supercharged OD I never thought of my Titleist driver or any of my material
Titleist driver or any of my material
Titleist driver or any of my material possessions I thought of my wife of 24
possessions I thought of my wife of 24
possessions I thought of my wife of 24 years I thought of my kids I thought of
years I thought of my kids I thought of
years I thought of my kids I thought of all the loved ones that my overbooked
all the loved ones that my overbooked
all the loved ones that my overbooked life didn’t allow me to spend time with
life didn’t allow me to spend time with
life didn’t allow me to spend time with so my advice to you is this spend more
so my advice to you is this spend more
so my advice to you is this spend more time on your relationships find time
time on your relationships find time
time on your relationships find time where it doesn’t exist go on more
where it doesn’t exist go on more
where it doesn’t exist go on more vacations with your families and loved
vacations with your families and loved
vacations with your families and loved ones hug your kids more if you don’t
ones hug your kids more if you don’t
ones hug your kids more if you don’t have kids
have kids
have kids hug your dog and if you don’t have a dog
hug your dog and if you don’t have a dog
hug your dog and if you don’t have a dog get one my second lesson relates to the
get one my second lesson relates to the
get one my second lesson relates to the human condition and that is simply there
human condition and that is simply there
human condition and that is simply there is always another gear with my calf
is always another gear with my calf
is always another gear with my calf sliced in half on my head cut open I
sliced in half on my head cut open I
sliced in half on my head cut open I darted out of a room I flew down a set
darted out of a room I flew down a set
darted out of a room I flew down a set of stairs I ran up a set of stairs I ran
of stairs I ran up a set of stairs I ran
of stairs I ran up a set of stairs I ran into the woods
into the woods
into the woods I ran onto a road I ran 200 yards up to
I ran onto a road I ran 200 yards up to
I ran onto a road I ran 200 yards up to another home there’s no way that should
another home there’s no way that should
another home there’s no way that should have happened when the police the next
have happened when the police the next
have happened when the police the next day interviewed me they told me they saw
day interviewed me they told me they saw
day interviewed me they told me they saw every step I took for 300 yards with a
every step I took for 300 yards with a
every step I took for 300 yards with a footprint
footprint
footprint splat footprint splat oh I can say is
splat footprint splat oh I can say is
splat footprint splat oh I can say is when you fight adversity dig deep and
when you fight adversity dig deep and
when you fight adversity dig deep and then dig deeper there is always another
then dig deeper there is always another
then dig deeper there is always another gear
gear
gear my third lesson relates to business I’ve
my third lesson relates to business I’ve
my third lesson relates to business I’ve been in business for 30 years and I’ve
been in business for 30 years and I’ve
been in business for 30 years and I’ve been in very competitive business
been in very competitive business
been in very competitive business environments and I could tell you that
environments and I could tell you that
environments and I could tell you that no matter what business you’re in it’s
no matter what business you’re in it’s
no matter what business you’re in it’s always under attack by your competitors
always under attack by your competitors
always under attack by your competitors if you look at the fortune 500 from the
if you look at the fortune 500 from the
if you look at the fortune 500 from the year 2000 52% of the companies listed
year 2000 52% of the companies listed
year 2000 52% of the companies listed then are no longer listed today why is
then are no longer listed today why is
then are no longer listed today why is that clearly there are companies that
that clearly there are companies that
that clearly there are companies that are using technology and changing the
are using technology and changing the
are using technology and changing the game of how businesses get that done but
game of how businesses get that done but
game of how businesses get that done but beyond that I would actually surmise
beyond that I would actually surmise
beyond that I would actually surmise that a lot of why big businesses are
that a lot of why big businesses are
that a lot of why big businesses are losing is because they’re playing
losing is because they’re playing
losing is because they’re playing defense if you look at it Airbnb is now
defense if you look at it Airbnb is now
defense if you look at it Airbnb is now worth more than the combined Marriott
worth more than the combined Marriott
worth more than the combined Marriott and Starwood Tesla is worth more than
and Starwood Tesla is worth more than
and Starwood Tesla is worth more than General Motors and all its brands why is
General Motors and all its brands why is
General Motors and all its brands why is that
that
that it’s because these brands that are
it’s because these brands that are
it’s because these brands that are starting up are not playing defense
starting up are not playing defense
starting up are not playing defense they’re actually on offense from day one
they’re actually on offense from day one
they’re actually on offense from day one fueled by the power of disruption if you
fueled by the power of disruption if you
fueled by the power of disruption if you think about what happened to me the
think about what happened to me the
think about what happened to me the moment I went on offense was the moment
moment I went on offense was the moment
moment I went on offense was the moment I changed my fate so my last lesson for
I changed my fate so my last lesson for
I changed my fate so my last lesson for you is stop thinking about the present
you is stop thinking about the present
you is stop thinking about the present think about the future
think about the future
think about the future stop playing defense and go on offense
stop playing defense and go on offense
stop playing defense and go on offense it just might save your life
it just might save your life
it just might save your life [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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