Firepreneurs Episode Title: Get 1% Better. What all of us can learn from Chris Nikic, the 1st person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman.
What can all of us learn from Chris Nikic? A LOT. As the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman, we have much to learn from this young man. Perseverance, goal setting, how to create daily behaviors or make incremental gains that lead to Massive Action and Massive Gains. So Much!
However, we aren’t going to steal Chris’ thunder. He says it all in his acceptance speech from the Espy’s where he won the Jimmy V Award for perseverance.
Jimmy V recipient Chris Nikic’s inspiring 2021 ESPYS speech
“When your feet hurt, it doesn’t mean you can’t walk… it just means your feet will hurt less if you stop walking”
Cocoon and the Struggle to emerge as a butterfly. Making the chrysalis a bit bigger to help the butterfly emerge.
“I am an Ironman, Adidas athlete, public speaker, author, and as you can see ladies, I am adorable, single and available!” Nikic told the crowd as he kicked off his acceptance speech.
“People ask, how did I overcome so many obstacles?” he continued. “Easy. I just got one percent better every day. Three years ago, I was 18, overweight, out of shape, excluded and isolated. But my dream was to be like you, to be included, to be independent, and to marry an amazing woman like my mom.
“1. Get one percent better every day. 2. I work hard and 3. As Jimmy V said, ‘Don’t give up… Don’t ever give up,’ ” Nikic explained. “It’s easy to make excuses and quit. I don’t do excuses, and I don’t quit… because my dream is bigger than my pain.”