You are getting this update with Mother’s Day still fresh in our minds. Unless you live in a cave,  you probably heard Kevin Durant’s acceptance speech last week when named the NBA’s MVP. He gave an impassioned testimony to his Mother for her support and the lessons she taught him and his family. Kevin is a humble man and great example for young men everywhere.
It caused me to reflect on my accomplishments in life and what positive attributes I learned from my Mother. First, I learned about dealing with what seemed like insurmountable challenges and coming back strong. After going through a divorce in her middle-age years, my Mom got an entry level job, went to school at night and had a successful 25-year career with one company, retiring in a senior leadership role. She did this while providing for my brother and myself, and although we were not wealthy, we never wanted for anything that we needed.  Secondly, I also learned about hard work. She got up at the crack of dawn and made breakfast, got us ready for school, drove 45 minutes to work and followed that up with classes three nights per week. Each evening she would prepare the next evening’s dinner and show me how to prepare it for my brother and myself. She never missed a day of work and was a loyal and hard-working employee. My final lesson was learning to deal with challenges and failures while remaining calm and maintaining a positive attitude.
While I am not as famous or successful as Kevin Durant, nor on a national stage, this is my public thank you to a great Mom!
What did you learn from yours?
Weekly Wisdom by Jerry Rollins, CEO/Chairman of Sage Executive Group