FROM driving a taxi to running a multi-million dollar company. Mr John Federoff might just be the perfect definition of a late-bloomer, having gone back to complete his studies when he was 39.
Six years later, when he was 45, the father of three graduated with two degrees and a Master of Business Administration.
Now at 60, when most people may be making retirement plans, Mr Federoff considers himself at the peak of his career. He is expanding his mining equipment business, making plans to hire more people and seeking new clients and new markets.
'He also took the trouble of learning the language and the business culture so you could say he continued his education after finishing the MBA.'
Looking back, Mr Federoff said, the most frustrating part of his life was being in a 'rut'. His family was poor and he was caught in the vicious cycle, he said.
'I had to make a concerted effort to break the hold. I did it for my children, or the cycle will never end.' His eldest daughter now runs a business developing real estate, his son is a sales engineer and his youngest daughter is a ski instructor.
He said: 'A person's future depends on his mindset. Determination, hard work, sacrifice and a positive attitude can raise most people above their circumstances.' "
I like to congratulate Mr. Federoff for his achievement in the business arena. It is no mean feast.
The lessons for me:
1. To break out of the 'rut', one has to see a different future. That required an open mindset. That required allowing yourself permission to say 'No' to status quo. To decide that you CAN change things around IF you have a vision that is worth pursuing!;
2. Once you have set up your visions, the hard work begin! You need to enable yourself by taking actions to address the gap identified after taking stock of what is required to achieve the visions against what you have now;
3. As you empowered yourself to execute, you keep to the plan. You inspect what you expect. You utilize, mobilize whatever resources at your disposal and other people who had resources that you don't have to keep working on achieving the objectives! There is no 'free lunch'. You harvest what you sowed!
It is great that his story is told. That he be the example that inspire others who are in the 'rut'. Finally, he has to maintain a sense of reality about his achievement. It is good. But it is nothing to lose your head or get your head so big that it begins to drag you down. ;-)
So, the lesson MUST be focused on: You can achieve and then you must remain humble and diligent for the success to be a sustainable one!!
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