Heroes of 9/11 and Other Stories of Selflessness: Lessons

During the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, passengers on United Flight 93 fought off the hijackers who had taken over the plane and stopped the terrorists from striking their intended target. The passengers on the plane, which was the last of the four planes hijacked by the terrorists, had heard of the events at the World Trade Centre and Pentagon and they decided to foil the terrorist’s plan, not minding if the plane crashed. One passenger, Todd Beamer, told a telephone operator of their plan and asked the operator to pray with him. The operator said he heard Beamer say, “Are you ready?” and later, “OK, let’s roll.” The plane eventually crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Since the plane was headed toward the Washington, D.C. area, the passengers apparently thought the hijackers were headed for the White House and could not bear the humiliation of the desecration of the symbol of their government. The phrase “Let’s roll” became a U.S. rallying cry in the war on terrorism.

Kimberly Dear was learning skydiving. On her first ever dive, things went wrong. The plane’s engine failed and the plane was falling rapidly. Kimberly’s instructor, Robert Cook took charge of the situation. He asked Kimberly to sit on his lap; hooked her harness to his and clung to her in order to bear the impact of the fall. He positioned his body to be under hers. When the aircraft hit the ground, Robert’s body absorbed the impact reducing the effect on Kimberly. Robert lost his life but Kimberly survived. He gave up his life to save a stranger.

At 54 years, Shirley Dygert decided to learn skydiving and on her first try things went wrong. When it was time for her instructor, to whom she was harnessed, to open their parachute, it opened only partially. The backup parachute got tangled with the first and they started falling. Dave Hartsock, Shirley’s instructor positioned himself to be under her and when they hit the ground, he bore most of the impact. Dave’s backbone broke and he was paralysed from the neck down while Shirley sustained injuries from which she fully recovered.

On September 19, 2009, a child molester who was running way after assaulting a young girl was stopped by Cameron Aulner. Cameron, a 22-year-old confined to a wheelchair held the fleeing man until the police arrived.

Colton Reeb was attacked by a cougar while on a trip with his family. Colton’s screams caught the attention of Marc Patterson who rushed to his aid and fought off the marauding predator. Colton recovered from the wounds he sustained from the attack.

On a fateful day in January, 2007, Cameron Hollopeter, while standing in a train station, fell down on a track between two rails. Around that time, a train was approaching and Cameron was unable to stand up but luckily Wesley Autrey was around. Seeing that Cameron helpless, Wesley jumped on him and covered him with his body, pushing him down into the gap between the rails. Though the train went over them, Cameron suffered only minor bruises while Wesley didn’t sustain any injury.

In 2010, a gunman attacked Deer Creek Middle School shooting indiscriminately into the crowd of students. Two students were hit. David Benke, a math teacher, heard the shots and decided to do something. He approached the gunman and wrestled him to the ground, where he was assisted by two other members of staff who helped him to dispossess the gunman of his gun.

What can I say about these stories? That the world would be a better place if more people would think not only about themselves but also of others. I am not implying that people die literally for others. But I am asking that we die to our comfort if there’s need. I am asking that we go the extra mile for our neighbour without thinking about what’s in it for us. I am saying that altruism should be our attitude. I am saying we should carry each other’s burden. I am saying we should not be blinded to the needs/welfare/wellbeing of others by our own interests. I am challenging myself to be as humane as I can be. I am telling myself to be willing to inconvenience myself for the good of others.

Why Albert Einstein Does Not Deserve to Be Called a Genius

“Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it’ll spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

The quotation above is one of the quotations attributed to Albert Einstein, himself a genius. How often do we refer to some people as geniuses while we don’t see ourselves as one? Who is a genius? A genius is someone who we see as extremely talented/brilliant; a person of extraordinary intellect/intelligence and talent; an extremely creative person. It is said that a genius has an exceptionally high intelligence quotient, typically above 140.

We usually think a genius knows everything and is almost always right. It is obvious that Albert Einstein exhibited some of the traits of a genius, but if some facts about him (which are presented below) are critically considered, he should not be considered a genius. The main thrust of this piece is that we can all be geniuses, if only we concentrate on our strengths and ignore our weaknesses and distractions. Those we call geniuses are those who developed their areas of strength.

The following individuals are some of the persons who have been able to stand themselves out in their various endeavours and whom I consider geniuses: Lionel Messi, Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Helen Keller, Mary Kay Ash, Christiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federrer, Tiger Woods, Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwakwo, Mesut Ozil (this is not because I support Arsenal FC), Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg, Joseph Prince, T. D. Jakes, Michael Jackson, Gbenga Adeboye, Michael Jordan, David Oyedepo, Larry King Jr., Don Moen, Mahatma Ghandi, John Maxwell, etc.

I want you to consider the following facts about Albert Einstein and see if they are fitting for not just a genius but Time Magazine Person of Century.

1.    Einstein was a very late starter.  He began to talk at four and had to try out entire sentences in his head or muttered them under his breath until he got them right before speaking aloud. He did this until he became fluent at 9.

2.    He failed his university entrance exam. He passed the math and science aspects of the exam but failed in history, languages and geography. He had to go to a trade school before taking the exam again the following year.

3.    He had a poor memory and often forgot birthdays of relatives and his home address. He did not know his phone number. There is a story that when he was working in Princeton University, one day he forgot his home address on his way home. The driver of the cab did not recognise him. Einstein asked the driver if he knows Einstein's home. The driver said "Who does not know Einstein's address? Everyone in Princeton knows. Do you want to meet him? Einstein replied "I am Einstein. I forgot my home address, can you take me there? The driver took him to his home and did not collect his fare from him. It is also said that it was not uncommon to see Einstein wandering around the Princeton area in the afternoon because he could not remember where he lived.

4.    Though he was a genius in physics, he was bad at spelling and he never learned how to drive a car. He was often seen riding a bicycle or walking.

5.    When he was offered the presidency of Israel, he declined the offer and stated in his official letter of refusal he lacked the "natural aptitude and the experience to deal properly with people," and that he was getting old.

6.    He was estranged from his wife; had a difficult relationship with his first son and allegedly had an illegitimate daughter. He was also a serious smoker.

So what is your conclusion after reading the foregoing facts? Einstein was a late starter but the general assumption is that geniuses can be recognised from childhood. He failed his university entrance examination. Do geniuses ever fail in their studies? Einstein had a poor memory and even forgot his home address! A genius who forgets things easily seems unheard of. He was also not good at spelling. What kind of genius is that? I thought geniuses had photographic memories!

So what was Einstein’s secret? From his quote above, I can conclude that he knew very well to concentrate on his area of strength. He knew his limitations and that was why he rejected the offer to become the president of Israel. How many of us can turn down such an offer of a lifetime? That Einstein had marital and family challenges, and that he was a chain smoker show to us that geniuses are also humans who have their own frailties.

Let me state here before you start getting me wrong that I strongly believe that Einstein was a genius. In fact, I believe he was one of the brightest minds to have ever lived and that he deserves to be called a genius. Yes, he deserves to be called a genius.

The point I am driving at is that a genius is not someone who is perfect but someone who knows how to exploit his strengths (and understands his limitations). I believe all of us can reach the level of a genius, if only we can concentrate on our strongest areas.

Thousands of geniuses live and die undiscovered - either by themselves or by others.                  - Mark Twain

Mentality of the Poor: Incredible Stories of Lottery Winners Who Blew Their Fortunes

I came across the following stories on businessinsider.com and felt compelled to share them. Sincerely, these stories will elicit different kinds of reaction from you but after reading this post, I urge you to not just shake your head but to make a commitment that you will never again think like the poor. Enjoy the read.

In 2004, Sharon Tirabassi, a single mother who had been on welfare won $10,569,00.10 (Canadian). She spent her winnings by buying a big house, fancy cars, designer clothes; throwing lavish parties, embarking on exotic trips and giving handouts to family and loans to friends. Now, less than a decade after, she rides buses, works part-time and lives in a rented house. But she was fortunate to have put some of the money in trusts for her six children, who can claim their money when they turn 26.

Evelyn Adams won the lottery twice; in 1985 and in 1986. She won a total of $5.4 million but she gambled it all away at Atlantic City. Today she resides in a trailer park.

Michael Carroll won a £9.7 million jackpot in 2002. But he spent his fortune on cocaine, parties, hookers and cars, and in five years lost everything. After blowing his fortune, Michael, an ex-garbage man, was reported to be trying to get his old job back.

In 2002, Andrew Jackson Whittaker Jr. received $114 million after taxes from a draw. But on two occasions, he was robbed of $745,000 which he stashed in his car. He was was sued by Caesar's Atlantic City for allegedly bouncing $1.5 million in checks and within four years, his fortune was gone.

Billy Bob Harrell Jr. won $31 million in 1997. He bought a ranch, six homes and some cars. But he was unable to say ‘no’ to people who asked him for gifts. He eventually divorced and committed suicide.

In 1989, Willie Hurt hit a $3.1 million jackpot. Only two years later, he was divorced, lost custody of his children, was charged with attempted murder and became a crack-cocaine addict. The habit was so bad, it sucked away his entire fortune.

In 1993, Janite Lee won $18 million but she blew it on charity - A reading room was named after her at Washington University's law school, and she was a major donor for the Democratic Party – gambling and credit card debt. She filed for bankruptcy in 2001.

Luke Pittard won £1.3 million in 2006 but spent it all on a trip to the Canary Islands, a wedding and a house. A year and a half later, he was forced to take a job at McDonald's flipping burgers. He says he's happy, and his leftover winnings collect interest.

In 1988 William "Bud" Post won $16.2 million but an ex-girlfriend sued him for a share of the winnings and won; his brother hired a hit man hoping to inherit some winnings and relatives incessantly bugged him for money. Within a year, Post was $1 million in debt and filing for bankruptcy. Now he lives on food stamps and a $450/month stipend.

In 1998, Gerald Muswagon won $10 million. But he wasted it all in seven years, drinking and partying. He hanged himself in his parents' garage in 2005.

Alex and Rhoda Toth won $13 million in 1990. Within 15 years they were destitute. The couple declared bankruptcy and were eventually accused of tax evasion by the IRS. Alex passed away before his case went to trial and Rhoda eventually served two years in prison.

Vivian Nicholson won a fortune £152,300 in 1961 and she blew it all on clothes. She is now jobless

Callie Rogers won £1.9 million in 2003 at age 16. She married a loser, had two children, and blew the rest on partying, vacations and gift. She now works as a cleaning woman and is reportedly facing bankruptcy.

After the reading the stories, a thought that I have been pondering upon for some time now was again brought to the fore: wealth is about the mentality one possesses and not what one has in one’s purse/account. The stories bring to light, the mentality of the poor. The following are some of the lessons I learned from the stories. People are poor because they: make bad (financial) decisions; mismanage their resources; live beyond their means; are unable to create wealth; do not invest and do not have (financial) goals.

So, when some people come into sudden wealth, they are unable to sustain such and they eventually find themselves back in poverty. Since they didn’t create the wealth they had in the first place or maybe they had a lucky break in business, they can’t create wealth again and again. They don’t even know how to create wealth. So, they are always depending on luck.

My decision from now on is to be a committed, conscious and deliberate wealth creator.

P. S. I want to state that I don’t think all lottery winners blow their wealth. I believe there are stories of those who made judicious use of their fortune.

Miracle on Ice and Other Remarkable Upset Stories

I watched a film recently, Glory Road, in which a coach led the first all-black starting line-up for a college basketball team to win the NCAA national championship in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. After watching the film, I decided to do a search of some of the greatest upsets in sports and American politics. Why American politics? I can’t really explain. Or maybe because I love American politics. But below are some of the stories I found. They are just a few of the stories I came across but I hope you find them enlightening.

On February 22, 1980 during the Winter Olymics at Lake Placid, New York, the United States Olympic ice hockey team, made up of amateur and collegiate players, defeated the Soviet team, which had won nearly every world championship and Olympic tournament since 1954. The Americans had gone into the third period 3-2 down but scored two goals during the period to the consternation of the Soviets. The U.S. team went on to claim the gold medal in the sport. The US victory of that day has been dubbed Miracle on Ice and movies have even been produced based on the events of that day.

In 1948, in what is widely considered the greatest upset in American presidential politics, Democratic incumbent Harry S. Truman defeated his Republican challenger Thomas Dewey. A newspaper had already published Dewey’s victory in advance.

In the 1976 United States presidential election, relatively unknown former governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter defeated the incumbent President Gerald Ford.

In 1978, Muhammad Ali lost to Leon Spinks in a match many had thought would be an easy win for Ali.

In 1990, Mike Tyson was beaten with a technical knockout (TKO) by James Butler Douglas, a no-name in the world of boxing. Tyson, in his penultimate fight had knocked out his opponents in 93 seconds.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Rulon Gardner defeated facing the best wrestler in the history of the sport, Aleksandr Karelin in the super-heavyweight gold medal match. Karelin hadn't lost a match in 13 years, and hadn't even surrendered a point to an opponent in the six years before the final at Sydney.

Greece won Euro 2004 without a single star player. During her stunning run, Greece beat defending champions France in the knockout stage and Portugal in the final.

On June 24, 2013, at the 2013 Wimbledon, Steve Darcis, ranked the 135th tennis player in the world, beat two-time former champion, 12 Grand Slam winners and Olympic gold medalist, Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the first round at Wimbledon just two weeks after Nadal won his eighth French Open.

What do these stories teach me? That no matter the odds I am up against, I should believe in myself. I should not write myself off without even making a try. That seemingly insurmountable opposition may not be as difficult as it seems. That seemingly invincible enemy may have his Achilles’ heel after all. Self-defeatism is bad for me. Why? Self-defeatism or self doubt will paralyse me in the face of opposition. If I believe in myself, I can achieve great things. In the greatest upset story I have ever heard, David exhibited self-confidence in his fight with Goliath and he won. Every other person in the army of the Israelites was already defeated in his mind but David refused to be intimidated and he went out and defeated the giant.

“Our doubts are traitors, 
and make us lose the good we oft might win, 
by fearing to attempt.” 
― William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure



“If you hear a voice within you say „you cannot paint“, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” 
― Vincent van Gogh