Adversity's Match

“How have you been able to keep this going all of these years?” – Jennifer Meyer

Adversity’s Match

There were brightly burning fires on the other side of the window.  They seemed to have been perfectly placed as an exclamation mark on our conversation.

“How have you been able to keep this going all of these years?” Jennifer asked our friend Brad Bertoch.

She looked across the table in anticipation of his answer.  I watched them both.

I knew there was no way for Brad to answer that question adequately.  After all, his life over the past thirty-one years contains the whole answer.  I haven’t been by his side for all of those years.  But, I’ve been walking with him for twenty-five of them, a witness to his dedication to improve the lives of thousands.

Brad has been the driving force behind a nonprofit corporation that he has almost singlehandedly kept moving forward.  His performance of perseverance and optimism contains all of the ingredients you and I need to emulate in our own lives.  Everyone can benefit from Brad’s extraordinary traits.

Brad’s deeply held belief keeps his heart’s flame burning.  As a young man Brad surrounded himself with some of the technology-economy’s brightest entrepreneurs.  In doing so he was able to watch how they transformed our world though their work and passion.  This experience allowed him to move beyond belief and to know that “the human condition could be improved as a result of technical entrepreneurship.”

Brad examined his belief in great detail so he could formulate a life path that would allow him to actively engage.  In doing so he has become the embodiment of his core principles. 

He created a nonprofit corporation dedicated to bring his vision in to the lives of hundreds of people.  As a result a strong network of like-minded individuals, who share his view of the world, have surrounded him to combine their efforts for the betterment of human kind.

The work of Brad and his network is very complex, and beyond the grasp of many people, so he created a simplified system that empowers everyone.  In fact, his systems appear to be so basic that the vast majority of people completely miss its elegance.  But, that’s only part of the story.  Even if participants never see beyond the process’ surface and still participate, they still benefit.

I’ve watched as others have proclaimed the certain demise of both Brad and his company.  “The game has passed him by.” Some have said.  Economic conditions have faded on several occasions causing his funding to be in peril.  Competitors seem to be pounding at every door and window in a constant barrage.  Yet, through it all Brad’s heart-felt flame continues to flicker as if it is to be an eternal flame.  His heart’s internal burning allows him to stand tall against all to proclaim, “I’ve seen this before.  I’ve been through it all, I know what we’re doing works and we’re still doing it the right way!”

Brad’s way of becoming adversity’s match will work for you and me as well.  Find your deeply held belief, surround yourself with others who will stoke your passion’s flame, become the embodiment of your core values, devise ways to powerfully simplify your life’s purpose so your internal fire can enable you to stand tall and firm in your right path.