The first blog post of August was from our CEO, James Hedden. He wrote about the incredible people and athletes who competed in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. He commented on their dedication to being the best in their sport and how Olympics athletes’ dedication and hard work can be used as an example for business owners and start-ups. Although the contents are different, both must follow the same process to reach their goals and succeed in each profession. Both must also have the mental strength fortitude to overcome the various setbacks and difficulties that they face. 

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 has finished with much fanfare, and the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 has started. What an amazing and impressive event. Even the opening ceremony was viewed by 25% of the Japanese population here in Japan! The Tokyo Paralympics has left me in total awe and much respect for these athletes and their accomplishments. The difficulties they have had to overcome on their journey to becoming Olympic Athletes are unfathomable. Not just to compete at this level, but also the struggles they must overcome in their daily lives. 

Have you ever thought, “Why me?” I’m sure most of you, if not all of you, reading this article, has thought this before. I know I have, and not just once or twice. Depending on the day and what I am dealing with, I probably have thought it many times. But after watching the Tokyo Paralympics, I realized I have no right to have this thought. Sure, our lives are not perfect, and we all deal with troubles, but when I see the Paralympians competing and giving it their 110%, I realize my situation is not that tough. I realized again that nothing is impossible if you want something bad enough and effort to achieve it!

If you told me someone with no arms could swim, I would have said that is impossible until I watched Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo win the gold medal in the Men’s 200m Freestyle. He also won a silver medal in the Men’s 100m Backstroke. Watching him swim, as well as all the other Paralympians, brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. I was honestly impressed with the feats they have accomplished. Watching the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 has warmed my heart and has given me a renewed understanding that anything is possible with the right commitment, persistence, and mindset