Joe’s Story

Walking, running, swimming, just standing up. Things most of us take for granted. I certainly do.

But what if those luxuries were taken away from you?

• How would you respond?

• What would be your mindset?

• How would you live your life?

• Would you find purpose or stew in misery as a victim of fate?

For Joe Guintu, these were the questions he had to answer as a young man after a picture-perfect day learning to surf.

There was no spectacular accident, but Joe suffered a rare spinal-cord injury and, within 7 hours of the surf lesson, he was paralyzed, something that has stayed with him to this day.

What I love about Joe’s story is the way in which he has tackled life over the past 16 years.

Joe quickly shed a victim mindset and transitioned into one of empowerment, which doesn’t let the injury define him.

He’s created a beautiful life with his wife (they were dating on the day of the injury) and 3 loving kids.

Joe doesn’t believe his life is lacking just because he can’t walk. In fact, the act of visioning helps him see a future that would otherwise seem impossible (spoiler, he’s now an actor).

He credits meditation as the most intentional thing he does to manage his state.

Joe doesn’t waste a lot of time focusing on things he can’t control.

And most inspiring to me, he’s mindful of how his temperament impacts others.

I’ve been asking myself if I would be half the person Joe is under similar circumstances. Someone who’s making an impact on this world, someone who’s chasing his dreams, and someone who has a mindset that doesn’t allow the disability to put limitations on what he can and can’t do.

Enjoy...

If you’re still reading, I have a few asks:

• Go to Apple Podcasts and give the show a rating. It does wonders to bring exposure to my guest's’ incredible stories.

• If you have a kick-ass story or you know someone who does, hit me up. On social media: Mike Kearney on LinkedIn and mkearney33 on Twitter You can also email me at [email protected].

• Share Joe’s story with your family and friends and have them subscribe to this newsletter (if they find it interesting, of course).

Noodle on…

A few questions to contemplate after hearing Joe’s courage, optimism, and love for life…

• What are you grateful for that you take for granted?

• How are you allowing the hard things in life impact the way you treat others?

• What’s something that’s out of your control that you should give less energy?

• How are you creating your own luck?

• How are you really showing up for that person who needs help?

Bonus material

Five years ago, I wrote on LinkedIn a scary-as-hell experience that I had in Costa Rica when my son and I got caught in a rip-tide.

I share because my son and I were lucky. We walked away unscathed. That may be one of the reasons why Joe’s story touches me so deep. He wasn’t offered the same fate.

What I still ponder to this day – and what I wrote about in the article – is why we let life-altering experiences float away. In the moment, we often gain a new-found clarity that defines what matters and what doesn’t. But as the days and weeks pass the urgency to live a life free of the bullshit that consumes us (title, pay, big house, etc.) goes away.

Going back to Costa Rica earlier this month reminded me to never forget these moments. That’s why I close every podcast conversation with the quote below.

I encourage you to ask yourself what are you giving up this day for.

Joe knows better than anyone the fragility of life and, despite his disability, is living everyday as if it’s his last.

And that is the gift that Joe bestowed onto me.

Pura Vida

PS - Joe was caught up in the tech layoffs. Check out his LinkedIn profile (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jguintu/) and let him know if you are aware of any opportunities. He’s got almost 2 decades of experience in Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, and Cybersecurity.