Eye Contact

A couple of days ago I visited Parkside Jr High School in Normal, Illinois. So far during Running America, I have been to a few elementary schools but this was my first Jr High. I was nervous because I have teenagers at home and they have a different attitude than the younger kids. Anyone with teenagers knows that. Teenagers are more self conscious and therefore less likely to engage an adult. It’s not that they aren’t interested but the possibility of embarrassment outweighs everything else.

I entered the designated room at Parkside and there sat about 60 or so kids. As a group, these kids tend to be referred to as “special needs” kids. As far as I can tell, all kids fit into this category. Not because they might need some extra help or because they have some kind of handicap. Instead, they should be considered “special needs” because all kids need to be noticed. All kids need guidance and motivation. All kids need to know that somebody cares. All kids need eye contact.

This group of kids at Parkside was fantastic. They were genuinely enthusiastic about my visit. I am always amazed when I hear that kids are tracking me online. Hopefully they learn something about geography and nutrition and motivation. And in turn I am inspired when I meet them. And my job is really simple. All I have to do is acknowledge each kid. With some, this can be done with words or a touch on the shoulder or sharing a laugh. But there is one requirement that is absolute in my opinion. EYE CONTACT. Many of these kids can’t speak and struggle to control uncooperative bodies. None of this is a barrier to communication though. If I can make eye contact then they know that I have seen them and vice versa.

After I talked to them for a while and showed a couple of movie clips from Running the Sahara, we all went outside to run around the track. I ended up running with JJ. He was confined to a wheelchair so I pushed him…….fast!!! He clearly liked to go fast and we passed almost everybody else. I wondered if this made him feel free. I could feel the energy just pouring off of him. Even now, a couple of days later and hundreds of miles away, I can still feel his hand on my arm. And his eyes. I won’t forget JJ or any of the other kids at Parkside.

While at Parkside, I answered a few questions for teachers too. One teacher had lost a lot of weight and was wondering how to stay motivated. I get this question a lot. It reminded me of a presentation that I did for AXA Equitable several months ago. A woman there asked me about motivation and she was practically in tears. I could see that she wanted to be healthier but was afraid that she would not be able to maintain a fitness program. I simply told her that lifestyle changes are slow and steady and you get lots of do-overs. Perfection is impossible. Be gentle and realistic. But you must commit to the lifestyle change. Does this sound like a contradiction. I guess it is. The point is we all know ourselves. We know if we REALLY mean it. We know if we have the courage of our convictions.

AXA is a very interesting company to me. I was originally hired to speak at a couple of corporate events for them. I was speaking primarily to the highest achievers in the company. I wondered what they could possible learn from me. I assumed that these people were the elite and that I probably didn’t have that much in common with them. But I would do my best to tell my story and hopefully they would get something out of it. As it turns out, these AXA high achievers were nothing like I expected. They didn’t reach the top of their industry because they were elite or went to the best colleges. In fact the opposite was true. They were the best at what they do because they are good listeners. They have a genuine desire to help others. And of course it is a business. But these people know that the only way to achieve their own personal goals is to help others get what they want. It might be a comfortable retirement or the ability to keep working forever. Whatever it is, AXA can help.

I have really specific goals in my life, a mission if you will. Frankly I never really thought that I needed much help to achieve those goals. When I met the folks at AXA, I began to realize that I could use some help. By getting advice and guidance from an AXA advisor, I could spend more time focused on my goals. In fact, I liked the company so much that I asked for their support for RUNNING AMERICA. Even during these tumultuous financial times, AXA recognized the value of reaching people through direct contact. Those that know me know that I do not partner with anyone or any company that I do not believe in. I just can’t do it if I can’t visualize myself talking about that company. With AXA, it has been a great fit. Our core values match very well. Hard work and consistency will get the job done.

Okay, I am off to the wonderful world of cycling. My bike needed some repairs last night and I am grateful that I found Dennis, a retired high school biology teacher, to help replace a spoke in his garage last night. Life is weird and interesting.

Charlie