Overcome Life’s Mountains and Challenges with One Foot in Front of the Other
Welcome to the Live Great Movement blog called Stories of Greatness. Each week, we highlight someone who is applying the principles of the Live Great Movement to make a positive impact on their life and the lives of others in their community.
Meet Justin Bingham
Let me introduce you to Justin Bingham. Justin is a successful entrepreneur and one of the great humans on the planet. He currently is the CEO of Opiniion, a technology company that helps businesses automate the collection of their online reviews. He is also an awesome husband and a father to four children. One of his twin sons named Landon has cerebral palsy. We will talk about Landon a little later.
Saving a Frozen Cat
Justin also became internet famous for a time he saved a frozen cat. You can check out the video that has had over 6 million views on YouTube here.
Goal Setting and Being in Motion
Justin uses goal setting and being motion to find happiness and success in his life. Goal Setting and Motion are two principles of the Live Great Movement.
“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”
Pablo Picasso said this about goal setting, “Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” Goal setting and achieving goals will help you move forward to the life you want to have.
Motion is another principle of the Live Great Movement. Getting in motion daily will bring positive energy to your life. I asked Justin how getting in motion daily makes him feel. He said, “It makes me feel unstoppable! I feel like I can do anything in that moment and that feeling carries with me throughout the day.”
“Being in motion makes me feel unstoppable! I feel like I can do anything in that moment and that feeling carries with me throughout the day.”
Goal: Summit Lone Peak on Skis
Justin looks up at Lone Peak from his house each day. He has always wanted to climb to the top of it on skis. He set a goal to do it. Lone Peak is located in the Utah Wasatch Mountain Range. The top of Lone Peak is 11,235 feet tall and you need to climb 7,750 vertical feet to reach it’s summit. There are not ski lifts to the top of this summit. It requires a person to climb to the top of it by putting one foot in front of the other.
On Saturday, January 26, 2019, Justin and I decided to summit Lone Peak on our skis and achieve his goal. We were accompanied by Dave Chase. It was a beautiful day. Justin said this of his experience climbing to the top of Lone Peak, “It was an experience I won’t forget. It was difficult and that is what made the experience so meaningful. I have learned that the more difficult the climb, the more beautiful the view and the view from the top of Lone Peak was spectacular.”
“It was an experience I won’t forget. It was difficult and that is what made the experience so meaningful. I have learned that the more difficult the climb, the more beautiful the view and the view from the top of Lone Peak was spectacular.”
Overcome the Mountain or Life Challenge
The goal of climbing to the top of a mountain is not some simple task. It requires determination and a never give up attitude. Each of us will have big challenges to overcome in our lives. Many of our challenges and trials will look like and feel like climbing to the top of Lone Peak. They may even seem impossible. It will take moving one foot in front of the other. Step by step forward will help you overcome your challenge.
Summit for Landon and his Family
Justin’s son Landon, now 8 years old, was born with spastic diplegia, a type of Cerebral Palsy. Justin and his family have turned this mountain into a beautiful experience they call Holland. They move forward each day watching Landon do things that doctors said he would never do. Landon is an inspiration to his family and those who he meets.
The Summit Purpose
As Justin climbed to the top of Lone Peak, he did it with a specific mindset and purpose. He told me, “There will be a time when Landon may want to come with me to the top of Lone Peak and I want him to know that we can accomplish that.”
Justin ran the Provo Half Marathon with Landon and makes sure that nothing stands in the way of what Landon believes he can achieve. Landon also rock climbs with Justin and his brothers. Rock climbing is also a passion of Justin.
“There will be a time when Landon may want to come with me to the top of Lone Peak and I want him to know that we can accomplish that.”
Relentless Optimism
I asked Justin what is his greatest talent or super power. He told me, Optimism. Justin said, “When I look at a mountain like Lone Peak or Landon’s mountain called Cerebral Palsy, I see it’s beauty. I think an attitude of positivity attracts positive things and positive momentum will help each of us to overcome our mountains and reach our summits. An attitude of negativity, attracts negative things. I turn things that some people might deem negative and make them positive. I’m a relentless optimist and I have found that it’s contagious.”
Just like Justin’s talent of being optimistic, what are your talents and how can you use them for good? The Live Great Movement is about helping you discover your talents and using them for good.
From the Summit of Lone Peak
You can watch our journey to the top of Lone Peak here. Justin said this as he looked out from the summit of Lone Peak. “I felt utterly peaceful and pure happiness. I’ve done something very few have done. It’s exhilarating. And knowing that we had the physical capability to get to the top was humbling. It keeps me super motivated knowing that we accomplished the summit. It leaves me with a lasting impression. I mean, I’ll be 80 years old and I will tell my grandkids that I climbed to the top of Lone Peak and skied down it.”
“It keeps me super motivated knowing that we accomplished the summit. It leaves me with a lasting impression. I mean, I’ll be 80 years old and I will tell my grandkids that I climbed to the top of Lone Peak and skied down it.”
Step by Step to Overcome
Whatever mountain you have in your life. Remember what Justin and Landon teach us. Be positive and believe. Move one foot in front of the other and step by step you will overcome your mountain and unleash your greatness.
Unleash Your Greatness™
Greatness is not for a few or the outliers. You are born for greatness. As you unleash your greatness, you’ll inspire others to do the same.
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Author/Pictures: Burke Alder