Special Spotlight: Ruben Gonzalez 3 time Olympian

Had the great opportunity to listen and meet 3 time Olympian Ruben Gonzalez. Excited to share some his experience in special spotlight feature below:


1st
You had a great coach who had to learn from in the beginning, what trait did you admire that you use today?

Answer:
Two traits are huge. Perseverance - to keep on going on despite your circumstances.
Courage - the courage to start and the courage to endure.
You can use those two traits to reach any dream in life.
Dream it, see it in your mind, and pursue it.

2nd
You have had an amazing journey Olympian,speaker and author when speaking to younger generation who are the upcoming leaders what could you to inspire their determination to succeed?

Answer:
I want them to see I'm an ordinary person that persistently and consistently followed
timeless success principles to achieve some extraordinary things. I want them thinking,
"If THAT guy could make it to the Olympics, I can do anything."
Ruben Gonzalez - "The Olympic Speaker"
Olympian, Award-Winning Speaker, Business Author
Co-star of the Personal Development movie Pass It On
832-689-8282, www.OlympicMotivation.com
"If you listen to Ruben speak, your life will change."
- Lou Holtz, Legendary Notre Dame Football Coach
"When Ruben speaks, companies listen."
- The Houston Business Journal
Connect with Ruben: Facebook Twitter Linked In

Some more great Q and A with Ruben Gonzalez

Q.
So Ruben… how does someone from hot and steamy Houston end up competing in the Winter Olympics in the Luge?

A.
(Was never a great athlete. Ruben looked for a sport with lots of broken bones thinking there would be lots of quitters. His strategy was simple - don't quit no matter what. The first 2 years he was crashing four out of five times. He kept at it. The 3rd year he went from crashing 4 out of 5 to crashing only one time out of a hundred. The 4th year he made the Olympic team.)

Q.
What’s it feel like to luge down a mountain at 90 MPH? Is It scary?

A.
(It's like Formula I car racing on ice with no brakes! Feels like you're laying on a bar of soap. It's like you're a tape player stuck on fast forward and you can't press the stop button. Once you start down the track, you're going ALL THE WAY!)

Q.
How can a 47 year old man compete against 20-year-olds in the luge?

A.
(Ruben may not be breaking any speed records, but he's not breaking any bones either!
He may not win the Gold medal, but he might make the cover of AARP!
Seriously, Ruben wants to be an example and an inspiration for anyone that wants to accomplish their dreams. He wants to take people's excuses away so they will go for the Gold in life.)

Q.
How did you convince your wife to let you go for another Olympics?

A.
(Ruben promised her he would buy her a new house. This will be an expensive Olympics!)

Q.
What do the other athletes think about a 47 year old competing?

A.
(At first they always think Ruben's a coach! When they find out Ruben's competing, their jaws drop.)
Q.
You used to sell copiers in Downtown Houston. How did you become a motivational speaker?

A.
(A grade school kid asked me to be his “show and tell” project at school. After speaking for the kids, the Principal insisted I had a "Gift" and needed to become a professional speaker. Three days later I quit my job. I figured that If I could sell a copier, I could sell a "Ruben." The first 6 months were awful, we were so broke we could not even pay attention! We got 3 months behind on our mortgage, almost lost the house and were on food stamps.
Right around that time I was offered a job that paid twice what I'd ever made selling copiers. I didn't take it because I knew it would only derail me from focusing on building my speaking business. I scratched and clawed my way up for 3 years and now, 8 years after that "show and tell" I'm booked all over the world by top companies and organizations.
If you believe something is possible and you work your tail off in its pursuit, you can make it happen.)

Q.
Why do Fortune 100 corporations around the world bring you in to speak for their people?

A.
(My story gives people hope. It fills them with confidence and self belief. My story takes people's excuses away. People walk out of my talk thinking, "If THAT guy could make it to all those Olympics, then we can do ANYTHING! Then they start taking more action and producing more. I sprinkle a little "Pixie Dust" on my audiences to inspire them to succeed in life.
I'm really not a motivational speaker. I'm an inspirational speaker because my story goes right into people's hearts.)
Q.
Why do you need courage to succeed?

A.
(No matter what your goal is, you need the courage to get started, and the courage to not quit.)

Q.
You say you should make your life an Adventure. Why?

A.
(Adventures make life exciting and help you believe more in yourself.
Last year I ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain and went skydiving in South Africa, next year I’m climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.)

Q.
How can you develop courage?

A.
(By doing things you’re afraid of doing. Courage is not the absence of fear, it’s acting in spite of your fear.)


Q.
Why are belief and desire so important to win in life?

A.
(If you believe something is possible, you’ll have the courage to get started.
If you want something badly enough, you’ll have the courage to endure.)

Q.
What’s the one quality all successful people have?

A.
Perseverance.

Q.
What are the Olympics really about?

(The Olympics are about pursuing your dreams. They are a place that showcases the power of the human spirit. They are proof that if you want something badly enough and are willing to work for it, dreams do come true.)