HOWARD HOLLEY PRESENTS: AGAINST ALL ODDS

Years ago, when I was early in my career in Washington, D.C., (pre-Internet, I know!) the very last thing I heard of was a company, association, or non-profit incorporating a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. Let’s be honest, until Bono introduced the One Campaign, I really wasn’t paying too much attention to the hip “trend” of CSR. Does anyone else remember those INSPI(RED) t-shirts?

Wow, how times have changed.

With the explosion of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, consumers demand more from business and industry; there’s an expectation to do good. And, there is simply nowhere to hide your corporate and brand reputation.

At the height of his professional baseball career, Darryl Strawberry found himself battling for his life, trying to conquer drug addiction, cancer, and personal demons. Darryl has turned his life around against all the odds.  Now committed to helping others, Darryl opened his latest Darryl Strawberry Recovery Center, a 28-day substance abuse residential recovery center, just outside Deland, Florida, earlier this year.

Reflecting on his career, his challenges, and the enlightened direction he’s found in his life, Darryl recently shared with our publisher, Howard Holley, how he overcame adversity.  Here are a few some inspiring excerpts:

HOWARD HOLLEY: DARRYL, WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS?

Darryl Strawberry: Well, I think the definition of success is someone who believes and has a vision of who they are and what they are capable of doing.  It’s not about how much you make.  It’s not about how much you have.  It’s about what you do with your skillset and making the best out of it to become a winner… I believe in winning.  No matter what the odds are and no matter what the criticism is, I’ve always felt that when you win, nobody can say you weren’t successful.

HH: LET’S BUILD ON THAT.  IF SUCCESS EQUALS WINNING, THEN WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WIN?

DS: It takes courage…and a belief inside yourself that’s greater than the next person…not everybody’s going to have the courage and the belief…Great athletes are great because no one is able to stop them when they set their minds [to being] great…

HH: DO YOU THINK THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN ADVERSITY AND SUCCESS?

DS: … I think adversity is part of everyone’s life … If you learn that it’s a part of life and you learn to push through and never give up and never quit, that’s where the success of a man becomes greater than the challenges that he faces in life… [People] falter under their adversities that come along in life, and they believe that defines who they are.  It doesn’t define who you are, all it means is you have some challenges.

HH: WHAT WOULD YOU WANT PEOPLE TO LEARN FROM YOUR LIFE THAT COULD IMPACT THEIR LIVES?

DS: I want people to learn, no matter what a person is dealing with and facing, I’ve always believed that a person will be successful because of the character of who they really are, not because of the struggles that come along in life. [We’re all] going to fall short, and there will be struggles for all of us, but it is your character as a person—to rise up and step into the purpose of your life and why you were created to make a difference.

To listen to the full Darryl Strawberry interview http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bit.ly

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