Darryl Francis
Over many years, I have experienced many things and one thing for certain is that I have lived life not on my own terms but on LIFE’S TERMS.
We are all aware that success is related to hard work and sacrifice but for me, there are contributing factors that can take you to this point. I believe it’s about drive, passion, and motivation which is triggered through being inspired by other people who have managed to accomplish great things.
I want to reflect on the people that I have been inspired by. This originates from my days in education, through my time in the military as well as working alongside the biggest sports icon and basking in the legacy of Cus D’Amato. I have also been inspired by working with the biggest entertainers in the music industry. These individuals and many more have left an impression on me and have made me the man I am today.
The world we know has changed, communication is instant, contracts, and deals are signed within hours, globally. There’s a new meaning to the old cliché “MONEY NEVER SLEEPS”. We are now part of a new economic drive with powerful tools to allow us to become not just specialists, not just brand leaders but self-made moguls. It’s old money changing at the crossroads to new money. The virtual financial world is running parallel to the old dollar and nickel world created by our predecessors.
Elon Musk Incredible Speech
Why it’s important to love what you do, and why never to give up on your projects.
“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future (…). Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will make all the difference.”
Passion
“When a person’s interested in something, they’re willing to tolerate any kind of problems that may come up.” – Cus D’Amato
Self-Sabotage
“To see a man beaten not by a better opponent, but by himself is a tragedy.” – Cus D’Amato
Build Character
“Character is that quality upon which you can depend on under pressure and other conditions.” – Cus D’Amato
Fear Is Necessary
“You must understand fear so you can manipulate it. Fear is like fire. You can make it work for you; it can warm you in the winter, cook your food when you’re hungry, give you light when you’re in the dark and produce energy. Let it go out of control and it can hurt you, even kill you…fear is a friend of exceptional people.” – Cus D’Amato
Project Fear
“The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent while the coward runs. It’s the same thing, fear, but it’s what you do with it that matters.” – Cus D’Amato
Don’t Quit
“Losers are winners who quit, even if you lose, you still win if you don’t quit.” – Cus D’Amato
You Are Not Born With Skill
“There is no such thing as a natural puncher. There is a natural aptitude for punching and that is different. Nobody is born the best. You have to practice and train to become the best.” – Cus D’Amato
Will Is Everything
“When two men are fighting, what you’re watching is more a contest of wills than of skills, with the stronger will usually overcoming skill. The skill will prevail only when it is so superior to the other man’s skill that the will is not tested.” – Cus D’Amato
Define Your Emotions
“I believe a man is a professional when he can do what needs to be done no matter how he feels within. An amateur is an amateur in his attitude, emotionally. A professional is a professional in the way he thinks and feels and in his ability to execute under the most trying conditions.” – Cus D’Amato
Operate Like A Professional
“The ability to do what needs to be done regardless of the pressure and do it with poise, with no reflection of his inner feeling or conflict if it exists, is what makes a professional. It has nothing to do with their knowledge. I’ll show you many amateurs with far superior knowledge and ability than top professionals.” – Cus D’Amato
Look To The Past
“There are very few new things in this world, very few. That’s why people that are young if they’re smart, try to profit from the experience of an older guy so they won’t have to go through all the pain and suffering. But a certain amount of pain and suffering is good because it makes a person think they’ve learned.” – Cus D’Amato
Everybody Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Face
“When you get hit that’s when you’ve got to be calm. A professional fighter has to learn how to hit and not get hit and at the same time be exciting. That’s what professional boxing is about. You’ve got to be clever, you’ve got to be smart, and not get hit, and when you’re able to do this, you’re a fighter.” – Cus D’Amato