Imagine what a different world it would be if there was no Galileo Galilei, no Wright brothers, no Mandela, no Bill Gates, or even no Jesus or Buddha?
History reminds us time and again about the rejections, the uttermost sacrifices, and the unwavering commitment individuals had to rewrite history and create the world we live in today.
Their stories serve as lessons for us to direct our lives to where we want them to be. See you don’t have to look far. Everywhere around us are individuals that we can learn from. They don’t have to be another Galileo Galilei, Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, or Mother Theresa. It can be your mum or dad or the guy next door. It could be your boss or your church member.
One such hero is Jose Flores. For those that don’t know, Jose Flores is the CEO of Indispensable Now, a best-selling author and an international speaker.
Before all those accolades, Jose had a challenging start to life unlike most of us. His story is not unique but one that will emotionally move you will fire you up with a brutal dose of motivation and reward you with powerful life lessons.
Jose was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy which is a rare genetic disorder that affects the control of muscle movement according to an article published by the US National Library of Medicine website.
The disorder is said to be caused by the loss of specialized nerve cells, called motor neurons, in the spinal cord and the part of the brain that is connected to the spinal cord. The loss of motor neurons leads to weakness and wasting (atrophy) of muscles used for activities such as crawling, walking, sitting up, and controlling head movement.
At a tender young age, Jose was told that because of his condition, he would end up in a wheelchair by the age of 15. In an article he published in Entrepreneur Magazine, he recounts;
“I didn’t want to accept it, let alone believe that this was actually happening to me”
Jose didn’t end up in a wheelchair until 22 years old when his muscles started to fade away and so was his hopes and dreams.
So how did the story change from wheelchair to CEO, best-selling author, and international speaker?
Jose tells us in his own words;
“It wasn’t until I changed the story that I was telling myself that things started to change in my favor.
Here is where it gets very interesting but also deeply emotional. Jose shares;
“I remember telling myself, there has to be more to life than just living and dying in this wheelchair.”
That was the turning point in his life. Despite his conditions, Jose searched deep within himself to figure out what he was good at doing and what abilities he had that he could use to excel and become successful in life.
Having read his article in Entrepreneur Magazine, I was so inspired that I reached out to him via a Facebook group we both are members. Our online friendship slowly grew to a point that I asked him to share with me and my followers his success secrets that took him from a wheelchair to the global stage, rubbing shoulders with the best of the best like Grant Cardone, Les Brown, and many others.
Jose and Grant Cardone
Jose and WWE Champion, Jinder Mahal
Jose with Simon T Bailey
Jose with Lewis Howes
So let’s dive right into 8 Success Secrets by Jose Flores
Secret # 1: Overcome Your Fear
Unlike most of us, Jose had a greater physical and mental challenge that he had to overcome earlier in life. And you can imagine the level of fear the young Jose must have had when he decided to turn his life around. That is why he picked fear as the first challenge you must overcome to build your dream.
Those who know Jose know him as the Les Brown protégé and he speaks to thousands of people on the importance of not “Letting Your Struggle Become Your Standard and how to overcome them through developing mental toughness.
Here is what the man himself, Les Brown had to say about fear;
“Fear is the most subtle and destructive of all human diseases. Fear kills dreams and hope.” — Les Brown
What fear is holding you back? Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of not being smart? Fear of being alone? What is it that’s holding you back? Jose had to acknowledge his fear and had to face it head-on despite his conditions. If Jose can do it even with his challenging physical conditions, why not you?
Are you going to follow Jose’s steps or do nothing about your fear? Because if you do nothing about your fear, chances are that you will never progress in life. Fear kills dreams and hopes as Les Brown says. If you want your dream bad enough, there is no other way but to face your fear and overcome it just as Jose showed us all.
Secret # 2: Develop the Right Mindset
Without a powerful mind, Jose would have succumbed to the power of negative thinking.
Develop the right mindset he says.
What is the right mindset then? In a nutshell, Jose is referring to developing a positive mindset that will push you past the obstacles you facing and come out victorious.
People with positive mindsets create a positive atmosphere where there is love, trust, and respect-be it in business, dating, or marriage. A negative mindset creates self-doubt and insecurity which leads to diminished self-worth and this leads to broken relationships, pain, and misery.
I know there will always be naysayers that ask “Does developing a positive mindset help one succeed in life?
Let me put that to rest.
According to the Huffington Post, 90% percent of success in any walk of life is a direct result of how the mind is used.
It says top athletes, top business executives, top parents, top entrepreneurs, and the most successful individuals all understand the important truth that the mind is what counts just as Jose advised us.
Mark Guidi, CEO of Phi Kappa, a US-based mission-driven, non-profit membership organization with over 85,000 members says;
“Happier people live longer, are healthier and are more successful in life”
In a recent study by the University of California, Riverside, titled, Does Happiness Promotes Career Success, professors concluded that ‘happy people’ are more satisfied with their jobs and report having greater autonomy in their duties.
Research is beginning to reveal that positive thinking is about much more than just being happy or displaying an upbeat attitude.
How is this possible?
Science has proven that your thoughts change the shape of your brain and the way it works. They’ve also discovered that the brain continues to grow and can work in different ways over time.
Enters the million-dollar question. How can one develop a positive mindset? There’s so much been written about this question but I want to point to the work done by Darshan Goswami, titled Power of Positive Thinking.
He says;
“Watch what you say – try to say positive things to people, avoid complaining and saying negative statements”
There is more to this than just doing the above and I’d advise you to dig deeper. Constant, regular, and repeated positive thinking and doing positive things daily can not only re-wire your brain but can also make it stronger and stimulate parts that allow you to enjoy greater success.
Secret # 3: Positive Affirmations
This should come easy for those who have developed a positive mindset. I just said constant, regular and repeated positive thinking and doing positive things daily can re-wire your brain.
Jose’s secret number three is positive affirmation. It’s one thing to develop a positive mindset but it’s another thing to remain focused during times of trouble when everything seems to go against your wish.
The most strong and positive-minded folks do fall at times. And Jose reminds us that daily positive affirmation will keep you focused and committed to your goals ahead of you until you achieve them.
Do positive affirmations matter? I am not a fan of the Law of Attraction but this statement on their website answers this question.
Over time, the consistent repetition of daily positive affirmations helps to reshape your beliefs and assumptions about yourself and the world around you. This reshaping gives you a more positive perception of who you are and where you stand.
Let’s make it simple. If you always think you are not good enough, not smart, don’t have a degree, don’t have time, don’t have money, guess what? You will always end up having all the things you don’t want and a hell load of them.
This quote from Buddha sums it all up
“What you think you create, what you feel you attract, what you imagine you become
Secret # 4 Surround Yourself with Greatness
In his book, Surround Yourself with Greatness, three-time Pro Bowl tight end Chad Lewis says that every good thing in his life is a direct result of his family and his faith.
He says;
“We live in a world of relationships that are dynamic. We need each other. We need to choose, with conscious awareness, to open our eyes, heart, and mind to the great people who elevate life that are all around us.”
In Jose’s circle, you can’t help but notice some big names like Grant Cardone, Les Brown, Simon T. Bailey, and many more. Jose had to prepare his mind to make way for him to elevate his game so he could rub shoulders with the greats, the legends, the winners, and the champions.
Take this old proverb, “Birds of a feather flock together“. This proverb has been around in the English language since the mid-1500s but is very relevant today and is timeless.
What the proverb means is that people who are similar to each other or share similar interests tend to spend time with each other.
Who are you hanging out with after work? Or even during work time. Who are you hanging out with during the weekends? What do you discuss often? Your dreams and life goals, plans to achieve your dreams? Career, money, investment, business, innovations, economy…or you talk beer, party, entertainment all day long? You get the idea.
If you want to better your life, you have to start being selective on who should be in your circle and those that you pick should be goal-oriented individuals like you.
Not only positive friends and family but seek out mentors, and other resources that will propel you to greatness. Read Books, attend conferences and seminars, watch videos, and follow influencers on social media.
Secret # 5 Get Rid of Negative People
This is my favorite one. I too had a similar experience when I started my own business. There are friends or family who are only there for you when everything is going right for you.
Negativity is part of our lives as human beings. It will always be there wherever we go. But letting negativity control your life only shows that you have a weak mind.
Jose could have easily given up when his doctor told him he would be in a wheelchair by the age of 15. Did he give up? Heck no. Infect he says;
“I gave up my excuses long time ago”
Negative people show up in all forms in your home, workplace, internet, and even professional affiliations.
The effects are also drastic. Negative attitudes can also affect your intelligence and ability to think — according to Dr. Travis Bradberry
The fastest way to kill your dream is to hang around with those people who give a million reasons why you can’t and constantly feed your doubt, validate your fear, distract your focus, and add unnecessary stress to your life. You need a clear sound and positive mind to execute your plans every day, moving towards your dream be it starting your own business, investing, buying a car or house, or traveling overseas for an exotic vacation.
Here is the deal. You get the heck out or kick them out of your life. Sounds brutal but there is no other way to go about this than getting rid of negative people in your life as Jose shows us.
Start associating with positive people. Surround yourself with people who are committed to bettering their lives. Seek out winners. Seek out dreamers. Seek out those who execute rather than just talk. Wake up every morning fired up to grind alongside other positive people.
Secret # 6: Invest in Personal Development
Jose’s secret number 6 is personal development and personal development has become a very lucrative industry in the information age where billions of dollars are made by entrepreneurs who preach personal development.
Personal development simply means investing in oneself with the end goal of bettering one’s life. So if you want to become successful in business, you have to wrap your head around what makes a successful entrepreneur.
The last time I had a chat with Jose was when he was in Miami, attending Grant Cardone’s 10X Conference. I have read hundreds upon hundreds of books by successful business icons like Grant Cardone, Garry Vaynerchuk, Neil Patel, Tony Robins, Robert Kiyosaki, Richard Branson, Warren Buffet, and many more.
“You aren’t too busy to read a book per month”, Jose advices
You get to read about business, study the success habits of successful entrepreneurs, watch motivation videos, take courses online, and attend conferences and seminars.
There is a huge volume of materials on personal development already available that you can dig deeper into so I am not going to go deep here.
What I am more interested in is the execution part where most tend to fall short. You can read hundreds of self-help books, and watch thousands of hours of YouTube videos about success but if you don’t get up and do it, you are doomed.
Honestly and brutally evaluate your life. Know what you want, make a plan, get the heck out, and go get it. Waiting and dreaming without execution is a fool’s game.
Secret # 7 Don’t be Afraid to Ask
This, my friends, is the game-changing secret. One word “ASK”. Let me tell you this. Those who seek answers by asking questions, tend to get answers they seek and get ahead in life. You don’t need scientific proof on this one.
How many of us grossly underestimate the power of asking?
If you don’t ask, you will never get an answer. Jose advises us to learn to ask. If you intend to get into business, you need to learn to ask. In sales, in business negotiations, in seeking information, in seeking new business and investment opportunities involves asking the right questions.
According to Inc, even if you’ve bootstrapped your way to success and even if you’re a solopreneur, the day will come when you need to ask someone for help.
Saying it sounds easy but the simple act of asking a question requires a lot of courage.
Let me put into context a few things here. Asking in this sense means seeking out people and resources that will help you develop yourself as a person so you can enhance your chances of achieving your dreams. I am not talking about a free hand-out mentality.
You are more likely to be successful with your ASKING if you put up some work upfront. Success attracts more success, my friends. Not the other way around.
If you are too shy to ask, learn to ask close friends and family and build your confidence up so you can master the art of asking uncomfortable questions.
Secret # 8 Practice, Practice, Practice
Nothing can ever replace the art of practice and Jose says practice, practice, and practice even more. See you can master all of the above 7 secrets but if you don’t practice, you will lose. Winners win by sheer gut, grit, and determination.
Try every day to put into practice what you learn. Learn, try, get feedback, improve, and repeat.
Sounds easy? Not at all. This is the hardest part of all and is the only thing that stands between those who succeed in life and those who don’t.
These, my friends are the 8 secrets that took Jose Flores from a wheelchair to a CEO, best-selling author, and international speaker who speaks to thousands of people around the world.
Feeling Inspired?
If you have been inspired by this article, guess what? I have an even bigger surprise for you. You only got 8 secrets from me. What if you want to know the entire life story and all the success lessons?
Here is Jose’s book “DON’T LET YOUR STRUGGLE BECOME YOUR STANDARD”
Here is what Les Brown says about the book
“For those of you reading this book, by the time you get to the last page, your life will never be the same”
You can grab your copy on his website
Now here is a little ASK that means the world to me. If you found this article useful, kindly hit the share button below and share it with your friends on LinkedIn Facebook, or other social channels. Let’s get the good spread out to the rest of the world.
Photo Credit: All images used in the article belong to Jose Flores and he owns the copyright.
