Sean Swarner Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Sean Swarner
Sean Swarner is today’s guest joining us on Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots Podcast.
The milestone 200th episode of the Join Up Dots business coaching podcast interview.
He is the only man that I wanted for the job……in fact I held back from recording this show so he could appear…Mr Sean Swarner.
And why did I feel that way?
Well after 199 episodes of Join Up Dots, hopefully you will feel like I do that they are motivational, inspiring, challenging and the kind of content that makes you believe that everything is possible.
But if this is the first show that you have listened to then…believe me, just hearing about this guys story will leave you feeling exactly the same way.
When he was a young man at ages 13 and 16 he received news that would knock most people off their feet.
Not in the way that Hal Elrod who got hit by a car, and then left in a coma experienced as you will hear here
Sean Swarner had cancer and not just one type but two completely different types, which left him listening to his last rights and waiting to die.
How The Dots Joined Up For Sean
He was given only fourteen days grace, but instead of passing on as expected he astounded the medical community when he survived both these brutal diseases and also a medically-induced coma for a year.
He is the only person in the world ever to have been diagnosed with both Hodgkin’s disease and Askin’s sarcoma.
This courage to beat the odds and take on a challenge that many deemed as impossible left him with the realisation that no challenge would ever be too great or any peak too high.
He proved this theory when he crested the peak of the highest point in the world (Mount Everest) with only partial use of his lungs.
As the first cancer survivor to do so, he then decided to continue climbing and has since topped the highest peaks in Africa, Europe, South America, Australia, Antarctica, and North America.
But this isn’t a story about a man with super human strength or support, this is a story of total belief in himself and what he can achieve.
Inspiring us all to dream bigger and go for the impossible.
He serves as the founder of the non-profit organization, The CancerClimber Association, as author of the book “Keep Climbing,” and as a motivational speaker to corporations, universities, and other organizations around the globe.
He is voted one of the top eight most inspirational people of all time, so it with great delight to bring onto the show to start joining up dots, as we discuss the words of Steve Jobs in todays Free podcast with the one and only Sean Swarner
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Sean Swarner such as:
How we should not worry about dying but we should certainly worry about living a life that matters.
Why it’s your choice to see the world as you like to see it……make the decisions that shape your future everyday.
How you never see a moving van behind a funeral possession….when you die you cant take it with you.
How he told his parents at the age of thirteen “If I die now I have had a great life”
And lastly……
How he broke down in tears when he got to the top of the world as he was not there on his own, but with all the patients that he had met on the way.
How To Connect With Sean Swarner
Return To The Top Of Sean Swarner
If you enjoyed this episode of with Sean Swarner, then why not listen to some of our favourite podcast episodes such as Mike Domitrz, Michael Michalowicz, Jack Canfield or the amazing Alfie Best
Or if you prefer just pop over to our podcast archive for thousands of amazing episodes to choose from.
Audio Transcription Of Sean Swarner Interview
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. join up dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK David Ralph
David Ralph [0:26]
Yes. Hello, everybody. Hello there, and welcome to Episode 200. of join up dots. I’m especially proud to get to 200. Because to be honest, when you start anything like basis is a struggle to get to the first 10, the 2050 100. So to get to 200. I’m especially proud and thank you for so many of you, dropping me a line to just sort of support the show, as you’ve been doing in your thousands. I’ve got an amazing guest today. And it really is a guest for the milestone 200th episode, and he’s the only man at one you’ve got a job. In fact, I held back from recording his show. So he could appear Normally I’m about three or four weeks ahead of schedule. But this is going to go live four days time. And why do I feel that way? Well, after 199 episodes of join up dots, hopefully, you’ll feel like I do, but they’re motivational, inspiring, challenging, and the kind of content that makes you believe that everything is possible. But if this is the first show that you’ve listened to, and believe me just hearing about this guy’s story will leave you feeling exactly the same way. When he was a young man ages 13 and 16. He received news that would not most people at their feet. He had cancer not just one type, but two completely different types, which left him listening to his last rites and basically waiting to die, he was given only 14 Days Grace. But instead of passing on as expected, he is down to the medical community when he survived both these brutal diseases, and also a medically induced coma for a year. This courage to beat the odds and take on a challenge that many deemed as impact possible left him with the realization that no challenge would ever be too great, or any peak too high. And he proved this very, when he got to the top of the highest point in the world, Mount Everest, with only partial use herpes lungs, as the first cancer survivor to do so he been decided to continue climbing. And as since the highest peaks in Africa, Europe, South America, Australia, Antarctica and North America. But this isn’t a story about a man with superhuman strength or support. This is a story of total belief in himself, and what he can achieve inspiring us all to dream bigger, and go for the impossible. He’s voted one of the top eight most inspirational people of all time. So it’s with great delight to bring onto the show to start joining up dots, the one and only Sean swallow. How are you, Sean?
Sean Swarner [2:47]
I’m doing great man. And, you know, based on that intro, I think my work done here, we don’t even have to finish the interview. That was I think that was great enough
David Ralph [2:55]
what I have to say, I don’t want to start with a downer show. But you are one of the eight most inspirational people of all time, but you struggle to use a computer or get Skype to operate properly. So you were struggling a little bit before then you can get to the top of every store right? But getting a microphone to work. different ballgame.
Sean Swarner [3:12]
Yeah, you know, technology is wonderful when it works. But when it doesn’t, it’s it’s a as you guys say pain in the arse. It has to do with the new computer, a new microphone a new everything. And I don’t know I can I can find a way to the top of Everest, and I can find my way anywhere in the world. But if it’s in my own office, and I need to find something technologically to work, I just I’m at a
David Ralph [3:36]
loss for words, you get into that kind of age where you just kind of think now I let somebody else do about I’ve got, I’ve got nine year old children that operate things in my house now because I’ve just got to that age, I can’t be bothered. And I will sit there in my chair, go, Oh, just sort that out for me. And I sort of dropped off and do that. Are you at that age? Or am I sort of ahead of the curve on that one? You know,
Sean Swarner [3:58]
I don’t know how you are. But I just recently turned 40 years old. And I was doing a voiceover for a documentary in my own hometown. And the lady who was with the the gentleman, so there was a couple helping out and doing the recordings and everything. And they thought that I was late 20s, early 30s. So I like that very much. But I am unfortunately or fortunately, I suppose since I was once given 14 days to live. So I suppose it’s fortunate that I am turning 40 years old. But I’m not at that age yet where I can’t figure things out. It might just take a little bit longer to do so I plug it in what I what I call it Google machine, and the Google machine gives me a bunch of different answers. And I try something and keep going until it works. Well, you have found you know, the excellence of youth. I thought you was about 20 or 30 years. Well, I’m 44. And I look like a haggard, graying man, and you look like a young child straight out of college. Well, you know, I was frozen for a year of my life, I was in a coma for a year of my life. Maybe that has something to do with it. And from what I’ve experienced, my brother just had a kid, a young young boy. What was the Thanksgiving last year? So November 28, last year, and I’ve already seen that child age him. So I think it has something to do with children.
David Ralph [5:21]
Yes, it does. I’ve got five children. And I, whenever anyone says, oh, we’re expecting our first child, my advice always is take as many photographs of yourself as you possibly can. Because you will never look this good. Again, you will. And so do selfies in every single position. Because then yeah, it’s gonna suck dry. So now I know exactly what you’re saying. And it is. But I think it’s more to do with your sort of lifestyle. But somebody who, quite frankly, is embracing life, like no one that I personally spoken to before, that’s got to keep us all young, youthful from is due out in the open air a lot of the time, that’s got to be good for you, isn’t it? You know,
Sean Swarner [6:04]
I think so I live in Colorado at about 9000 feet in the air up here, the air quality is fantastic. But I also because of what I’ve been through, you know, I try not to take life too seriously. And I also have a fantastic sense of humor, at least I think so. And I think that really helps a lot as does. Like I said not having any children yet, or none that I know of. So I also look at the nutrition. As look at exercise, I just completed the New York City Marathon. But I think my body’s a little bit different than most because when I was sick going through my chemotherapy treatments, I trained and I ran and I kept physically active, as well as mentally active, you know, reading a ton of books, but also getting out and out of the hospital out of the bed when I was able to and truly enjoying life. And every day I wake up as a gift. And I I plan on doing that for the rest of my life. So maybe I’ll look, you know, maybe 40 or 50 years old when I’m 70, which will be a blessing
David Ralph [7:08]
if you go back in time. And we’re going to do that, because that’s what we do on joining thoughts. But if you’re laying in bed now, do you kind of think, Wow, this has been a ride? Or is it kind of so ingrained in just you living your life to the way that you’re doing you can’t actually perceive how inspirational is to everybody else, you know,
Sean Swarner [7:28]
I think both um, you know, there are times I’m just like everyone else, I have ups and downs, I get frustrated with myself, I get frustrated with the stupid drivers on the road to cut me off, I get frustrated with with everything. But it’s all taken with a grain of salt because there’s nothing I can do to change. The guy who or the lady who cut me off, or the person who is doing something frustrating, there’s nothing I can do to change that person, I can only change my response to that person. The same thing about laying in bed, you know, there are times, like right now I’m looking out my window. And it’s just odd how nature and how. What’s a Murphy Murphy and his law and I get along really well. Because I’m looking out the window and it’s a complete blizzard. This is the first snow we’ve had all season long. And today was the day that I was going to start training for my trek across Antarctica, which I’m doing the end of December. So
David Ralph [8:30]
isn’t that perfect?
Sean Swarner [8:32]
Oh, it’s
David Ralph [8:33]
a you know, just the luckiest person alive. But you’re training to go to the Antarctic, and you’ve got it in your garden?
Sean Swarner [8:38]
it well. Yeah, it depends on how you want to want to look at luck and how you want to look at life and everything else. But, you know, like I said, it’s all about perspective. And looking outside, I could be really annoyed or I could be really focused and driven. And I think the difference between myself and maybe some other people is that I do have that drive. And I do have that motivation to get up and live. You know, there’s a difference between being alive and living. And I think everyone’s alive, but not everyone’s truly living. Because they’re afraid maybe they’re afraid to step out of their personal bubble or they’re, they’re comfortable in their personal bubble. And they’re always afraid to take the next step. And there are so many people out there who are motivated by negative factors, as opposed to positive factors, meaning you know, people work just hard enough to not get fired, as opposed to working hard enough to get a raise. And there’s, you know that there’s similarities and differences between myself and everybody else out there listening to this is, you know, I’ve done some impressive things, but it adding on the backstory of my two cancers, makes it more impressive. But the thing is, I’m no different than anyone else, I just have a vision, I have focus. And I know what needs to be done. And I’m not afraid to put in that effort. And I also look at goals differently because of what I’ve been through, and I focus on the end result, as opposed to the little things that will get me there. Because if I focus on the end result, and I make it real, if I do come along something, if I do come along to something that will frustrate me, it’ll never be enough to make me quit going towards my goal. Because before it began, I’ve already completed it.
David Ralph [10:21]
But I think just that statement makes you different from you say you’re exactly the same as everybody else. The reason we created this show is to inspire people to do stuff, because I know I personally was in the comfort zone for many, many years, wanting to do stuff, but just not having the courage to do it. And the listeners who email me on a daily basis. It’s funny, it can be a big show, it can be a show that I didn’t even think was particularly good, but some reason it didn’t sort of resonate with me. It touches them. And they go Yes, base at the moment, I’m going to do this. So I do think that you are different just having that gumption. I do think that yes, there’s a lot to do with your sort of illness when you were younger. But there’s a load of people that have an illness when they’re younger, and they still don’t do anything like like you’ve done. So I think you being humble.
Sean Swarner [11:12]
Well, I appreciate that. And that’s that’s, I hope, what am I good traits of is being humble. But at the same time, you know, like I said, there, there, there is a difference between myself and others. And it goes back to what I said earlier about perspective, it is your choice, to see the world the way you want to see it. It’s nobody else’s choice, but your own. And it’s unfortunate that so many people have to go through dire situations or a traumatic experience, to see life differently. You know, I’m actually in the process of putting together a webinar like like like this, hopefully, it will be as awesome as yours. Whereas is being called your next step where I’m going to be helping people take that first step into what I want to call being a survivor. And it could be a survivor of anything like you said, you know, you were complacent for a while, you know, what was your first step? What was the reasoning for you to get motivated, what motivated you could be something completely different that motivates somebody else. So you can have two people who have the same problems, but they’re motivated by different factors. And I think the difference between you and say, somebody else or myself and someone else, and the successful people and other people are, the difference is they’ve found that motivating factor, they’ve found something that they can hold on to and use that as something to push them along, not necessarily pull them along, but something to motivate them to inspire themselves to accomplish greatness.
David Ralph [12:47]
So So did you have that same spirit? As a very small child before you was it I can kind of in my head, I can go Yeah, okay, you survived something life threatening, you aren’t going to be different after about you, I began to be more patient Stephen gung ho, like you’ve become, or you’re going to be a sort of victim and, and sort of fall back into yourself. But did you have that spirit as a young kid, Were you the one that’s always climbing up trees and having adventures and stuff, you know,
Sean Swarner [13:12]
I was always active, I was always out doing things. And, you know, I still have goals are I still have records from when I was a swimmer, I was my background is a swimmer. And I still have records from when I was 12, or 13 years old. You know, like I said, I’m now 23 years old, I mean, 40. So I still have records from when I was quite young, that are still going to be there probably forever. And I have just been very fortunate with how I was raised, I think and looking back at it, I think my parents instilled great sportsman like conduct, they also instill humility. And they also instilled patience and encouragement, you know, in other people, so maybe everybody has those opportunities in front of them is just that they need quite possibly, I’m thinking out loud, maybe they need some mentors to help them put their lives in a certain direction. Because every choice you make, directs your life towards whatever in goal that you’re reaching for. And if you make poor choices, you’re gonna have a poor life. If you make good choices, you’re gonna have a great life.
David Ralph [14:23]
He’s as simple as that, isn’t it? I’m a total advocate for what you’re saying. Because I totally, totally believe it. And I know that my life has changed, amazingly, due to the fact that I’ve now got focus. And I’ve got a passion, which I kind of never had before I used to sort of float, waiting for something magical to happen until I realized that the magic was there for me to make. And it was that kind of mindset switch that really has sort of shaken me up. And it can happen to anyone comment, if a band decide that they want to make those right choices, as you say, vain, more often than not, it’s not going to be right all the time. But more often than not great things are going to come their way.
Sean Swarner [15:02]
Yeah, no, I completely agree. And it’s also like, as you were talking, I was I was thinking of kind of an analogy, you know, you’re going to find what you’re looking for. And if you’re arguing with someone, and you have two different perspectives, and you hop on Google and plug it in the Google machine, and you’re going to find what you’re looking for, if you want to find certain things that support your side of you, you’re going to find those if you’re a person that you’re arguing with, wants to find certain aspects of whatever that is going to support that person’s point of view, that person is going to find it. So obviously, you know, if it’s factual and everything else, there’s only one correct answer. But it’s like life where you’re going to find what you’re looking for. And if you’re looking for something positive, then you’re going to find something positive, you’re going to be relating to positive things. But if you’re negative all the time, and you’re going to be looking for negative things, you’re just going to have a negative life all the time, as well. So like I said, from the beginning, it’s all about perspective, and it’s all about how you really see the world.
David Ralph [16:04]
So when you don’t be the words, you’ve got cancer spoken to you did you put a positive spin on it there, because I’ll be honest, I don’t know a great deal about people about unfortunately have cancer, but obviously, some people survive, and some people die. And some people survived. The worst types of cancer and other people don’t survive the sort of the, the milder forms of cancer. So what you very positive was a mindset thing that helped you through or was it something else in those early stages? You know,
Sean Swarner [16:38]
I think I’m alive, because of a number of reasons. Modern medicine, family support, prayer, and just an inner will to get up and, and survive and be normal again. But I think the whole time, I was going through treatments, I did have a positive aspect in a positive outlook on life. And I encouraged my mom and dad to, you know, go home while I was in the hospital, get some rest. I’ve always been more concerned about others than I am myself, I think. And, you know, I’ve learned a lot from the people I climbed Everest with, you know, the Sherpas, the folks who are, who are Hindu, and Buddhist, and they’re really peaceful people, and they really want to help others. And I think everyone in the world can learn something from those people, but they can also learn from others around them. You know, I was saying that the that, you know, God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. So if you listen twice as much as you talk, you’re going to learn something, and you can learn something from everyone. You know, even the guy on the on the side of the street, he has a story, she has a story. You know, if you just listen to them, you can probably learn something from them. But going through my treatments, and my cancer is I definitely had a very positive outlook on life. And I also think the sense of humor helped as well. You know, laughter is the best medicine. And there was there was there was one time, when you were saying that I was read my last rites. And I remember laying in the hospital bed as a 16 year old, and a father, you know, man, that cloth came in and started reading me on my last rites. And I looked at him and said, I’m not dead guy here. And I started instantly thinking of was the Monty Python meaning of life. Yeah. I’m not dead yet. Well, you will be soon.
David Ralph [18:27]
So do you always look on the bright side of life to use a Monty Python subtitle? You know,
Sean Swarner [18:32]
most of the time, most of the time? Yes, because like I said, I’m just like everyone else, I have ups and downs. And, of course, there are times when I wake up, and I don’t want to get out of bed, I make beer at home. If I have a little too much beer the night before, I probably don’t want to get up and do too much. But for the most part, yes, I do have a very positive outlook on life. And I use an analogy that can that you can use and share with others. It can be used for a three year old 233 year old and pretend you have a glass of water. And the water represents thought the glass represents your brain. So if you have clean water, it represents positive thoughts. dirty water represents negative thoughts. If you have a glass of dirty water, aka a mindful of negative thoughts. You turn on the faucet, you turn on the spigot and you stick it under there and constantly flush clean water into that glass. What’s going to happen to the dirty water.
Sean Swarner [19:34]
It’s gonna it’s gonna disappear. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, you’re gonna have nothing but positive thoughts and your brain, you’re gonna have nothing but clean water in your glass. It’s the same thing.
David Ralph
Have you seen that thing? Well, while you’re talking about negative bozos, there’s a Japanese guy or there’s some kind of scientist that takes water, pure water, and bombards it with beautiful thoughts and positive vibrations. And then the molecules become like snowflakes and pretty. And he does the same thing with horrible comments and violent music and all that kind of stuff. And the molecules change into us or deformed mess. Have you seen that?
Sean Swarner [20:11]
I have. And you know what I noticed you mentioned it. Someone just very recently gave me a book. And I’m I’m I don’t know if I sound distant. But I’m looking at my my computer bag right now. Because I think I have a book in there. And yeah, it’s it’s amazing. And maybe there is something that is going on with the energy that goes into that water and the thoughts, the positiveness. if that’s a word that goes into something like that,
David Ralph [20:39]
well, if you think we’re 70% water or something, then if that is true, and that glass can be moved into nice shapes or bad shapes, he would work the same with us when?
Sean Swarner [20:49]
I would think so obviously, yeah, if we’re that much water, like you said, and, you know, science has proven that the positive thoughts even coming from within yourself, would help you tremendously.
David Ralph [21:00]
So So when when you recovered, I don’t want to dwell too much on the sickness because obviously, it was horrific, and it was horrific for your mom and dad going through it. And probably in many ways, it was more horrific for them than you. Because a lot of the time you sort of not aware when you you actually heal yourself. But when you sort of came to how quickly did people kind of start looking at you differently? When you sort of came out of the coma? Was it like, Oh, my God, he’s he’s back. But then he’s gonna disappear again? Or was it? Oh, my God, he’s back. And he’s, he’s going to be sort of all right. How was this whole progression to full fitness? You know,
Sean Swarner [21:38]
I think it’s always there. And, you know, when I first went to, to college or university, my parents got in touch with my roommate at the time. And who was it was now one of my best friends Still, we were roommates for four years, my parents and no one in high school expected me to live through college. And they told my swim coach, my track coach and my roommate, hey, if there’s anything that goes wrong with Sean, if he has a fever, if anything goes haywire, or turns into something negative whatsoever, please let us know. And I think it was my parents, obviously, important protecting me and just being worried and being the good parents that they are because they want to make sure that obviously, that their son survives and lives. But I think it’s still there, because I go in once a year for an annual checkup. And because no one has ever had these two cancers before.
David Ralph [22:40]
Well, no one of them.
Sean Swarner [22:41]
No, no one on Earth has ever been documented as having Hodgkin’s and asking sarcoma, I’m the only person in the world to have ever had those. And it’s an anomaly because I don’t know if you mentioned this earlier, but the chances of me surviving both of those cancers, is equivalent to winning the lottery four times in a row with the same numbers. So it’s, it’s, it’s an impossibility. And no one knows what’s going to happen with me, in my mind, I’m cured, but I will be in remission for the rest of my life. And people always wonder what’s going to happen if something’s going to happen if it’s the cancer is going to come back. But it only hits me I think once a year when I go in for my annual checkup to get my blood drawn, and I let my friends know my girlfriend know and say, Hey, you know, I’m going to be different until I get the results back. I’m just kind of going to be a hermit. I don’t set up any meetings. I don’t have anything going on. So it to answer your question, I suppose in a roundabout way, like a politician? Um, I think I really don’t know if it’s gone away completely. I don’t think it ever will. Because it comes around once a year, the rest of the year, for the rest of the 5051 weeks where I’m okay. I don’t even think about it. You know, like I said, I’m a normal person, I’m out doing some fun things. I I’m skiing, I’m hiking, I’m climbing, I’m running, I’m swimming and biking, I’m doing as much as I can to squeeze out of life. And
Sean Swarner [24:09]
I don’t know if it will ever go away.
David Ralph [24:12]
Do you think subconsciously is a driving force in you to keep improving yourself? You know, without being a Doom monger? There might come a time when it comes back. And, you know, goodbye, shown. So do you think that subconsciously you’re striving for bigger and bigger things? Because you you might feel like you’re on borrowed time somehow?
Sean Swarner [24:35]
No, I think I think I do what I do. Because I know, life is too precious and short. And I’ve been faced with my own mortality. And it happened the first time at 13 years old. And for a 13 year old to look at his parents, and be given three months to live. And if things weren’t working well, I actually told my parents, you know, if I don’t make it, I’ve had a wonderful life. And for a 13 year old to tell his parents that is incredibly sad and traumatic. But I think
Sean Swarner [25:20]
I think it’s just difficult to put all that stuff behind you and move forward. But because of the age, I was, when I went through what I did, I understood that life really was too short. And I understood the fragility of life. And I think I’m never going to not do as much as I can. Because I’ve known ever since I was 13 that we as human beings should never worry about dying. But we should worry about not living a life that matters.
David Ralph [25:59]
I’m so glad you carried on talking back because when you you made a comment about what you said to your parents fat choked me up. But does that does that choke you up when you think about it? Now,
Sean Swarner [26:09]
of course, um, you know, I wrote a book called keep climbing and one of the most difficult parts of writing the book was transcribing my mom’s journal into the into my computer, you know, seeing what she went through. And earlier you talked about how maybe it was worse on my parents and I completely agree. You know, as a 1313 year old, basically a teenager, you know, my whole life was gone. It was put on pause. But my parents, I can’t even imagine what they went through. You know, my we talked about it earlier in I posted on Facebook, my my dog I’ve had for 12 years, you know, she’s 12 and a half years old. She had glaucoma and she was in so much pain, I had to have her I removed. I remember coming back from her surgery carrying her back into the house. Thinking Holy crap, this is this is tough. You know, I was I had tears coming out of my my eyes and everything. And then instantly the tears stopped. And I was thinking, oh my god, what am I parents go through if this is my dog, I can’t imagine my child.
David Ralph [27:07]
It’s funny actually. Because today talking about how how life can just stop us in our tracks. And for so many of us. We don’t even allow life to stop us in our tracks. We don’t get going. There was a post that has gone viral on the internet by a chap put on a he’s 46 years old, jack Jefferson or something I think he’s name is. And he just posted on his life that he’s 46 years old. And he suddenly realized by these dreams that he had when he was 20 haven’t been realized. And he wanted to write a book. And when he was 20, he wrote 70 pages. He’s now 46. It’s still 70 pages. He wanted to travel the world. He wanted to create movements, he wanted to inspire people, but he gave it all up for responsibility. And he said, I’ve now realized that I’ve wasted my life living the life that other people want to. And not only did he do that, but he put his his passions into a career, but he didn’t want meaning that he leftism, he didn’t go to his father’s funeral because he couldn’t get out of work. His wife’s been having an affair for 10 years, because he just didn’t notice because he wasn’t bad enough. And he wasn’t sad about it. He was just saying, as a matter of fact, please world, please do something about it, do something about it. You’re only on this planet once, make the most of it. And if anyone says anything about you, you can turn back to him, can’t you and you can go, I am. I’m making the most of what I’ve got. And I’m doing it on a daily basis. And that’s so inspiring, isn’t it just the first 25 minutes of this conversation that has inspired me beyond anything to ramp it up a bit and go even more than what I’m doing? Did you do see that when you talk to people with your story up to this point, but it really does affect them fundamentally, you know,
Sean Swarner [28:57]
I longest time I didn’t. And everywhere I go, I try to visit local hospitals and share my survivorship with with the patients. And it’s very cathartic for myself because it brings that brings back many memories, you know, a flood of memories. And it helps the patients because they’re looking at someone standing next to them bedside, I was I was in a coma. You know, like I said, for a year, my life, my first goal was to go from the hospital bed to the toilet. So I wouldn’t soil the sheets. And I’m standing there talking to them, knowing exactly what they feel like in that situation. But also knowing what it’s like to look at the world from the pinnacle, the very top of the world, Mount Everest. And, you know, I’ll sit down with them. And we’ll just talk about how they’re feeling what’s going on. And oftentimes people just need someone to talk to. And it’s also going back to what you’re saying is as far as that 46 year old goes in and understanding Life is short and precious. It really is. And people need to start realizing it’s not about the things you have. It’s not about what you obtain in your life. It’s not about what you can buy. Because, you know, if you look at a funeral possession, you will never see a moving van behind it, you will never see a u haul in a funeral possession because no one takes that stuff with them when they die.
David Ralph [30:18]
They really so true.
Sean Swarner [30:22]
And you have to do everything you possibly can like the guy who his wife was cheating on him. Maybe he was afraid to take the initiative and move out or do something my parents unfortunately, after 35 years of marriage got a divorce. I don’t know what happened. Because I get one story from one person and other story from the other person. But I love them equally because they are my parents. And people will need to start opening their eyes. And like I said they need to pop their personal bubble and get out there and live life. There’s there’s an entire world to see out there. You know, I’ve been to over 60 to 65 different countries. You know, I’ve studied multiple languages, multiple cultures, multiple religions around the world, and people are just so caught up in their own world. They forget that there’s something else out there that they really need to see. And many people come up with excuses. And I say and this is world world now, world renowned is, you know, the people who do the people who can do the people who don’t make excuses.
David Ralph [31:24]
Okay, so let’s play some words now. But really sort of emphasize what we’re talking about. This was Jim Carrey, and he recently said this to a bunch of students. And I think it’s so powerful. Jim Carrey.
Jim Carrey [31:35]
My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
David Ralph [32:01]
He said the message that we should be getting out to the world show.
Sean Swarner [32:05]
Without a doubt. I’ve never heard that before. Absolutely love it. Now, if you wouldn’t mind sending me that send me that link. So I can write it down and listen to it every morning.
David Ralph [32:12]
Yeah, absolutely. I’ll send that across to you. He said it recently. And it was it’s an amazing speech. You’ll see it on YouTube. And for 20 minutes he plays for laughs as you would expect Jim Carrey to do and when he gets into this middle bit, and that is so profound that has gone viral? Because it is just fundamental, isn’t it? You can fail at something you don’t like. So why don’t we all try to do something that we love
Sean Swarner [32:37]
in the story? That’s brilliant. I love it. So when
David Ralph [32:40]
did you decide what you loved you you put you’ve recovered from the sort of illness? And did you decide that you were going to go straight to Mount Everest? Or did you build up to that? How? What was the mindset? What was the decision making at that point to where you were going to channel your energy?
Sean Swarner [33:01]
Well, first, first of all, I think I’m still looking for what I love. And I think it’s a number of different things. And people often ask me, what do you do for a living? They say, Well, I’m a speaker, author, climber, run a nonprofit for kids with cancer, I’m all over the board. And you know, when you graduate from college, you’re supposed to get a job. And then once you get a job, you’re supposed to get married. Once you get married, you’re supposed to have kids, once you have kids, you’re supposed to start saving for retirement, you’re supposed to send them to college, you’re supposed to do this throughout your life. And I think some of the most interesting people in the world are the 40 year olds who have no idea what they want to do with their lives, because they have experienced so much. And they really have so many different stories to tell. And they’ve really done so many things with their lives. That again, like I said, you know, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason because we can learn something from everyone. But as far as how I initially got into Everest, I was studying to be a psychologist for cancer patients after I went to college, and played Jim Belushi from Animal House, I graduated with a man I think it was a two, eight or two, seven, or something horrendous. I just relived my high school years in college. And I never opened a book I never studied that never did anything, I just drank too much had too much party time and too much fun. went to grad school took the Gru, which is the examination that you take to get into grad school, I score the highest my psychology department had ever seen. And I continue down that path and started thinking about my life because what I had been through, did not define who it was, but it helped mold me into the person I am today. Just like anybody’s past or history doesn’t define who they are. It just helps them become who that person is right then in there. And I also took a sabbatical my studies realizing that because of the cancers I went through, and everything that I had gone through my life, emotionally, I was not ready to handle dealing with cancer patients every day of my life. But I wanted to give something back, and not necessarily to the cancer community, because my story is not one about cancer. It’s about persistence, perseverance, resilience, it’s about the human spirit. And I wanted to essentially reach from the top of the world and use the highest platform in the world. To give people something I never had, which is hope. You know, I have I have a saying that the human body can live roughly 30 days without food, the human condition can sustain itself for about three days without water. But no human alive can live for more than 30 seconds without hope. Because without hope we truly have nothing.
David Ralph [35:47]
And then when when you were on the top of Everest, did you go? Where do I go now, because to my way of thinking and the people that I’ve spoken to who have been to the top of Everest, a lot of it isn’t about standing on the top, it’s about the process of actually getting better, whether it’s the challenge of actually seeing if I could get to the top when they’re at the top. It’s kind of like, Okay, I’ve got to get down now. But did you feel that? Or was it a process getting there? Was that what defines your journey to that point? Or was it standing on the top?
Sean Swarner [36:23]
I think it was, everything wrapped up in one, I’m one of the first things I did when I got up there, I had to go to the bathroom. So bad, I actually wrote my name in the snow, which not too many people can say, hey, they wrote their name, and it’s snow on top of the world. But that’s that’s the truth I had to write my name is snow because I had to go to the restroom. But when I got to the top, I cried like a baby. And it was so emotional. Because it was almost in homage of everything I’ve done in all the people that I’ve had been carrying with me. Because when I was climbing, I had a flag about sorry, that but the size of my lap about my computer screen here, you know, 2627 inches. And it had names that people touched by cancer, it was not a silk flag wrapped up in my chest pocket close to my heart as a reminder of my goals. Those are the people who I didn’t climb Everest by myself, those people carry me to the top. So when I first got to the top, I broke down and I started crying because of all the people who inspired me to get there. And I’ll be honest with you, the first thing that I thought when I got to the top was Holy crap, I made no good looking back down across the world, there is nothing higher than that point. It’s such an accomplishment. And it’s such a feeling of overwhelming everything. And that’s the only way I can describe it. It’s overwhelming everything if you could take every emotion you’ve ever had wrap it up into a little ball and make it explode all at once. That’s what it felt. And then as you said earlier, you know, I kind of looked around, and I thought to myself, Well, you know what I, I,
Sean Swarner [38:06]
I need to go back down. You know, you’re only halfway when you reach the top of a mountain.
David Ralph [38:13]
And and that’s really a sort of metaphor for your life, generally, isn’t it because you keep on climbing, you keep on moving forward moving forward. You know,
Sean Swarner [38:23]
it is and I actually have a band, I can send your any listener, if they reach out to me and email me, I have a band around my wrist right now it says keep climbing. It is a metaphor for life as well. Because anybody who comes into contact with any obstacle, any mountain, anything that gets in the way, the people who succeed the people who are happy in life are the ones who keep climbing and keep moving up.
David Ralph [38:48]
Did you find that is the most perfect metaphor now keep on climbing? Because when I first saw it, I thought yeah, but that is it. Now is it in about three words, isn’t it?
Sean Swarner [39:00]
It does. And I think it really does kind of wrap up everything I’ve done in my life and it does. Kind of pigeon. I don’t want to say pigeonhole me into something. But it does define who I am. Because I am never going to stop.
David Ralph [39:16]
We were to know where to go next. Because that’s the thing about climbing is when you get to a point, and especially getting to the highest point on Earth. All the other mountains, are they as challenging? Are there different obstacles on them? How do you know where to go next once you’ve been to the top?
Sean Swarner [39:37]
Well, if you look at mountains, you know, Everest technically isn’t one of the most difficult mountains in the world. Just because the altitude does make it incredibly difficult technical, technically is not that bad. And you know, there are other there are other mountains out there like you like I said, I’ve done the Seven Summits, which is the highest mountain on every continent. But there are other other challenges out there as well. You know, I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Hawaii Iron Man, but it’s a triathlon, where it’s the World Championship triathlon, starting off with a two and a half mile ocean swim 112 mile bike ride, and you finish with a marathon. And I did that not too long ago. In fact, I’m the only person in the world who’s done what I’ve done and it’s it’s kind of unique because if you look at the the professional ballers out there, the hockey players, basketball players, football players, you know, soccer, football players, you know, there are hundreds, if not thousands, and thousands of these people, if you look at Everest, the Seven Summits the white Iron Man, in this winter, I’ll be trekking to the South Pole. There’s one person in the world, there’s one person out of over 7 billion people on the planet who’s accomplished that and you’re talking to him
David Ralph [40:47]
that does that blow your mind because he blows my mind? I was having a conversation with Kathy O’Dowd, who was the first lady to get to the top of Everest from the north and south? I think it was. And I said to you know, you were the first lady and she went, yeah, yeah, was no way that come on your first lady, you in the whole world. You are the first I I never even you know, came first in a swimming race with four other kids. And you want to first person who’s ever been on this planet to do that, that blows your mind? Must blow your mind. But you look at it and think my God, not one person who’s ever walked on this planet, since dinosaur time has done the same thing. That’s amazing.
Sean Swarner [41:32]
Well, you know, I appreciate that. And I really do appreciate the support in the kind word. But I also tell people many times over. You don’t you shouldn’t try and you shouldn’t worry about being the best be your best. You know, many people have different mountains to climb. Many people have different Everest, you know, for me, my Everest was literally Mount Everest. For some people, their Mount Everest is walking around the block. Know It can it’s all proportional to what that person perceives us do
David Ralph [42:05]
the first getting away from all that I know what you’re saying. You are still the first back isn’t it? It?
Sean Swarner [42:14]
You know it is, but at the same time? I am, I’m just being my best. And I think I’m just doing what anyone would do in my situation who’s had two cancers and was given three months to live 14 days to live in a coma for a year of his life. And as one long I mean, somebody who’s gone through that, logically they climb Everest, right?
David Ralph [42:35]
Well, yeah, he’s supposed to suppose go to space? or, or, or do some amazing thing. Yeah, I think you’re absolutely right. In a way, I think your positive outlook which you’ve obviously had as a child was kind of suppressed. So when you came out of your your illness, you were you would like a coiled spring, and I can feel that in myself, I’ve never been ill you rarely get a cold, unless you listen to the shows. And I’m always saying I’ve got a sore throat or something. But um, you just seem to be defined not by that moment in your life, but by who you are, is always going to be that just pushed you along somehow, what would you think?
Sean Swarner [43:19]
I think so. And that, that also brings me to another point I wanted to reach out and discuss to, there are so many people, so many motivational speakers around the world, who are interested in success, you know, they want to be successful, they want to be successful, they want to be successful, we set goals to be successful. Well, once you get that goal, once you achieve that goal, you either complacent or you kind of fall back from that goal normally, so instead of being success, you know, being successful, and it’s a plan words, it just semantics here, why shouldn’t we all just worry about succeeding?
David Ralph [43:54]
Yeah, absolutely. Why don’t we? You know,
Sean Swarner [43:57]
I think that’s what I’m doing with my life. I’m continue usually succeeding, and I’m not gonna, I’m not going to sit and rest on my laurels. Because people ask always asked me, you know, what’s next? What are you doing next? So I want to focus on succeeding and continually, continuously pushing myself to the to the, I guess, to the edge and continue pushing myself forward. And it’s kind of funny you you mentioned space, you know, I don’t know if any cancer survivor has ever been to space, but that’d be great. Be the first cancer survivor in space. Why not?
David Ralph [44:28]
Do you? Do you think it’s interesting that people always ask you what’s next? Because that, that ultimately, unfortunately, living through you, they feel inspired by your actions. And so they love it, but you’ve tested yourself out and gone further. Because for many of us, we’re unwilling to do that. So when we see somebody doing it, we were inspired, aren’t we? We love it in the Rocky films, when he gets knocked down, and he gets back up, and he keeps on going. Did you find that a question where you kind of go, really is about what’s next for me? Should it be more what’s next for you?
Sean Swarner [45:05]
That’s where my mind was going. That’s where my thought process was going. When you were talking. You know, when people always asked me what’s next, I am inclined to ask them, well, what’s next in your life? You know, what are you doing? Why? Why are so many people around the world focused on Snooki? And whatever the hell she’s doing? Why do people even care? Why aren’t? Why are people not looking in the mirror and caring more about what that person is doing?
David Ralph [45:31]
And why do you think that is?
Sean Swarner [45:34]
I don’t know, maybe we can put it together bottled up and make a million dollars.
David Ralph [45:37]
I tell you what, we would be rich when we because I, I have conversations with people all the time. And I mentioned this a lot on the show, because it annoys me. And if I talk to somebody about I used to know in a previous life before bears, and I’d say to them, you know, what’s your plans, and I was like that I always like to be very inspired. And they will go on, I’m dreaming of doing this. And I’ve got bits and I’ve got that. That sounds brilliant. Yeah, excellent. And when I see him four months later, and they’re still having those same dreams, and I haven’t done anything towards it. And you’ve got to, you’ve got to create your reality, exactly, as you’re saying when it the choices that you make, will allow you to see the world that you want to see.
Sean Swarner [46:18]
I think so I think you have to manufacture your own future. And I do believe that, excuse me, I do believe so many people in the world are afraid and maybe they’re afraid of failure. But like I said, using the analogy, and I didn’t really get into much detail. But if you use the analogy of going towards goals as a mountain peak, you know, climbing a mountain, you start at base camp, and you work on those success of goals to reach the top. And each little goal that you accomplish in each little goal that you achieve, makes you feel more successful, and you build on those enter that energy and those feelings to get you to the top. But what happens is oftentimes going towards a goal, you encounter a setback, and that setback is enough to frustrate you to quit, what I do, and in my mind what I do, I start on top of the mountain. And before I even begin down that path, or before I even begin up that mountain, in my mind, I perceive myself as already successful already have have done it. So that way I what I do is I take the mountain, I flip it upside down, I start on the summit, and I work towards that goal of base camp. Because if I’m already successful, in my mind, when I start any obstacle that gets in my way will never be enough to frustrate me to quitting. And maybe if people looked at things a little bit differently, and more people looked at their goals from that angle, from that perspective, the perspective of Before you begin, you’re already successful. And in your mind’s eye, it’s already real, you feel it, you believe that you taste it, you smell it, you know, using as many senses as possible. If you start successful, you will never fail. So
David Ralph [47:58]
what I do is, is that I kind of picture a room of where I want to be, and it might be a goal that I want to achieve. And I leave my body there, and it’s there. And then I’ve got to work towards getting my body back. And if I don’t get to that point, then I’m kind of lost somewhere. And over the last few years, I mentally do I decide on what I want to do. I have my kind of images around me. And it’s amazing how often recently, I have been doing stuff. And then I look at something. And I realized I’ve replicated that image. I’ve achieved that vision. And I am at that point now where I fail. And I don’t know if you do this, when I achieve something I celebrate for like a nanosecond. And then I’m like, What’s the next one? And I kind of move on? I’m not big actually celebrating? Do you? Do you? Do you celebrate? When you’ve achieved your goals? When you’re at the top of Everest? I know you sort of cried and it was all emotional. But did you kind of go Yes, I’ve really achieved it? Or was it like, why I gotta get down now. And then I’ve got to do this. And I’ve got to do that and you want to the next thing?
Sean Swarner [49:08]
No, I definitely celebrated because, you know, working toward that goal and working towards any goal. Once you achieve that goal, you have to give yourself some sort of satisfaction, you should be proud of those accomplishments. You know, like you like you said, if you’re in the room, you picture yourself in the room. And it’s almost like for me as well. It’s almost like deja vu. And when it is real. As opposed to in my mind’s eye when it is real. It comes back to me as deja vu and I do celebrate because any accomplishment that you have is worth celebrating. And you should honor yourself you proud of yourself for accomplishing that.
David Ralph [49:48]
How do you celebrate when when you’ve achieved the goal and you’ve had that deja vu moment that suddenly has come together and you think my god? Yeah, I’m here. This is what I was aiming for. I’m here. How do you sell boy?
Sean Swarner [50:01]
You I think it depends. You know, say that the boy Iron Man, I swam with the dolphins the next day.
Sean Swarner [50:09]
Everest, I cried my eyeballs out and I came home alive. I think that was a huge celebration itself. The South Pole, I have a bottle of port that I got when I was giving a presentation in Lisbon. A nice bottle of port. So I’m going to take that with me and I put in into the budget. I think two or three days and Billy so I’m going to stay in Baileys for a little bit. But I also celebrate myself with loved ones and people who are there from the beginning who have encouraged and supported me from the start. And I think it’s important to surround yourself by like minded people who always support you.
David Ralph [50:51]
I really I blink and that’s it. And I know it’s a failing, I really should celebrate and I’ve had some milestones doing this show. Which looking back on it. I blow my mind and other people seem to get more satisfaction from my achievements than I do. But I do I kind of blink and go right. achieved it. What’s next and just keep on going. I need to take I need to go to Belize done it three days. I don’t I don’t know what my wife’s gonna say. But I’m that’s what I need to do.
Sean Swarner [51:19]
Well, right right now it’s number 200. Right. 200 Episode 200. Then celebrate giving a little Woohoo. Like Yeah, nice job.
David Ralph [51:28]
I’m gonna keep myself a round of applause. Here we go.
David Ralph [51:35]
The only time I play that is in the bedroom. That’s where I play that show. And unfortunately, I’m always on my own. That’s a drawback to that sound effect.
Sean Swarner [51:45]
Yeah, we kind of have a joke here that you watch too much Sports Center if you spike a football if you spike your pillow after sex.
David Ralph [51:54]
Yes. And that’s one of those comments, but the the kids in the back of the car going? What did he say? moment that you have brought this episode to a level I wasn’t expecting young man.
Sean Swarner [52:09]
Hey, there are so many different levels. I’m kind of like Shrek, you know, there are layers, right?
David Ralph [52:13]
That’s what that’s what we love. That’s what we love about it. So I’m gonna have to ask the question, and I have been grappling because it’s, it’s the question I don’t want to ask now. But what is next for you?
Sean Swarner [52:25]
What, what’s next for you?
David Ralph [52:27]
That’s a good answer. And I’ll tell you what is next for me. I want to get to 500 episodes. I want to have this show as part show. But Park community, I want to build a network of support for people around the world. I want to have a coaching team helping people to take that first step very much as you said at the very beginning about take the first step when you were saying that I thought Yes. Is kindred spirits, because it is so important, isn’t it, trying to get people to take that first and then hopefully take another one and take another one and see where they can get. So that’s what I’m aiming for. What about yourself, sir?
Sean Swarner [53:07]
Well, I will run with that and say my next steps. My what’s next on my horizon is to help you accomplish your goals. And maybe we can collaborate on a lot of things that you just said. Aside from that I am trekking to the south pole in December, we’re reaching out to a lot of different people around the world to have them follow the trip. Because I have satellite phone I can receive encouraging texts, text down there. But eventually, you know, the next 510 years, whatever, I’d love to have a family I’d love to maybe have a couple children if I can, I don’t know if I can because of the chemotherapy drugs, but something tells me I can I have a lot of other goals that I’d love to do as well, you know, trek to the North Pole, encourage a lot of other people to climb their Everest, write another book, or three or five. I’d also love to host a TV show on travel channel.
David Ralph [54:01]
I reckon every single one of those goals you will achieve I don’t even reckon I know you will. And and that’s the power of being you isn’t it really you. You allow other people to believe and if you engulf yourself in that much belief, if you don’t believe yourself vain, there’s something wrong, isn’t it?
Sean Swarner [54:20]
Yeah, no, definitely, you have to believe in yourself.
David Ralph [54:22]
I’m going to play the words of the show now. And this is the theme that basically the whole show was created around join up dots. And these are the words that Steve Jobs said back in 2005. And I’m always fascinated whether your position now shows resonance to these words, whether you can appreciate what Steve Jobs was saying. So this is Steve,
Steve Jobs [54:42]
of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [55:18]
So when you listen to those words, do you reflect on them on air resonance to your to your life.
Sean Swarner [55:25]
Without a doubt, there were so many times in my life where I didn’t know if I was even going to wake up the next morning, because of my cancers. And looking forward. It’s impossible to fathom the as a 13 year old where I am now. And people often ask me, it’s kind of like, what I’m about to say, it’s a lot like people ask me all the time, what would my life be like if I didn’t have cancer. And I say it’s kind of like a tree with the the millions of branches out there. In every splitting the tree, every branch is a point in your life where you had to make a decision. And I’m out here, you know, on the far right side or far top wherever, on this branch. Because of this, the decisions I’ve made. And if I go back on that branch to a decision, a time where I had to make a decision, and I continue back a little bit further back a little bit further. Eventually I’m at the trunk of the branch where my life could go in countless other directions. And there’s no way humanly possible to even fathom where my life would be if I didn’t have cancer. So looking as a 13 year old into the future, there’s no way I could have predicted where my life was going to be going. So connecting the dots looking backwards. hindsight is 2020, you know, you have a clear picture of your past. Everyone looks in the rearview mirror of their lives, and they can see where they’ve been. It’s almost like driving into a fog, where you have no clue where you’re going. But you’re just trusting like Steve Jobs said there, you’re trusting your gut trust in something.
David Ralph [57:05]
And what would you trust in totally just yourself? Or do you have a wider faith?
Sean Swarner [57:12]
Um, I do have a wider faith, I, I believe in a higher power. I trust in myself, I trusted my friends, I trust in my past experiences as well. And I know, every single time I’ve not listened to my gut is come back to bite me in the ass. So I have always trusted my gut. And I always will. Looking at the future, I will always try to predict and focus on intently what I want where I want to be. And if it doesn’t happen, you know, that’s fine. There are other options. But I will always do everything I can to possibly make that happen.
David Ralph [57:50]
I totally believe you will. You know, I’m looking as you’re saying that I’m looking at you were voted one of the top eight most inspirational people of all time. And I’m thinking, why is he not number one or two? wise? Have you ever asked that? When somebody says yes, you’re voted the top eight? Did you go? Yeah, but what position in a? You know,
Sean Swarner [58:08]
I haven’t I’m just I’m just honored to be part of the that small niche group of people
David Ralph [58:16]
when I’m going to put you at number one. So I think that you are you on demand for the 200th episode, and you are my most inspirational person of all time. And I’m going to send you back in time now. And I’m going to play the theme tune and when it fades, what advice would you give your younger self? And what age would you like to speak to if you did have the opportunity. So I’m going to play the chip and tune and when it fades you up, this is the Sermon on the mic
Sean Swarner [59:04]
And I think I’m going to interject real quick before I go back in time and just say we’re going, we don’t need roads.
Sean Swarner [59:12]
So I think looking back at my life and talking to myself,
Sean Swarner [59:18]
I would tell myself to always have faith.
Sean Swarner [59:22]
Always look to the future, but never forget the past. And always incorporate what other people are doing into your own life. Because, you know, you have to respect differences. And if I had to give myself some advice, talking to myself, you know, like I’m trying to pretend I’m doing now. First thing I would say is you will survive, you will not die, you will go on to accomplish astronomical things that would just boggle people’s minds. And you will always continue to reach into people’s hearts and to encourage them to be the best they can be. And always hold on to the person that you are. And always try to be the child in the young man who was born and raised in a small town of 5000 people in Willard, Ohio and remain always ethical and moral, you will be approached by many, many, many people who want something from you, but you cannot deliver it to everyone. You have to do what’s best for you first, because if you don’t take care of yourself first, you can’t take care of other other people.
Sean Swarner [1:00:47]
And
Sean Swarner [1:00:50]
I would also tell myself that you will make many mistakes along the way, but learn from those mistakes. And in the end, everything will always work out the way it should.
David Ralph [1:01:03]
Sean How can our audience connect with you sir?
Sean Swarner [1:01:07]
Oh, that’s easy. They can swing by my house
Sean Swarner [1:01:10]
watch out for the dog.
Sean Swarner [1:01:13]
Right, exactly. Now they can get in touch with me at Sean at cancer climber.org. And it’s Sean just like Sean Connery. Or they can go to Sean Swan or just like the Warner Brothers but with an S on the front Sean Warner com.
David Ralph [1:01:26]
Sean, thank you so much for spending time with us today. joining up those dots and please come back again when you have more dots to join up because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures. Sean Warner thank you so much.
Sean Swarner
that it’s it’s trust me it’s an honor and a privilege on this end.
Outro [1:01:44]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you are wants to become. So he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to join us calm to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on join up dots.
