A Think BIG, Act SMALL Approach to Life & Business – with Michael Burke- EP008
‘If I don’t execute the small things consistently and well, I can’t have the things that I’m striving for.’
Michael Burke was born with cystic fibrosis, and he has to take eight pills with every meal just to digest his food. That adds up to an incredible half a million pills over a lifetime, but Michael’s approach is to simply focus on the next eight. He applies that same tactic in all aspects of his life, driven by the goal of living a 1% life—choosing one little thing to work on each day in order to be the best version of himself at home, at work and on the marathon course. By thinking BIG yet acting SMALL, Michael has succeeded in exceeding his life expectancy and living an extraordinary life.
Michael is the author of Waiting to Die, Running to Live, a memoir of his experience living with chronic illness. Everyone has their own race, and Michael is on a mission to inspire everyone to make it to the ‘finish line’ with grace and strength. To that end, he also does keynote speaking around adopting the mindset to go beyond perceived limits. He presents regularly to groups in the business, sports and healthcare industries.
Today, Michael joins Jeff to share the story of his life with cystic fibrosis, explaining the battle between fear and hope that informed his childhood. He offers insight around his success in the hotel industry, describing how the grit necessary to battle chronic disease applied to his work. Michael discusses his decision to take up running as therapy and his unique approach to living what he calls a 1% life. Listen in to understand how thinking BIG yet acting SMALL can help you live your best life!
Key Takeaways
Michael’s unique approach to life
- Not limited by expectations, body
- Concepts apply to business
Michael’s childhood with cystic fibrosis
- Diagnosed at 14 months, given five years to live
- Digest food with meds, lungs attract bacteria
- Battle between fear and hope
The first steps toward letting go of fear
- Allowed to play with brothers at age five
- Soccer, camping and swimming in lake
The intersection between disease and business
- What’s good for one = good for other
- Execute small things consistently and well
Michael’s success in the hotel industry
- Just live not enough, desire to be best
- Willing to do things others didn’t want to
- Director of sales in four years
A mindset of compliance vs. engagement
- Compliance suggests submission
- Shift from HAVING to WANTING to
Michael’s journey as a runner
- Picked up running as therapy
- Nine full, 20 half-marathons in decade
Michael’s idea of the 1% life
- Live normal AND extraordinary life
- Best version of self at home, work
The concept of thinking BIG yet acting SMALL
- Small actions lead to big goal
- Incremental change leads to exponential growth
Michael’s approach to goal-setting
- Set so big that failure is still success
- Allow negative emotions to drive action
Connect with Michael
Call (314) 283-5985
Resources
Waiting to Die, Running to Live by Michael Patrick Burke
The Little Things: Why You Really Should Sweat the Small Stuff by Andy Andrews
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