Finding Your Butkus

If John Lennon, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan defined music and culture in the 60s, an unruly middle linebacker from the NFL’s Chicago Bears was the complete antithesis of the idealistic peace and love, flower power generation.

Dick Butkus was like a Sherman tank in cleats; a one man wrecking crew who smashed, crashed and bashed his way to notoriety as the league’s most ferocious and frightening player. To this day, many people who own Dobermans and Rottweilers will name their dog “Butkus”.

And while opponents saw Dick Butkus as the personification of the ultimate thug, it turns out that one person’s villain can be another man’s hero.

What if “Finding Your Butkus” is symbolic for scoring the touchdown of your dreams, discovering your goalpost of destiny and achieving what you really want in life? 

For one man, finding Dick Butkus was like a tiny ray of light from the crack of a door that might open a vast array of possibilities.

It was a way for 47-year old Bob to recapture the wide-eyed spirit of his 12-year old self and live life on his terms and follow dreams of his own making. Never in a million years would he have thought the simple act of picking up a paint brush would lead to an Emmy Award and a growing career as an artist, author and professional speaker.

Throw on your battered helmet, fasten your chinstrap and start asking how you can Find Your Butkus on this edition of The Reinvention Chronicles.

“Many people flounder about in life because they do not have a purpose, an objective toward which to work”                                    GEORGE HALAS

p.s… It was Mark Twain, the father of American literature, who once observed; “the two most important days of your life are the day you where born and the day you found out why”. Few can appreciate that quote more than Bob Mueller and his quest to help otherwise ordinary, hard-working people recognize that its never too late to discover your “Butkus” – the dream that matters most to you. It could be the thrill of getting your pilot’s license, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, appearing on stage at a comedy club, opening your own business, going back to get your high school diploma or finishing your masters. No matter what your version of the “Butkus” metaphor is you can be fairly certain that somewhere along the way there was a Dream Crusher who led you to believe things that never resonated with you at the soul level. And its the voice of the Dream Crusher that gets in the way of overcoming all the obstacles that are sure to placed in your path as you venture out on what will most assuredly be a journey of persistence and patience. According to Mueller, there are three things to keep in mind when attempting to “Find Your Butkus”.

1.  Expect the Unexpected.
2.  When you fall down (which you will) be sure to get back up.
3.  Do what you say you’ll do. (Follow through on your promises)

The benefits of finding your personal “Butkus” are many, not the least of which is discovering that you are worthy of what you receive; that you are not alone in your ideas and thoughts and the confidence that comes with knowing how much you and your story matter.

p.p.s…. It was a sad day on September 18, 2012 when Bob Mueller’s friend Steve Sabol departed life’s gridiron and ascended into football heaven. His legacy speaks for itself to this day.

What is Your “Stadium-Sized Perspective”?

As the wheels of business turn faster each quarter, many organizations and trade industry associations are busy making plans to stay ahead of the uber-fast relevance curve. In that spirit, the 2018 booking season is in full swing for upcoming conferences and events eager to have Gair Maxwell deliver keynotes and workshops that inspire audiences to achieve a new level of “STADIUM-SIZED PERSPECTIVE”.

Could Your Personal Brand Become “Legendary”?

Applications are now being received for an exclusive 1-on-1 coaching program for entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid of the challenge that goes with punching above their weight class and making their company and brand “larger than life”. It’s called THE LEGENDMAKERS?, based on a coaching and learning model heavily influenced by other “larger than life” figures such as King Arthur, Batman, Sir Winston Churchill, Henry Ford, Gene Simmons, Amelia Earhart, Vince Lombardi, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Walt Disney, among others. If you are curious, flip me an e-mail.

Explore Other Resources on the Road to Reinvention:

• Could your business become a ‘CATEGORY OF ONE’? Enroll at HUGGABLE UNIVERSITY and get ready to INSPIRE YOUR TEAM & IGNITE YOUR BRAND. Sharing secrets from one of Canada’s greatest small business success stories, our monthly, video-based sessions can help your company discover how to BE DIFFERENT. BE UNTOUCHABLE. BE REMEMBERED. Get Your FREE session now.
• Purchase the critically-acclaimed, NUTS, BOLTS AND A FEW LOOSE SCREWS. Available at Chapters.ca and Amazon.com.
• Decipher the REINVENTION CODE, get updates and continue the DISCUSSION on FACEBOOK.