One phenomenal person worthy of our aspiration is featured in each issue of our newsletter. Below, you may find our complete list, from which we hope you'll find great inspiration:
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 What lessons about living can you learn from someone who was dying?A month after being told that he had 3-6mths to live; Randy Pausch delivered his “last lecture” titled “Really achieving your childhood dreams” to an audience of around 500. The video of this lecture received over a million hits in the first month of its launch. It inspired worldwide media coverage, and a book which quickly became a New York Times best seller and has been translated in to 46 languages. What was extraordinary about Randy Pausch, was that he was ordinary. It’s true that he achieved more than some, and had a great many interesting stories to tell. But his messages were easily relatable: Randy Pausch, a professor of computer science and virtual reality, a sales person of education, passed away in July 2008 of pancreatic cancer at age 47 having achieved most of his childhood dreams. More importantly, he had fun living. OTHER RESOURCES: | ||||
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 There are times when you fall down in life and feel like you don’t have the strength to get back up. At such times, remember Nick Vujicic and the powerful lessons he has to teach.Born without arms or legs, face down on the floor... what hope does he have? In fact, he contemplated ending his life when he was as young as 8yrs old. He never gave in, but what possibilities are out there for someone without limbs? At age 26, Nick has travelled the world, graduated with a double major in Accounting and Financial Planning, owns two successful companies, writing his first book, and inspiring millions of people worldwide. Nick learnt to focus on the positives in his life instead of the things he lacks. He was blessed with incredibly supportive parents and strong family ties; He wasn’t born in a third world country where resources are more restricted; He is able to think through his obstacles and find creative ways to overcome them; He has a voice and he will communicate. Nick Vujicic enjoys playing music, soccer, swimming, fishing and surfing. He also learnt to stand up every time he falls. OTHER RESOURCES: | ||||
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 George Brunstad made a wish on his 69th birthday... to celebrate his next birthday by swimming the English Channel. A former fighter pilot, and a winner of over 100 Masters Swimming Championships, George has always been someone who sets the bar high. By taking on the English Channel, meant swimming around 50km from Dover, England to Calais, France, in water temperature of around 16 degrees Celsius.On 28 Aug 2004, George slipped in to the water at 9:13am. 300m from the French shore, he was joined by Alison Streeter and Marcy MacDonald, two of the strongest Channel swimmers in the world. Together, they ran up on the beach Rocky style at 1:12am, to awaiting French locals under a full moon. At 70yrs 4dys, George Brunstad become the oldest person on record to have swam the English Channel. He fundraised over $11,000 which went towards building a medical center, school and orphanage in a Haitian Village. SOME FACTS ABOUT ENGLISH CHANNEL SWIMMERS: | ||||
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 Alex Scott was 4yrs old, when she set-up a lemonade stand on her front lawn for the first time. She sold lemonade for 50c a cup, and the money was to help her doctors find a cure for Cancer.Alex lived with Cancer since the age of 1, and when a young friend died of the same disease, she was determined to make a difference. Alex’s little lemonade stand inspired an entire nation to fight for her cause. When Alex died peacefully at the age of 8, she had raised over $1million for Childhood Cancer Research. Her legacy lives on generating worldwide interest and support. As of May this year, her foundation has donated over $19million, and has given hope and treatment to those who may not have otherwise received it. OTHER RESOURCES: | ||||
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 Sir Edmund Hillary, renowned for being the first to conquer Everest together with Tenzing Norgay in 1953, passed away of a heart attack in January 2008 at the age of 88.This is our humble tribute to the man, his lifetime of achievements, and the legacies he left behind. "I don't know if I particularly want to be remembered for anything. I have enjoyed great satisfaction from my climb of Everest and my trips to the poles. But there's no doubt that my most worthwhile things have been the building of schools and medical clinics. That has given me more satisfaction than a footprint on a mountain." Sir Edmund Hillary OTHER RESOURCES: | ||||
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 Victor Chang was the most prominent heart surgeon Australia has ever known.Losing his mother to cancer at the age of 12 sparked his determination to seek out a medical career. He was destined to save lives. He became one of the pioneers of modern heart transplantation, performing the first of its kind on 14 year old Fiona Coote in 1984. Between 1984 and 1990 Dr. Chang's unit performed over 197 heart transplants and 14 heartlung transplants. The unit had a high rate of success with 90% of those receiving transplants from the unit surviving beyond the first year. In 1986, Victor Chang was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for his highly commendable deeds. Concerned about a shortage of organ donors, he arranged financing and assembled a team of scientists and engineers from around the world to develop an artificial heart. Tragically, his research projects ended with his untimely death in 1991. His legacy survives with the launch of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in 1994. OTHER RESOURCES: | ||||
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In the realm of truly inspiring female athletes, Bethany Hamilton’s spirit burns unrivalled.A naturally gifted surfer, Bethany was riding waves since she was a toddler. She began competing from the age of 8 and was on the senior circuit by age 10. At age 13, she was a seasoned surfer, having won many first placements along the way. On the morning of Oct 31 2003, while surfing with friends, Bethany was mauled by a 14ft tiger shark. She lost 60% of her blood and her left arm to that devastating attack. The world watched and waited, wondering how it’ll change the course of the promising young life. Despite the trauma of the incident, Bethany was back on her board and out surfing 10 weeks later. She taught herself to surf with one arm, and propelled back into competitive surfing. In July 2004, she was awarded the ESPY Best Come Back Athlete of the year; the shark attack seeming a mere hiccup in her brilliant career. Now at age 17, Bethany still competes with fierce passion. Her faith, tenacity and self-belief, never questioned. OTHER RESOURCES: |
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An article in Sports Illustrated, by Rick Reilly, has been widely circulated via email, so it may be likely that you are already familiar with the story of Team Hoyt.Team Hoyt consists of father (Dick) and son (Rick). As of June 2005, Team Hoyt had participated in a total of 911 events, including 206 Triathlons (6 of which were Ironman competitions), 20 Duathlons, and 64 Marathons, including 24 consecutive Boston Marathons. They also biked and ran across the USA in 1992 – a 3,735 mile journey that took them 45 days. Rick was born with cerebral palsy, a non-vocal quadriplegic. Dick carries him in a special seat up front as they bike, pulls him in a special boat as they swim, and pushes him in a special wheelchair as they run. Their story is one about believing, and overcoming the odds; But most of all, it’s about a father’s love and devotion, so his son may live a life unlike any other. OTHER RESOURCES: |
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As Kielburger took the stage, squinting slightly from the glare of the spotlights, amusement rippled through the crowd of 2,000 when they saw that his head barely cleared the podium - until someone brought him a step stool. But the laughter soon turned to curiosity and, when he began to speak, to admiration."According to the International Labour Organization, there are more than 250 million working children. That's equal to the entire population of the United States," he said, shoving aside his notes as he gestured emphatically, his clear, green eyes appearing to take in each member of the audience. "No one has a good excuse for ignoring this problem." The audience periodically interrupted his talk with applause, and no one seemed to notice that he'd gone well over his scheduled time. When he finished, the audience rose to their feet, wildly clapping their hands. As the applause finally began to wane, a member of the OFL briefly grabbed the microphone to announce that the organisation would be granting a surprise donation of $5,000 to Kielburger's organisation, Free the Children, for the purpose of building a rehabilitation center for child labourers in India. That gesture was soon matched by many of the other organisations present. At the end of the evening - an evening in which Free the Children had merely intended to raise awareness that child labour did indeed exist - Kielburger had raised $150,000 for the cause. He was 12 years old. Today, Free the Children, is the world's largest network of children helping children. Craig is also the founder of Leaders Today, a world renowned youth leadership training organisation. You are never too young to change the world. OTHER RESOURCES: |
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Living in a society with deep prejudices, so much so, that people of different colour were kept segregated on public buses, Rosa Parks was one person.On December 1st 1955, in Montgomery Alabama USA, Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, had the audacity to refuse to relinquish her seat to a white man and move to the back of the bus. Her subsequent arrest and trial for this act of civil disobedience triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the largest and most successful mass movements against racial segregation in history, and launched Martin Luther King Jr, one of the organisers of the boycott, to the forefront of the civil rights movement. Her role in American history earned her an iconic status in American culture, and her actions have left an enduring legacy for civil rights movements around the world. One moment, one person, made all the difference. OTHER RESOURCES: |
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What would your life choices be, if you were hit by a 12 tonne truck and left a paraplegic for life?John Maclean decided that he was busted up but not dead. He got into a wheelchair and made history by competing on par with able-bodied competitors and becoming the first wheelchair athlete to finish the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon, arguably the toughest multi-discipline sporting event in the world. He didn’t rest on his laurels and stopped there. John Maclean swam the English Channel, represented Australia at the Olympics, participated in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and completed the Molokai Challenge, among other achievements. It seems for John Maclean, there are “only possibilities”. He has set up a nationwide foundation to provide assistance to Australian wheelchair users under the age of 18. He is regarded as one of the greatest and toughest athletes the world has ever seen, wheelchair or not. He is a much sought after public speaker, sharing the lessons he learnt through his personal struggles and accomplishments. His message is to be the absolute best that you can be by “sucking the marrow out of life”. This is the quote he took inspiration from when he watched the movie Dead Poets’ Society. It is also the title of his book which recounts his life’s journey. OTHER RESOURCES: |
THE BRUCE LEE CHALLENGE
"I fear not the man who has
practised 10,000 kicks once, but I
fear the man who has practised one
kick 10,000 times."
Bruce Lee
Inspired by the above quote, we issue you the following challenge, should you choose to accept.
100 kicks in 100 days:
You must complete 100 kicks for 100 consecutive days. By the end of which you will have performed 10,000 kicks.
You may choose to focus on the one kick (for
example: front kick), or a variety of kicks (front,
back, side, roundhouse). It’s up to you.
Hanshi Shaun's version:
The challenge is to execute 1,000 techniques everyday for 30 days. You may do a rotation of 1,000 kicks one day, then 1,000 punches the next day, then 1,000 blocks the day after, then back to 1,000 kicks again... for 30 consecutive days. The aim is to complete 10,000 kicks, 10,000 punches and 10,000 blocks within 30 days.
Copyright 2010-2012. All rights reserved. Issei Ryu Bujutsu Pty Ltd.