Noah Katz

Never give up, even in the toughest of times. This short talk by Les Brown says it all. This is a must watch for all of us if we are going to fulfill our true potential.

Many years ago I climbed Denali in Alaska, the highest mountain in North America. I was with a great group of people who I will never forget, including our lead guide Marty Schmidt. On the first day of the trip, loaded with a heavy backpack, dragging a sled, I looked out in the distance and saw the mountain, so far away, and so high up. I panicked. I wasn’t sure if I could really do this. That’s when Marty took me on the side and said something to me that I WILL NEVER FORGET. He said, “Noah, stay calm and carry on. You can’t make the summit on the first day, but you can lose it.” Such great advice. I did calm down and 15 days later, after climbing up to over 20,000 feet above sea level, our amazing team reached the summit!

This is all true in life as well. You can’t get to all your goals on the first day, but you can lose them. Stay the course, show up every day, come to work, do the job. That is how dreams turn into reality.

One more thing…you will need help. Teamwork is key. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and rely on other people. In fact, it’s the help of the entire team that brings the goal into reality. Our success comes from the success of the entire team. We must always be grateful for those around us. Personally, I thank my wife Deborah and my kids, my brother Danny, my mom and dad, my entire family, as well as all the amazing associates at work for all the success we have achieved together.