Zane Graser- An Inspiration for Success
Disabled Ironman Contender Zane Graser Beats All Odds- He is an Inspiration to Us All
Coeur d’Alene 2014 swept through Idaho’s beautiful lake town on Sunday and one of its contenders had to work a little harder than most.
That man is Zane Graser, real estate investor at The Rock Real Properties LLC.
You might remember Zane from a video that I posted on Facebook a few months ago. Zane is hearing impaired and has had a very difficult life. In spite of this, he wanted to be a successful real estate investor. We worked together, he used our systems, and whadda you know – he did some deals and made some money.
Zane blew away all of our expectations. Now, he’s doing this…..
This guy is amazing.
Given a 15% chance of survival, Zane Graser was born with a series of birth defects, which required several surgeries; in addition to being deaf, he started out life with his esophagus attached to his lungs, two hernias, his intestines out of place, and a heart murmur, which resulted from a hole in his heart.
Then, just over three years ago, Zane passed out and was back in the hospital again. This time his doctors said he would need a pacemaker if he were going to live.
With his health issues, it has been touch and go his entire life. Nevertheless, Zane has persisted. His Uncle, Pat Wardian said, “He has the tenacity to win… a tenacity that says .. doesn’t matter what obstacles you throw in front of me.. I can overcome it.. ”
And he has. Zane survived his childhood, went to college and became a recreation specialist at the Department of Corrections. Then, during this last year, he started his own real estate investment business and came to me for some coaching and direction.
Zane’s real estate business began to bloom; he did some deals and he did well. Still there were other areas in Zane’s life where he felt a need for more. Makes sense… after all, success is about a lot more than finances.
Zane decided he wanted to finish an Ironman Triathlon, despite his health challenges. He wanted to push himself; a characteristic I witnessed in his approach to business, as well.
I’m not the only one impressed and inspired by Zane Graser.
In a recent interview, an emotional Shawn Burke CEO and Owner of WITH Performance, shared how Zane approached him and asked for is help in training for the IronMan Triathlon. Said Burke, “…when he came he said… I want to do Ironman.. but don’t know if I can do it… I said.. I will do whatever it takes to make you get there.. he said.. I don’t have a lot of money.. I said.. I don’t care about that… it’s not about money.. it’s about helping you reach your dream and goals.. my goal is to cross the finish line.. I said… lets get started.”
An ironman finisher himself, Burke has trained dozens of athletes to join the ironman club. However, he says, he has never coached a competitor like Zane.
Not an easy feat to accomplish, an Ironman Triathlon is a series of long distance triathlon races which consist of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bicycle ride and a 26.2 mile marathon run; all three raced in that order and without a break. A typical Ironman event has a time limit of 17 hours for completion, beginning at 7am and finishing at midnight.
On the subject of success, Zane says, “… just don’t quit… you never know if you try one more time… push it a little further you might succeed…”