Orlando — Erik Weihenmayer, billed as a world-class blind adventurer, delivered the traditional opening day motivational speech at this year’s NSC Congress & Expo. Motivational speakers are “can do” extroverts emphasizing the realities of day to day living or a career, and how to meet the challenges.

Here are some of Erik’s words to live by:

• Can I do it? There are so many questions without answers.
• Personal growth is tumultuous.
• Keep it positive today. What did I learn?
• There are no barriers to personal growth. Break out of any cage you find yourself in if we want to be the person we can create ourselves to be.
• There are a lot of forces in life that will try to knock you down.
• Choose your relationship with adversity.
• Be a climber. Keep climbing up. Don’t be crushed by adversity. This is a choice you make. Rest if you must but don’t quit.
• We’re all rushing into darkness of one sort or another. Challenges, issues, confrontations. We will find what we’re looking for, the way out, by accepting uncertainty and adversity and using it to fuel the energy needed to discover solutions.
• The higher you climb in life or your career, the more adversity you’ll encounter.
• You can be paralyzed or energized by adversity.
• Use the energy that adversity can create within us to push ahead and overcome what the obstacles or barriers may be.
• Harness the challenges in your life.
• Be ready to take the crazy, sideway turns to solve problems.
• You can’t do it alone. The people you surround yourself with you must trust, form a bond with, depend on them, and collaboration and empathy will give you the best chance to succeed.
• The decisions we make will either put us on the sidelines, stagnating, or move us ahead and allow us to grow.

Erik received a standing ovation from several thousand safety and health professionals as he ended his talk.