Conventional wisdom can look pretty funny in hindsight. Less than 600 years ago, most people believed that the earth was flat. A century ago, women were denied the right to vote because men were thought to be more important. As late as 2007, the economy and housing market seemed bulletproof.  It proves that sometimes it is best to ignore what others think. Just ask Shad Ireland.

At age 11, he learned his kidneys were diseased. Shad’s first transplant, when he was 18, only lasted for three years. The second transplant was unsuccessful. Doctors told Shad he’d be lucky to live to 25.  His first response was to party non-stop while enduring regular dialysis until the hour glass ran out.  Then one day in 1993, when the 21 year old only weighed 75 pounds, Shad’s perceptions of the world shifted. The catalyst was a triathlon on television.  Shad decided he would one day compete in that race.

No one thought it could be done…except for Shad. During his first day in the gym, he weighed less than 90 pounds, had severe muscle atrophy and cardiovascular issues. Shad couldn’t walk more than 30 seconds without stopping to catch his breath. Within a year, he gained 42 pounds of muscle and transformed himself into an athlete – proving the medical community wrong.

 In 2004, he finished the Ironman race in Lake Placid, New York – becoming the first dialysis patient to ever do so.  Today his foundation (www.ironshad.com) helps people with renal disease improve their lives through physical activity.

“The challenges I faced were numerous as well as the lessons learned,” explained Shad.  “Previously, I perceived the world around me negatively, focusing on a disease I felt I had no control over and everything that I had lost.  Iron Man saved my life!  It taught me how to believe in the possibility of it all.  It helped me to develop a belief system that says to live with a chronic illness is not a limitation rather an invitation to those who are willing to accept the challenge.”

The next time I’m thinking about ditching a morning workout, I plan to think about Shad. What motivates you to exercise, even when you don’t feel like it?