Keynote: Be the Hero of Your Own Story

Ziv Shilon was leading an operational mission in the Gaza Strip when he was injured by an explosion, losing his both hands. From there he explained to us how hard it was to find the strength to accept his new handicap. He was the one who normally helped others and led his troops by showing examples. We felt his anger and frustration after the accident, he was feeling like a burden to those close to him.

How, after such a hardship, find the necessary resources to enjoy life again?

• Cultivate a positive and resilient mindset. Believe in ourselves and our abilities. Focus on what we can do, rather than what we can't.

• When you live with a handicap, you must come up with creative solutions to bypass it.

• When you have major challenges in your business activities you should find creative solutions as well.

• Ziv wanted to prove to himself that even with his disability he could do something that others with no disability could not even dream to do!

• At that moment he could hardly walk but he decided to train for the Iron-man, one of the most difficult endurance competitions in the world. He failed 7 times and never gave up. He finally succeeded after hard work and unfailing discipline.

• “A small success every day, you always come back stronger.”

• Ziv took advantage of his disability to create a technological solution in partnership with Microsoft that allows the handicapped person to play online gaming like any other with adapted remote device control.

• We all have our inner strengths and superpowers; we must activate them somehow and be the hero of our own story. Be a real actor of our life!

• People with a handicap usually bring a lot to a team since they see things from a different angle, and demonstrate how to turn a weakness into strength.