Todd Lewis If you make a list, it will come

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by Pamela Kramer Childress
                In today’s marketing savvy world, anyone with a vice to cure or a heart to mend can find help. From television shrinks to self-help books to “bucket” lists — the answer to all our problems is just a Hollywood ending away. That’s why Todd Lewis is so special. He simply took someone’s advice, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote down what he really wanted out of his life. Then he went to work.
                That was nine years ago and he’s still making lists. 
                Making lists is nothing new. Most of us have sticky notes all over our house to remind us of mundane tasks. But Lewis’ lists are big and bold. And it’s not a list of “what I want to do before I die” either. It’s a running list of things to do now — today. “I’ll get to it someday” is not a phrase Lewis will utter.
                Most of us might take one dream and make it a reality. Lewis takes a lifetime of accomplishments and churns them out. He ran with the bulls in Spain — three years in a row. He climbed Mt. Whitney, Mt. Kilimanjaro and the summit of Everest. He hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru. He even flew his mother to Ireland to watch him run a marathon. On June 1, he completed his most current goal — 40 marathons before he turned 40 (just in the nick of time — his birthday was June 17).
                So where did he find his inspiration? It started out in the typical way.
                “I was in Dallas. I didn’t want to go. The last thing I wanted to go to was a sales kick-off — and then they brought out Coach Holtz,” Lewis said. “That night on the flight [back], I wrote my list.”
                As Lewis tells it, Coach Lou Holtz is the real deal. His humility, genuineness and humble beginnings are what inspired Lewis to make his list. “It just made sense when I heard him speak,” Lewis said.
                Lou Holtz was unemployed when he made his list of goals many years ago. Turns out, one of his big career highlights was taking Notre Dame to a national football title in 1998. As is common among most successful coaches, Holtz is known for his inspirational quotes and his ability to motivate his players. His successful career includes best-selling books and the lecture circuit, despite his lisp. Because of his popularity, he makes for a great speaker at sales conferences, too.
                It took him nine years, but Lewis finally met his hero. On June 13, Lewis flew to East Liverpool, Ohio to the Holtz Museum and shared 15 minutes with the Coach. Lewis reminded Holtz of a story he told in one of his books about Bob Hope calling his wife on their anniversary. Holtz was so tickled by the memory that he decided to replay the gesture. Holtz called Lewis’ mother on the spot and autographed his book to her.
                “For him to call my mother — it’s worth its weight in gold,” Lewis said.
                Lewis tried every angle to get a meeting with Coach Holtz. He emailed and called any person who might have some connection to the Coach. Over the years, Holtz has even retired and then returned to coaching. But wherever he was, Lewis kept trying to track him down.
                “It turned into a life-long goal to shake his hand,” Lewis said. “To meet that man after nine years and say ‘thank you, you’ve made a huge impact in my life’ was a dream come true.”
                Lewis has realized many dreams over the last nine years. Not everyone has the opportunity to hop on a plane and go to Africa to climb a mountain. But that’s not the point. For Lewis, it’s just as much about the people he meets as it is about the mountain he climbs.
     “If you saw my bank account you wouldn’t be impressed. If you saw my scholastic career, you wouldn’t be impressed. But what is important is just your attitude and the people you surround yourself with.”
     He now has friends all over the world. At an airport, he ran into fellow ‘running with the bulls’ participant, Dennis Rodman, former NBA player. He even emailed Mavericks owner Mark Cuban who also took a meeting with Lewis.
                “My life turned for the better nine years ago,” said Lewis. “It changed my outlook on things — from what I need to own or what I want to own to things I want to see and the people I want to meet.”
                In a world of instant gratification, Lewis would rather put in the time, relish the work and get to know the people. Now, he can shoot an email to a friend in Malaysia and send a graduation card to his climbing guide’s daughter in Africa.
                “You just can’t put a price tag on it,” Lewis said. “I work hard. I couldn’t have it any better. I’m not wealthy. I’m definitely not intelligent, but to me, it’s just about the people I meet.”
                To Lewis, it’s all about the journey and the people along the way. He’s living proof that it’s more fun to get off the couch and experience life rather than sit and wait for things to happen. His advice is to find your passion and go for it.
                “The best reality show is your own life,” Lewis said. “Don’t watch other people’s dreams come true. Make your own dreams.”
                For a man that has accomplished so many physical feats, it must be hard to hear someone lament about wanting to lose 10 pounds or give up caffeine.
                “The main thing is nobody’s goals are more important than somebody else’s,” Lewis said. “No goal is too small. Make your list. Try to imagine you’ve got one year left. What can you do to fix those broken relationships? What do you want to see? What do you have to do to make it happen? What’s stopping you?”
                How’s that for a Hollywood ending.

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