History is replete with people
whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household
names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners
around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common:
They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went
an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy
is one of those rare individuals…
A recognized authority on performance and change management,
Rene has inspired thousands to stretch, push beyond
their limits, and go an extra mile. His story of grit,
perseverance, courage, and growth through change—one
that shatters the ceiling of doubt and fear (of change)—touches
the soul and rekindles the spirit.
His journey began in an isolated and impoverished village
in Haiti. As a child, he was often tormented and tortured
by malnutrition, dysentery, cholera and other deadly
diseases. Too weak to withstand the strong tropical winds
in his village, Rene often spent his childhood days on
a dirt floor fanning flies off of his face.
His father abandoned him before he was even born. His
mother left him behind with a neighbor when he was only
nine months old. It was a painful separation, but his
mother had to venture out to find a better way to provide
for her son.
Young Rene survived primarily on breadfruit and the
occasional rare fish he caught with a string and a bent
hook. Many gave up on him and predicted he would not
survive. But he continued to defy logic. The frail and
ailing boy built up strength by climbing coconut and
mango trees for survival.
At the age of seven, he left his village. He went on
to the city to join his mother in a little shack infested
with rats and roaches. There, Rene began a new and different
uphill battle with poverty. But when an American couple
of tourists gave him a dime and compassionately patted
his head and gently touched his shoulder, a transformation
took place in his life. A dream was born. “I want
to go to America to eat lots of rice and chicken and
enjoy a good life.” said Rene. Sure enough the
dream became a reality.
In 1983, at the age of 21, Rene left Haiti for Montreal,
Canada. But Montreal was not the dream—America
was. He took the ultimate risk that almost cost him his
life. He paid a truck driver to smuggle him into America.
Rene arrived wedged between the rear tires of a tractor
trailer covered with ashes and dust. His personal possessions
were five dollars, two shirts and one pair of pants housed
in a tattered briefcase. And he didn’t speak any
English at all.
Where many would see nothing but overwhelming odds stacked
against them, he saw an abundance of opportunity and
a chance to live the American dream. But he knew intrinsically
that he had to go an extra mile in all his endeavors
in order to enjoy the good life that many wish for. In
fact, he has been going the extra mile since leaving
his village at the age of seven.
Whether Rene was washing cars on the streets of Miami,
taking care of a sick and elderly man, or being a doorman
at a hotel, he has always gone above and beyond the call
of duty. He also has the gift and talent to inspire others
to do the same.
One day while working as a doorman, Rene’s talent
was discovered by someone who asked him to speak for
about 2,000 people. And yes, he didn't shy away from
stepping into the limelight. He finally had the chance
to do what he naturally does everyday... Inspiring others
to shake off mediocrity and to go an extra mile to excel.
Today, Rene energizes, empowers, and inspires audiences
worldwide. His favorite motto is, “if you are not
going an extra mile in everything you do, you are jamming
the highway to success for yourself and others.”
His unquenchable drive and heroic triumphant story stirs
in others laughter, tears, and deep reflections but more
importantly, it gives them the permission to excel. Today,
companies such as AT&T, Charles Schwab, and Coca
cola are among the many organizations that seek out Rene
to help their employees re-fire their work cylinders,
embrace change as their good fortune, and to recognize
the opportunities that exist on the extra mile. |
