We were lucky to catch up with Robert Pardi recently and have shared our conversation below.
Robert, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
First off, I wanted to thank you for inviting me to share my story. Now, where do I start? The reason being, it is about taking risks as much as it is about defining moments. Looking back on my life from this point, I realize I have lived my life taking risks, pushing myself into discomfort in the pursuit of an elevated life experience. That being said, I would have to share a little about how I grew up and where this mindset comes from. The birthplace of my brand, Possibility in Action®, comes from having grown up with an abusive alcoholic father. This taught me early on that there were two choices we face in life: to accept things the way they are and “settle” or to take personal responsibility to change what we can to live the life we want. I did have an incredible mentor as a child, my grandmother, his mother, who told me all the time to take risks. This came in handy when my amazing wife was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age. We journeyed together through her illness experience for eleven years until her passing. That was when I decided to take my biggest risk. It was a crossroads moment to either try and recreate a semblance of what was now lost or say, “F it” – I am taking this rubble and building a new mosaic. In other words, I am going to live my life forward.
Robert, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
How long do we have? No, just joking; I tend to do that.
Absolutely, I’d be delighted to share, though I always find answering this question a bit difficult. Let me start this way: I have been characterized as “one of those rare individuals who embraces change and lives by his personally created and unique philosophy he calls ‘Possibility in Action®’.”
Honestly, if I am honest, I like the idea of being some modern-day philosopher. Philosophy has always intrigued me for as long as I can remember. Yet, I am an ex-finance guy with an MBA from Columbia University. See, the thing is, when I was young, I believed that money, only the pure power of money, could get me out of my circumstances and create a fulfilling life.
As a kid of an alcoholic father, and please don’t get me wrong, he had some good qualities, but the true benefit of that upbringing was it showed me who I didn’t want to be and was a boot camp for incredible life lessons like grit, resilience, conscious choice, and dealing with uncertainty. But it was the almighty dollar that was going to liberate me. Everything I did was focused on that and fueled by anger to get far away from that situation. Until, when I was 19, I met a strong-willed, wonderful young woman, Desiree. She taught me to drop the armor and live life from love, not anger.
Before long, we were that couple that seemed to have everything, and just at the height of our everything, we were thrown into the unknown. Cancer, Desiree, right before her 31st birthday, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, already at stage 3B. I’m not sure if they still use that type of designation, but just for clarification, she had 11 of 11 lymph nodes positive.
This turning point in my life led to a significant personal crisis, a lifequake, as I like to call it because that is what it felt like. It was this pivotal moment that compelled me to embark on a journey of self-discovery and intentional living, partly because I, in some divinely guided way, knew I had to become Desiree’s life coach. So, through introspection and self-reflection, I came to understand the power of using life instead of being used by life. That required leveraging what I learned as a child and adding the concept of impermanence and precious time.
I’m now a transformational life coach, author, and speaker, committed to helping individuals break free from conformity and reimagine their lives. I believe in living life to the fullest, accepting personal responsibility, moving away from “woe is me” to “wow is me,” and taking intentional action. I offer coaching services and provide guidance to help people transform their lives, chase their dreams, and achieve a profound sense of fulfillment. I work closely with clients to create action plans, celebrate small wins, and maintain a positive mindset. My approach is a blend of psychological principles and life coaching techniques, tailored to everyone’s unique needs. So much of it comes down to identity. That is a huge part of what I work on, whether it be through my coaching, retreats in Italy, public speaking, or books. See, nothing is broken. No one needs fixing. What is needed is shedding old paradigms that are holding one back and embracing the identity of who you can be. For example, you want to stop smoking. The shift is not to ‘stop smoking’ but to embrace the identity of a non-smoker. The issue is most of the time they are stuck in a fog bank and need a compass forward to see that new identity clearly.
Ah, what sets me apart. First, I walk the talk. Every single day I live as Possibility in Action, but more so, I have walked through the valley of the shadow of “a lot”. I quit my finance job after Des passed and left everything behind, teaching English in Rome, Italy, for $8 an hour just to make ends meet until I got my coaching certificate and company off the ground. Yes, I know, I had a finance career. An eleven-year journey with breast cancer and no life insurance burns through money faster than you can imagine. Just saying. Money had nothing to do with me taking the chance; it was 100% mindset. So, what sets me apart is my lived experience, honed wisdom, and, funny enough, economics background. One day we can get into how economic concepts such as sunk costs and opportunity costs help with living a fulfilling life.
I am going to be bold now and say what I’m incredibly proud of is, first, myself. I could have settled. I could have stayed and lived a comfortable life after Des passed, accumulating financial wealth, but I found the courage to say that was not the story I wanted to look back on from my deathbed. Secondly, I am incredibly proud of the transformations I’ve witnessed in the lives of those I’ve worked with. Seeing individuals embrace their authenticity and make incredible changes to their lives is a profoundly rewarding experience.
And that is what Possibility in Action® is all about. It is about understanding that you are meant to be the author of your story, the craftsperson of your life. But here is the thing, Michelangelo did not hit the block of marble once and poof, there was David. Do you want to step into crafting your life? If you do, be warned, it is a lifelong process. Possibility in Action® is about the action to bring possibilities into your reality. It is about small steps every day and realizing the reward is from your daily actions. Why? Because no one knows when it is their time to leave this earth. As a good friend of mine says, “look at the calendar – there is no ‘someday’.” Let’s just say working with me is not easy because I will push you past the ‘as soon as’ mentality. There is no ‘right’ time; there is only commitment. If you want something new – then start, e basta!
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Great question. In the field of coaching and personal growth, success is a multifaceted journey that unquestionably transcends the confines of mere training and knowledge. The goal, once again, is not to fix anyone, but to help them understand their inner wisdom. You see, even though we share the same planet, we don’t inhabit the same world. Wait, I anticipate your next question.
Our world is a direct reflection of the perspective we bring to it. Therefore, if I don’t guide you towards embracing your uniqueness, you’ll always be trying on a prescription that doesn’t quite fit your eyes. Resonance can only be found by the client; we, as coaches, can merely guide them toward it. I’ve often been quoted as saying that a coach’s role is to remind you that you already possess the keys in your pocket to unlock the doors you need to access for personal growth. And when you encounter a door for which you don’t have a key, the coach teaches you how to fashion a new one.
This emphasizes that genuine success is driven by the acknowledgment that every interaction is, at its core, a unique relationship. Authenticity and integrity serve as the unwavering pillars of this work, underlining the importance of eschewing one-size-fits-all solutions. I frequently stress the idea of not approaching everything with the same brush, signifying the significance of providing customized solutions. This necessitates seeing the whole person, rather than just the perceived “issue” or “desire” they present. Whether I’m engrossed in life coaching, authoring books, or stepping onto the stage as a speaker, my philosophy is deeply rooted in approaching each individual as precisely that—an individual.
This perspective, which I’ve refined through my journey, transcends the bounds of conventional coaching and speaking. It emphasizes the collaborative nature of the journey toward success. It’s about co-creating a path that aligns with the individual’s values and aspirations. In my world, success isn’t just a destination; it’s a profound, transformative journey we undertake together. Ultimately, the client ventures forth on their own, realizing that personal growth is a lifestyle, not a destination, and that’s when success truly resonates. Success isn’t solely about imparting knowledge but about igniting the spark of possibility in others, guiding them to see the vast potential within themselves. It’s the very essence of what I do.
So, I’d venture to say that the most valuable aspect in my field, beyond expertise, is the ability to forge meaningful relationships with clients. To genuinely listen, empathize, and provide tailored solutions that honor their individuality. This approach fosters trust and unlocks the doors to authentic, enduring transformations, which lie at the heart of Possibility in Action®.
By the way, I should have told you earlier, I love metaphors.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Oh, there are so many. Unlearning that surrender is not giving up. Unlearning that joy and pain are not bedfellow, and others. But the biggest one I would like to share here is about hope.
Unlearning hope was one of the most profound and transformative lessons I’ve ever encountered. The backstory, though, is not just my story; it’s the story of my beloved wife, Desiree, and her extraordinary 11-year journey with breast cancer which I keep returning to, but it was such a deep lesson in life, love, and living while alive.
In the beginning, like many facing a challenging diagnosis, we clung to hope. Hope for a cure, hope for a miracle, hope that her condition would remain manageable, even if chronic. For so long, I believed that hope was the anchor we needed, a guiding light through the storm. It’s what everyone told us – have hope, keep the faith, because better days are ahead. And we did, with all our hearts.
But it wasn’t until we were deep into this relentless journey that I began to question the very concept of hope. Hope, in many ways, felt like a distant promise – a promise that constantly dangled on the horizon, just out of reach. It was a future-oriented sentiment, one that perpetually set us in a state of yearning, of longing for a better “someday.” It drained me. And while, in some cases, hope is the life raft that keeps us afloat, I realized it can also pull us away from the present moment, the only moment we truly possess.
The turning point was a shift in my perspective. I began to see hope in a new light – not as an abstract future prospect, but as a potent force that could be harnessed in the present. It was about hope for the best “today” possible. I started a daily ritual, a mantra that Desiree and I repeated each day. “Show me how good it gets today,” we would say. It was a simple yet powerful statement, which I still continue today.
In that moment, in the pure present, we stopped chasing the elusive tomorrow and started appreciating the small moments of joy, the glimmers of happiness, the unexpected laughter, and the shared love. We let go of the belief that hope was synonymous with a cure or a miracle and embraced the idea that hope was a companion in our journey through each day. It was about nurturing hope for the “today,” recognizing that today was the future we once longed for. This perspective allowed us to find solace and gratitude in the midst of chaos.
A pillar supporting the work I do is to guide others to discover the power of “today” and to embrace hope as a present force. It’s a profound lesson, not just in coping with adversity but in living life to the utmost, no matter the circumstances.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.robertpardi.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.pardi/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.pardi.possibilityinactionexperiences
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-pardi/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PSBLTYinAction
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4h5YLCeTy3ESohOSOWa4IA
Image Credits
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