Not everyone who reads my articles or listens to my videos lives in the US and will be celebrating the 4th of July, but I believe the message in this article applies to every one of us.

What better time than the 4th of July and mid-year to remind each of us of what we can accomplished.

Do you defy gravity?

If you are like me, you’re looking forward to celebrating Independence Day. I also know that as much as I’m looking forward to spending time with family and friends, I’m grateful for the freedom we have here in the United States. It is that freedom leads to me reflect on the question “Do You Defy Gravity?”

Our Founders, both men and women, defied gravity by fighting for their beliefs and ideas. A number lost their lives in the struggle for freedom but they trusted their instincts and fought on providing us the independence we have today. It is that freedom that enables us to live our lives to the fullest. Ask yourself, are you defying gravity and living life to its fullest? Are you taking advantage of the freedoms provided by the forefathers of your country and enjoying your life?

Occasionally, I hear “I’m too old to _____”. I’ll let you fill in the blank. But I’m reminded of Clara Barton whose passion led to the founding of the American Red Cross at the age of 60 and actions that resulted in the field known as volunteer service. She continued as president until she resigned at 83.

Really? Are you too old?

Periodically I hear “I was told I’m too young and don’t have enough experience”. What if John F. Kennedy, the youngest elected president at 43 years old and first Catholic president, listened to the critics and didn’t run for office? During his presidency, his reforms moved the US Economy out of recession, averted a nuclear war, supported racial integration and civil rights, and signed the equal pay act of 1963. There were failures during his administration but he lived his life defying gravity.

Really? Are you too young?

Amelia Earhart literally defied gravity by becoming the first female aviator to fly across the Atlantic in an era when the majority of women didn’t work outside the home. She lived her life and her adventure.

Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider defied gravity while at the University of Penn. They ignored the “no one will purchase eye glasses online” comments and started Warby Parker in 2010. September 2021, the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange opening at $54.05 a share (from Wikipedia).

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest physicist of all times and known for developing the theory of relativity, defied gravity when at 26 he published four groundbreaking papers (photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, special relativity, and the equivalence of mass and energy).

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx and one of the most powerful business women in the world, defied gravity first when she was in her twenties and used her savings to research and develop her hosiery idea and then again when she refused to be turned away by the male dominated hosiery manufacturing industry.

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks, known as “the first lady of civil rights”, defied gravity with her role in Montgomery bus boycott.

My list of people who defined gravity goes on. (Charlemagne, Queen Victoria, Nelson Mandla and Simone Biles with her recent gravity-defying performances.)

There are many ‘ordinary’ people defying gravity and you see them as you live life. They are not famous nor do not want to be but they have followed their intuition-their passion. They have a vision for what they want and they put the noise of others, rules, and limitations aside. They ignored their age, race, gender, and nationality.

Laura Burford

​Laura's Consulting Guide​

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