Practicing what we preach

$4,000,000 in funding for hospital generators!

Before we even considered starting an apparel brand we were leveraging one of the most powerful one word statements in the English language... CAN.
 We did this by writing down goals with this one word statement attached.  Personal, career, family, etc.  Just the goal and CAN.

In this particular case, it was a career / community goal for me (Andy) the founder of Spirit of CAN.  As a fundraising professional for a community hospital on Kaua'i (how I pay the bills), I’m tasked with finding money to support specific hospital projects. In this particular case we needed funds to support the purchase of new generators for the local hospital.  This goal was not only monumental in terms of funds required... millions of dollars!  It was  also very important when you consider what the project provides for Kaua'i (an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean) during a hurricane or other power outage.  As a hospital on an island in the middle of the Pacific, we become a life line for the community during natural disasters.  After Hurricane Iniki in 1992 power was not restored for weeks here on island.

So, when they said “we need several million dollars to complete this project”, and fundraising would be a part of the funding... I was just a little sick to my stomach.
For starters, I had been told prior to this, “no one is going to just give you a million dollars for anything".  And now I was hearing, “generators are not something people want to donate money towards”.
It’s in these moments, you have to put the “how” to the side and just get to work! Although the project required several million, we set a modest goal of $2 million in grant funding and other donations to support the project.  In the end we were able to secure double the goal amount through one grant!

I’ve always tackled the "personal impossible" by hand writing the goal, and then putting it where I’ll see it the most. My sweet spot is the dashboard covering the instrument panels. I want to be reminded of the goal daily. So,  if you see me with a turn signal stuck on, driving too slow, or with a flat tire... my goal card is more important than the dash indicators... I’m just chasing goals for myself and my community:)  Please just let it slide.  I'm pretty sure the guys at Tire Warehouse were thinking some insane braddah driving a busted up Tacoma wants to make $2 million:)  Maybe that's the next goal?! 

I’ve literally been using this practice for decades...
It’s how I achieved personal goals, work, and life goals.  Thinking back, to staring at all the goal cards through the years of commutes to work, I realize this was the biggest and most significant goal yet.  I used to write goals for health, competition, personal wealth, and to get more stuff.  And I'll continue to pursue personal goals. But, setting and achieving a goal that was not only personal but community driven, is an amazing feeling. 

For three plus years this card has been in my truck...  I'm not going to lie, it's been a challenging few years for me and the card. It's been thrown onto the sandy floorboard, in the glove box, and stuffed in the trash (the one we all have in our cars:).  Many times I thought it was a dumb process and that I should just allow for some luck to happen or not... But, luck also requires the "law of attraction" to be in place.  You have to focus!

Whatever you're thinking about daily, you'll attract into your life. So put it in writing and visualize success daily.  If you're thinking about goals, it not the only great thing you'll eventually attract, but also the amazing journey.  Maybe on your journey you will have an opportunity to meet influential community leaders and learn from them.  Nothing will ever happen if you don’t set the goal and drive towards it!  

Me doing my best not to say stupid stuff!!

Mahalo to Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for taking the time to learn about the project and for supporting our goal! 

We’re going to celebrate this achievement for a little while.  But don’t worry, the speedometer will be covered with another big goal SOON!

And yes, we improved the goal card (see below) and they come with all apparel and sticker orders.  

Help us spread the stoke! 

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