Meet Connor McKemey

We recently connected with Connor McKemey and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Connor , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I always tell people it started with allowing myself to heal, both physically but more importantly mentally. Often when we struggle with who we see in the mirror, it is because that person is still healing or is no where close to being the best version of ourselves. So I had to learn to stop being so critical of someone who was still healing, instead I started taking pride in the strides I was making and the progress that was allowing me to get some semblance of my old life back. I couldn’t change what had happened to me, so why not embrace the best parts of who I am. What I got to learn along the way is what really contributed to the confidence people see now. I got to build my life back up, piece by piece, without having the luxury of hiding from what had happened to me. No matter where I go people will stare, or ask questions, and honestly that is okay. Our scars, visible or internal, don’t have to be a reminder of what we have lost or what has happened to us, but can be symbols of strength as to what we can endure and what we can overcome. They can be a reminder of where we have been, but more importantly where we are going. It was definitely harder when I was younger, but I got to see first hand that the people who truly love you and care for you in this life are always going to judge you by the content of your character and not the way you look or feel that you look.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I wear a few different hats under the umbrella of my company MAC Mentality, but in short I am a speaker, an author, and a coach. I get to impact lives in a positive and productive way, with hopes of seeing people smile a little more, laugh a little harder, and love life a little deeper. I use my experiences to help others see that although times can be tough, people are tougher, and we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. I focus on the aspects of life that we have control over, compared to focusing on all the things that we don’t, so that we can take more ownership of what is going on by being active participants of our destiny instead of passengers. For more information on my story and mission you can check out my Amazon best-selling book, Life Ignited: A hopeful Journey, Sparked by Fire!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

This ties in perfectly with my brand and what the M.A.C. in MAC Mentality stands for as they were the three pillars to what helped me in my recovery and still to this day. As stated above I am a big believer in the things we CAN control and to me these would all fall under that category. To start, motivation or the driving force behind human action. This is needed for many reasons, but without having that initial motivation to get back to where I wanted to go or that motivation to get out of that bed, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Some days are harder than others, but we need that driving force behind our actions and when we maintain that motivation over a course of time that is when we see true change. Attitude comes next. Our attitude is our feeling or opinion on something, and that feeling or opinion is entirely our own. We can choose to be a glass half full or half empty person. When we change our attitude, we change our reality, that is the key. Being negative will only yield negative results. That doesn’t mean we can’t feel sorry for ourselves from time to time, or be upset with the results or when things don’t go the way we intended. But, when we realize that sitting there in that sorrow will never change our outcome, we can start to see that our attitude can dictate how our next steps will be. Lastly, and for me the most importantly, is courage. The world is full of unknowns and uncertainty. That is why more than anything, we need courage to keep going despite the setbacks, failures, and fear. It is only with that perseverance and mental fortitude that can allow us to overcome life’s greatest challenges. For someone that is struggling with these things it is important to celebrate the little victories and baby steps along the way. I didn’t go from a hospital bed, unable to move, to running around a field playing a collegiate sport in a short time or straight line. There will be setbacks, dips, and days where it feels impossible. Remind yourself of where you have been and celebrate the progress you’ve made.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My family and friends, without a doubt, have been the biggest help in my life. I was in uncharted territory and to have such a strong and stable support system was critical to my success. There was so much of my journey that I had to face by myself, but I never felt alone in that process. I had people there celebrating all the little victories along the way and they showed me the beautiful parts of life that make it worth fighting for. When I didn’t feel like I had the strength to keep going, or felt defeated from another surgery or setback, they were there to pick me up. So much of what I say or do now is just an extension of all of these incredible people who allowed me to never stop believing, who never gave up on me, and who allowed me to see just how powerful people can be when we come together for one another. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. I get a lot of credit for what I’ve overcome and what I have been able to accomplish in this short time, but none of it would be possible if I had to go through this journey alone. We will always be stronger together, than we ever could be by ourselves.

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