Story

In our journey through life, we'll encounter countless people who will tell us what they believe can and can't be done. They'll hear you share your dreams, then, many times unknowingly, bring up reasons why it won't work - why you'll probably fail and shouldn't even try in the first place.

Truth be told, I love people like this - they fuel me more than anyone else. Many of you have heard the story of my dad. Growing up, he had always sold Chevys - I'd often go visit him at the dealership with my mom, to the point where they say my first word was actually 'Vette'. 

When I was about 18 yrs old, my dad drove a Corvette in the parade, parking in front of my aunt's house afterwards as we had a big family cookout in the back yard. I rushed to the front as soon as I saw him pulling up, asking if I might be able to drive it, just down the street. My countless requests failed, to the point where I became upset. It was my dream car, my first word... yet I had never even driven one. Why couldn't he see how important this was to me?

After his final 'NO', I swore to him that I would buy one before he did. He laughed at me.

The man I looked up to the most in my life, the one who taught me everything I knew about cars, laughed at me when I told him my dream.  

I spent the next 5 years of my life with one single goal: To prove him wrong. I worked like I never had before, day and night, multiple jobs just to save up money and make my dream a reality.

On my 23rd birthday, I flew up to Sacramento and picked up my first Corvette. I called him that night as I was driving down the PCH, leaving a voicemail I wish I could hear today. "Hey dad, just wanted you to know that I did what you said I couldn't."

Ahhh... thats making me tear up as I write it. I love my dad, and I know he never meant to hurt me by laughing - if Sven had said that to me I probably would have done the same thing. The truth is, we often end up finding motivation where we least expect to - many times from people who have no idea how powerful their words really were.

My hope for this ZOX is that it reminds you to stay strong. There's no need to be upset at the people who doubt you - use their doubt as fuel to succeed. Don't just prove them wrong, blow their expectations out of the water to the point where you establish you are a force to be reckoned with. I'll leave you with something more to inspire - a quote I love.

Fate whispers to the warrior, ‘You cannot withstand the storm.’

The warrior whispers back, ‘I am the storm.’

Love you guys.
- Jason 

Artist

Jason Kuipers