On Our Minds: A Lesson in Leadership from Terry Fox

Written by Rita Silvan

Great leaders inspire us to push aside our egos, insecurities and fears and reach for truly meaningful goals. Leaders come in many guises, and are often ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the service of others. People like Terry Fox.

Every September, runs are held across Canada and globally to raise money for cancer research; things are a little different in 2020, but there are plenty of opportunities to participate. All because Terry Fox led the way when he set out across Canada to raise money to fund research into the disease that ultimately took his life.

While his Marathon of Hope was cut short in September 1980 in Northern Ontario after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres, the legacy he started carries on. Today, more than $750 million has been raised in Terry Fox's name to fund cancer research worldwide.

There's a lot to be learned — as individuals and investors — from leaders like Terry Fox. Here's what stands out for me:

Have a purpose

"To me, being famous myself is not the idea of the run, and it wasn't from the very beginning. To me, the only important part is the Marathon of Hope." — Terry Fox*

I find that really understanding why I'm doing something is key to sticking with a plan through ups and downs. It doesn't mean my inner saboteur doesn't surface now and then. After all, whenever we decide to tackle something new, challenging or "outside the box," our critical voices will often come out. Having a meaningful vision help keeps me on track — no matter what the challenge. When I started to learn about investing, I was overwhelmed. But I've stuck with expanding my knowledge because building my financial confidence is a key step in ultimately building my financial resources.

Going the distance

"I set daily goals for myself, and it's really important that I achieve them. I need to have a daily sense of accomplishment." — Terry Fox*

Many times I've decided to taken on a new challenge I've been hit with sheer panic. Thankfully, I can now look back and realize that every single time I've felt overwhelmed it's because I felt like I had to do everything at once. Can you relate? I've learned to stop, take a couple of deep breaths and then divide the big goal into sub-goals. Reaching those smaller goals gives me the confidence that comes with feeling successful, which leads me onward.

It's Not Just About You

"It took cancer to realize that being self-centred is not the way to live. The answer is to try and help others."— Terry Fox*

As an introvert, I prefer to do things on my own. I've had to learn that, while I need to stay true to myself, I also need to be open to learn from and work with (and for) others. When I reflect on my biggest successes in life — career or personal — they always involve relationships. I've realized we can all teach, and we can all learn. Working together can push everyone forward. I've also learned that while attaining my financial goals means a lot to me personally, it's also key to the legacy I want to leave. Helping others can be at the core of a financial plan.

*Source: The Terry Fox Foundation

On Our Minds is a regular feature written by RBC Direct Investing's Inspired Investor content team.

** This article was updated on September 22, 2020.