Let me share with you my first mindset epiphany...
After failing out of two colleges and described as “not being college material” by an Admissions Counselor who did not recognize my full potential, I witnessed my dad, who was battling a brain tumor, graduate from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University). My dad, a retired Army Drill Sergeant and Military Police Officer, was unstoppable. His mindset... “nothing or no one” was going to stop him from achieving his dream of graduating from college. He would be the first in his family. Seeing my dad refuse to let a seemingly insurmountable health challenge stop him from receiving his degree, I was inspired to overcome my educational failures like never before.
I immediately had to shift my mindset to perform at my highest potential and achieve my dream of graduating from college. I returned to San Antonio College the following semester, where I had previously failed out, and made the Dean’s List. I eventually transferred to Sam Houston State University (SHSU) and earned a degree in Radio/TV/Film. While at SHSU, I was the recipient of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, as well as the recipient of Outstanding College Students of America.
I became a member and a leader of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Eta Mu Chapter. I also served in a leadership role on the Kirkley Hall Council, Residence Hall Association and as a Resident Assistant (RA) at White Hall for the SHSU Department of Housing and Residence Life.
I continued shifting my mindset to perform at my highest potential. Later, I attended Texas A&M University (TAMU) and earned a degree in Finance. While at TAMU, I was the recipient of The James L. Courtney Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. I served as an Assistant Admissions Counselor for the TAMU Office of Admissions and a Faculty Advisor and mentor to the members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Nu Delta Delta Chapter. In addition, I served in a leadership role on the Residence Hall Association and as a Resident Director (RD) at Walton Hall, Neeley Hall and Moore Hall for the TAMU Department of Housing and Residence Life.
As a result of shifting my mindset, I was able to return to The University of Texas at San Antonio, this time as an Admissions Counselor, where I previously failed out as a student. What is even more remarkable is the fact that I was advising students in the exact office where the Admissions Counselor who had told me many years before I was not “college material.” The lesson learned…you can achieve extraordinary success when you shift your mindset.
I had my first mindset epiphany. People see what they expect to see.
I had no idea the profound impact my dad’s mindset for letting “nothing or no one” stop him from graduating from college, despite battling a brain tumor, would eventually have on me. It provided a new framework for what it means to be “unstoppable” that forever changed my mindset. It led me to one of those “book” moments when a particular book, Live Your Dreams, called out to me. I grabbed the book and read it cover to cover. I could not put the book down. It was another framework for me on how to overcome challenges, obstacles and failures to achieve extraordinary success, this time by Les Brown. His book provided me with a system for changing the thought patterns that had been deeply rooted in my unconscious mind for many years. It is a mindset.
"Being unstoppable is not about you always succeeding, it's about you having the mindset to never give up when failing!"
—George D. Griffin, III
I had more mindset epiphanies. If others see what they expect to see, you can set the stage for what you expect to see.
Through a series of synchronicities, my library began to expand and unfold book by book, providing answers to the questions I had about overcoming challenges, obstacles and failure to achieve extraordinary success, one by one. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, yet another framework by Stephen Covey, which talked about the things successful people do differently. As one of my coaches taught me, we can learn a lot, if not more, from failure. That is because extraordinary success comes from failure and learning how to overcome challenges and obstacles. It is a mindset.
Then, it was Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, a framework based on Hill’s interview of the most creative and successful people in the world, for figuring out what made them successful and what makes the other 98% of the world either mediocre, average or unable to overcome failure. It is a mindset. One by one I found these frameworks for overcoming challenges and obstacles. I began to see thought patterns of what would ultimately inspire a new purpose and mission for me.
This ever happened to you?
Everyone is a leader at some level with someone and each of us has thought patterns that run our lives and affect our leadership. Unfortunately, many people’s thoughts do not help them to be unstoppable. Fortunately, a current mindset comes with a warranty—if you do not like yours, you can return it and replace it with one that works better for you! Years later, I have embraced my new purpose and mission to teach leaders the power of mindset. A mindset is a collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape a person's behaviors and habits.
Being unstoppable in anything, especially leadership, starts with being an unstoppable you. Leaders who are unstoppable think and act differently than others. They effectively lead themselves with the necessary self-direction, self-control, self-awareness and self-mastery to perform at their PEAK and be unstoppable.
I have had numerous mentors and coaches that I have had the opportunity to observe. I was also able to witness how they handled challenges, obstacles and failure, and it was night and day. It is a mindset. As I continued shifting my mindset from the habitual patterns of negative thinking that can stop leaders from performing at their PEAK and being unstoppable, something magical happened...
And it worked.
I discovered a transformational system. One so simple, yet so powerful, and it is reshaping leadership development and coaching. The system combines my Mindset-Based Leadership Philosophy into a step-by-step system. I call it the Unstoppable PEAK Performance Leadership System. Leadership is a mindset. The time is now for leaders to start believing, and more importantly, permanently eliminating their disempowering thinking. Like my dad’s mindset, letting “nothing or no one” stop them!
I am on a mission to teach my Unstoppable PEAK Performance Leadership System and my Mindset-Based Leadership Philosophy to 1 million leaders in my LIFETIME. I hope you will join me on this leadership journey of self-discovery, self-exploration and self-transformation.
George D. Griffin, III
WHAT TOP THOUGHT LEADERS AND CELEBRITIES ARE SAYING ABOUT GEORGE GRIFFIN AND HIS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND COACHING PROGRAMS
George Griffin is a Master of Peak Performance Leadership. His ability to develop and coach your leaders on how to perform at their highest potential and lead high performance teams is amazing!"
JOE THEISMANN
Legendary NFL World Champion Quarterback; Washington Redskins (12 Year NFL Veteran); Winner NFL MVP & NFL Man of the Year; TV Commentator, ESPN & NFL Network; Featured in the Hit Movie, The Blind Side
George Griffin will equip, empower and elevate your leaders to lead high performance teams. Book him for his leadership development and coaching programs if you want your leaders to become unstoppable PEAK performers!"
DANIEL "RUDY" RUETTIGER
The Inspiration behind the Tri-Star Blockbuster Movie, Rudy; named one of the all-time greatest sports movies
PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
20 years in leadership roles as Vice President with a real estate company, a public housing authority and a mortgage lending company
10 years in leadership roles as a Program Director, Asset Manager, Division Asset Manager, Property Manager or Real Estate Broker with various affordable housing companies
6 years in leadership roles as a Managing Director or Regional Manager at two privatized student housing companies in addition to serving as a member of various associations for college and university housing professionals
4 years in leadership roles as a Resident Assistant or Resident Director, in addition to serving in leadership roles with the Residence Hall Association and on the respective Residence Hall Councils with the Department of Housing and Residence Life at two universities
4 years in leadership roles as Treasurer, Vice President and President of a Homeowners Association
Over 25 years in volunteer leadership roles as a Secretary/Treasurer, Executive Committee Member, Board of Directors Member, Senior Vice President, Regional Vice President, Chapter President, Vice President at Large or Committee Chair with numerous trade, professional and philanthropic organizations on a local, state and national level
Over 33 years in professional leadership roles acquiring, financing, selling and/or managing more than $1 billion of real estate assets, including over 100 apartment communities with more than 25,000 units, over 5,000 on-campus and off-campus student housing beds at more than 15 college/university campuses, over 500 single-family homes and 2 office buildings with over 175,000 square-feet
LICENSE
Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker
Former Licensed Louisiana Real Estate Broker
EDUCATION
Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Texas A&M University, May 1997
Bachelor's Degree in Radio/TV/Film, Sam Houston State University, May 1989
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)
Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, nationally known as the Ph.D. of commercial investment real estate
Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP) designation from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the highest designation for professionals in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) industry
Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM) designation from the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA)
Public Housing Manager (PHM) Certification from Nan McKay & Associates
National Affordable Housing Professional - Executive (NAHP-e) designation from the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA)
Certified Management Executive (CME) designation from the National Association of Home and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
Housing Choice Voucher Executive Management Certification from Nan McKay & Associates
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Graduate, Specialization in Leadership and Management Certificate Program, Harvard Business School
Graduate, 2013-2014 Class,
Leadership Lyceum Program, Texas Apartment AssociationGraduate, 1991-1992 Class (XVII), Leadership San Antonio, Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce