Jay Satchel- Overcoming Adversity: A Journey of Resilience

Welcome to the Internal Shift Show. I'm Debbie

Longo, Transformational Coach. This show explores

how we think, decide, and respond internally,

influences where we end up over time. Today's

conversation draws on real experience and expertise

to look at how small internal shifts can change

direction, momentum, and outcomes. We have a

special guest today, Jay Satchel. Good afternoon,

Jay. Welcome to the show. Hi, Debbie. How you

doing? Would you like to tell us a little bit

about yourself briefly, what happened in your

past and what positive things allowed you to

come over, come to the other side, to make it

to the other side, to make it where you've accomplished

things that you didn't know that you could and

just about how you grew as time went on. Well,

I was raised on a big working farm in the upper

Midwest. And I think that they say from a birth

to 17 pretty much shapes a lot of your life.

And I was raised with the thought of if there's

a will, there's a way and a lot of responsibility.

I was raised with inch by inch. It's a cinch.

Yard by yard, it's very hard. So I had all those

things growing up. You can be anything or do

anything you want to. It's just up to you to

do it. I can't do it for you. You have to do

it. And so find that purpose and find that meaning

or find that strength and find what direction

you want to go or need to go or make that change.

So I think growing up on the farm was a, it's

just like if you don't get up and feed several

hundred out of cattle, they're going to die.

You can't have that. That's your life. you have

to tend the crops. So there's that sense of urgency

if the weather's changing or if a cattle are

sick or just the responsibility of everything.

But my grandmother, my dad's mom was Pennsylvania

Dutch. So she came with a lot of sayings, if

you will, and a lot of positive attitude. But

my parents were very much option thinkers and

wouldn't let somebody They believed in us, and

I think that's what really gave me a strong background.

And when I got out of high school, I went into

the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps took what

I had already had a good background, and they

just pounded it into my head further and deeper.

So I've kind of kept that, not kind of, I've

actually kept that positive attitude throughout

my life. It's something that has grown. because

of what I've been through. But when I was in

the Marine Corps, I died my first time, and I

spent a year in the Naval Hospital, and they

got me back. And that changed a lot, some of

what I thought, but it proved something. And

I'm going to go into here shortly. When I got

out of the hospital, they didn't have any PT

or OT or psychiatric, nothing. If you can get

the leg braces on and go, you just go. But when

I got out, I kind of stayed around the house,

so to speak, at my parents for about three or

four months. And then with my leg braces on,

I started getting little jobs. Well, the jobs

just don't work out for me because They didn't

want me to sit and they didn't want me to stand.

And I had to do one or the other because of my

leg braces or my back pain. So I started little

businesses. But I had three going, three that

were doing pretty darn good. But then I got hit

by a drunk driver and he got thrown out of his

pickup and killed. And I rolled multiple times

and then... I got torn up real bad. I bled out

and again was ascending up into the sky and looking

at the people working on me after about 20 minutes

out in the middle of nowhere. That's back in

73. So we didn't have cell phones or any of that.

But I look back at that, and I don't know that

I had a lot of... I didn't bring a lot of my

faith on how I was raised from Sunday school

or church into it. I was more charged forward.

Move forward. You've got this. Don't give up.

Stay strong. Just keep pounding away. So moving

forward, I did. I started a couple of other companies.

I finally got a I eventually reached out and

I got a job corporately with the fifth largest

corporation in America at the time. And six months

later, I jumped to the swimming pool and broke

my neck and drowned. and I broke it in four places.

I was paralyzed from the shoulders down, never

supposed to move. And that was my biggest challenge,

because I say this about the Marine Corps and

being all busted up and really bad, and the car

accident with a drunk driver. I say it like this,

sweat dries, blood clots and broken bones heal.

Suck it up, you know, so I could see my third

degree burns. I could see my broken legs I could

see the traction unit I could see all of this

and I know through time and Time and patience

and and just the way you heal Normally, it's

like a way if you cut your arm It gets a scab

and pretty soon the scab after two weeks turns

into skin and you're back again And that's kind

of what happened. But the broken neck gave me

a whole different vision, because it's something

you can't see. It's like brain cancer. It's like

my PTSD or my TBI I had, or my SCI, my spinal

cord injury. It's something that you have to

really rely on. And that's where I had to reach

back over time and really reassess, what is it

that I've been through that can help me move

forward? A lot of times I say this, it's in my

book, I start the book out with it, that is,

what lies behind us and what lies ahead of us

are small matters compared to what lies within

us. And if you think about that, you take what

you've learned from the past, good or bad, failures

and successes, and use those to move forward.

But it's within you to do that. There's another

thing I use. It's If it is to be, it is up to

me. It just tends to tend to letter words that

are very simple. But I think that addresses for

a lot of people that the fact that it's up to

them to do it, not that they shouldn't reach

out and get some encouragement either from podcasts

or reading or talking to somebody that's been

through that. But I continued on. I was able

to walk. They never they told me I couldn't.

And One of the things that they told me that

they... Well, they had a meeting about five months

after I was in the rehab institute. And one of

them was that they didn't like the fact that

I talked about what happened in the Marine Corps

or what happened after the car accident, because

that was not relevant to what I was going through

with a broken neck. But it is. When you've died

and you've fought for a year, a year to get up

and get going, There's a lot of strength. There's

a lot of determination. There's a lot of resilience,

perseverance, that they didn't realize what I

had been through. So I just used bits and pieces

of that to help me. And from that, I finally

got back to work, and I did. Outstanding. I went

really good. Very, very well. But they retired

me when I was 41. I was only 41. I was retired

my third time already. It was crazy because I

had too many surgeries. My paralysis was getting

worse. But when they did, I didn't want to stop.

So I started more companies and they went very,

very well. But a lot of that, Debbie. You rely,

I did anyhow, I relied on what I did with my

companies and the people I work with and stuff,

is to lead by example. Let them know, hey, here,

I'm a high school graduate. I'm mostly paralyzed

or I'm largely paralyzed. I was a functioning

quadriplegic with marked right side hemiparesis,

which means my right side never really worked

after 31. But if I can do it, what's your problem?

that you can't do it. And what can I do to encourage

you? How can I help you? How can I work with

you? And I think that that's where throughout

my life I've shifted many times. I look back

now at 76 years old and I'm quite involved and

I'm a major partner in a company that we started

three years ago. It's national. We just went

international and We're raising my wife and I

are raising twins that we've had since they were

three weeks old and they're eight and a half

years. I've written a book. I authored a book

that came out here about six weeks ago that's

doing very well. And I doing in talking to people,

which I've done multiple times over the years,

20, 25 years, I find it, it gives you a lot of

reflection. It's things that you're going to

ask me or ask me to tell you about. A lot of

times you don't think about that. And I do have

some people, when they've asked me something,

they've mentioned back, you know what, I've never

really thought about asking myself that question.

It's like, really brings out something, but there's

a, you have a constant change, whether it's in

you from what you've been through or what you're

anticipating to do that I think is, it's all

life changing. So I was, had a very similar situation.

I was in a car accident. And I had a broken neck

and I had to. So I had to learn to walk again

and all these different things. I had my knees

will crush. I had to get to two knee replacements.

So do you feel that? Because I know when that

happened to me and there was other traumatic

experiences that have happened in my life, too.

And I felt that something traumatic had to happen

to me in order for me to move forward, because

It doesn't always work where I say it's time

for me to move forward and everything is going

to work out and I'm in this spot and I shouldn't

be here. So do you feel that when you had that

traumatic experience and other ones maybe that

you've had, did that really allow you to see

things a lot clearer than before you had those

experiences and you knew that you needed to move

forward? do all these different things you've

been explaining after that happens? I don't think

so. I really don't. I approached all of my life

as I could accomplish it, that I felt that I

could move forward. Now, did I run into any roadblocks

or detours? Of course. And whether that was in

the military or whether it was afterwards or

whatever. But if anything ever became clearer,

Internally, it was probably about five months

after I broke my neck when I was 31, and I still

wasn't doing very well. I was progressing a little

bit. I wasn't doing very well yet. And I believe

probably it was the power of prayer. that got

to me. It was the understanding and the true

belief that I could overcome it and only I could

overcome it because it was not just working.

Well, they had a roundtable with all the doctors

and nurses and all that and the PTOT one time.

And they said we're concerned about Mr. Setchel

also because he doesn't just overdo in PT and

occupational therapy. He works and doesn't just

work when he goes back to his room, which he's

not supposed to. He works not only just to the

point of exhaustion, he works past the point

of exhaustion. And because I wouldn't quit. So

if anything changed, I believe that my broken

neck and the fact that I was never supposed to

move and I've been mostly paralyzed or largely

paralyzed for years and years, and it's always

gotten worse. I got away from it, but it's going

back. from brain stem surgeries, so on. And I

think that that probably was more of a defining

moment because I had to reach deeper than I ever

did before. The original part was painful. It

was terrible. It was ripped up. It was burns.

There was femur sticking out and all that kind

of stuff. But at the same time, I know that those

little things will overcome because, like I said,

Sweat dries and blood clots and broken bones

heal. Yeah, so you've had this Attitude and behavior

your whole life pretty much. I could do it a

positive attitude I could do anything that I

want I could accomplish anything that I want

that's good for you because That's just the quality

to me that not a lot of people have Because I

could sit in negativity and say, I'm not going

to accomplish anything. And maybe I didn't my

whole life. Or maybe I did and then I stopped

or something like that. And then I would rather

sit in the negative than sit in the positive.

Different things like that. So this is very good

for us to hear your story and everything that

you're saying and how you accomplish these things.

Because, like I said, you have one step ahead

of a lot of people. But regardless of that, but

regardless of that, you went out and you practice

what you were thinking. You practice what you

believe. And you were solid with it. and what

you believe you make because to me, I make my

own future. We all make our own future. If I

want to do it, I know that I could do it. Maybe

if at some point I don't think I could do it,

then I won't. So to me, like the mind pretty

much controls pretty much everything, which is

another thing that we're talking about here.

So because these things are presented to me a

lot of things. different careers, school, business,

whether I want to take it or not, that's completely

up to me. So to me, we have many different paths

and many different things that we could go on.

And this is what you chose. I don't know if you

had other paths or other opportunities. Maybe

people presented other opportunities to you,

but this is what you chose. And we're talking

here about all these ways that you were one way

in the beginning, even just unexperienced. And

now you've said to yourself, I want to accomplish

these things. And now you've done it. And now

you're experienced. And now you can tell your

story in a positive way. got from one side to

another. And it's just a matter of that. It might

not be positive or negative. It might just be

something that you need to explore. You might

not know exactly what you want to do and how

you want to accomplish it. And you might not

know until you try, dry linearum. That's very,

very true. And a lot of what you're saying is

I've always, like I said earlier, I was raised

with, in my head, my parents saying, You can

do anything you want. You can be anything you

want. You just have to do it. You have to if

it is to be, it is up to me kind of thing. And

I think that a lot of it is I'd like to share.

And about 25 years ago, I like to tell this little

story. If I may, I was asked to speak. I had

one another company I started after they let

me go when I was 41. And it was doing very good.

We were we were doing very well. And an assistant

principal from an alternative high school where

kids go after if they've been bad or they've

been kicked out of school, they have an opportunity

to go back. He asked me if I would speak about

my business because we were doing stuff for the

school district. And there was one hundred seventy

eight thousand kids in the school district. It

was a pretty good size one. And I told him, I'm

not. I mean, how am I going to tell kids about

what we're doing? We're doing graphics and digital

imaging and trade show booths that went around

the world and whatnot. But he asked me the next

year and I said, no, thanks. And he asked me

the next year. Well, I went home and I thought

about it and I said, you know what? I am going

to talk. But what I did, though, Debbie, is I

only talked for about two or three minutes about

the business. Then I talked about what it takes

to get through life. And I pointed out to the

students in the five different classes that I

talked to, I started out with Henry Ford. I started

out with Henry Ford went bankrupt three times

before he became Henry Ford. A lot of people

don't know that. Mr. Hershey with Hershey candy

bars, four times. Walt Disney, who'd probably

turn over in his grave if he saw what was going

on with Disney today, he went bankrupt five times.

And then he and had a nervous breakdown. Okay.

So those people, what if they would have quit?

So that's what I kind of brought to the subject.

I brought to the thing. And then the last class,

something that affected my life to this day.

And this is kind of like something I hadn't experienced.

I wasn't looking for it. It just happened. But

I mentioned in the last class, I said, in the

first class this morning, there was an individual

that they were there. And by the way, I told

all these kids before when I started each class,

I said, you all are winners and you're all winners

because you're here. If you weren't winners,

you'd be out there. And I pointed at the window.

You wouldn't be trying. So anyhow, but I mentioned

in the first class, there was an individual that

didn't take any notes. They didn't have good

eye contact. They didn't pay any attention. Really,

they kind of like it was like. Okay, well, whatever.

And everybody else was pretty well involved.

And in the last class I mentioned, I said, now

in this class, there's an individual that's dressed

professionally. They've paid attention. They've

taken notes. They've had good eye contact. They've

nodded their head. They've been involved. And

what it was was talking about people and how

you can hire people as well. And I said, that

person this morning, I wouldn't hire them for

anything. He couldn't have paid me to work for

me because he'd been a problem. This person I

would hire today. And I pointed out and it was

a young black girl. And here I'm on a walker

and I'm a 52, 53 year old white guy with gray

hair on a walker. And I point out, I said, I

would hire this young lady today. And I, and

I kind of went into it a little bit. Well, the

class that was at the end of the class and one

of the adults that was behind me at another person

about my age, maybe not as old, maybe older,

I don't recall. But then when they walked out,

they shook my hand and they said, I have never

heard anybody talk to students as firmly, as

directly, as hardcore as you have and keep their

attention. Thank you. And it ended up being the

superintendent of schools, 178 ,000 people. Well,

I just, I told them, well, thank you very much.

I appreciate it. And I didn't go there for any

accolades. I just went there to Say what I said.

Well, before I knew it, I see this young lady

walking to me that I pointed out, and tears were

streaming down her face, just pouring. And she

reached out, and she wanted to shake my hand.

And my only hand that works is my left hand.

And when I went to shake it, she said, sir, I

want you to know that you have given me hope

that I've never had. You've pointed out things

I've never thought about, and I want you to know,

you have changed my life. And Debbie, I cried.

I didn't boo -hoo, but tears were just rolling

down my cheeks. And I couldn't talk. I couldn't

even say anything. So sharing what you've been

through helps a lot of other people. So when

you said, I've been fortunate, well, that's been

the eye of the beholder, because I've only been

fortunate because I've made my own fortune, like

you were commenting about. And along with that,

you help share that fortune with other people,

and it gives them some faith and belief. that

they can do it as well. Point out the failures

you've had. I've had failures or near failures,

but you happen to catch it only because of previous

experience. But let them know, hey, life's not

perfect. I mean, look at me, I'm in a power wheelchair.

I can't go do what you can do even with your

knees. And I know I've had my knees replaced,

my left one three times. So it's like, it's people

can always, there's an old saying, If you believe

something to be true, even though it's not true,

it's true. And conversely, if you believe something

not to be true, even though it is true, it's

not. But that's in your head. So life is a self

-fulfilling prophecy. If you want to do something,

find a way to make it work. Find a way to do

it. Ask other people, you know, talk to others.

So you use this information and your past experiences

and different things that you've had to help

people. To me, that sounds like that was basically

your call when you were able to fulfill whatever

your thought pattern was and you knew that this

is basically what you wanted to do. Where are

you today as a result of everything that we just

talked about? from the beginning of this podcast,

obviously. And how do you feel about everything

that we just spoke about and the accomplishments

and everything that you've done? And how did

that come together in your life today? I feel

pretty good about it because of the fact that

I mean, I just had a teacher call me here and

they want me to speak to six classes coming up

at a high school. It's an ROTC unit. And so They

read my book and they said and I don't know how

they found the book, but they found the book

They read the book. They said hey, they realized

how close I was and but I feel good about it

considering everything I've been through and

that's whether physical failures of business

issues that have taken extra time or extra effort

or extra looking. So could I have done some things

better? Yes, I think we all can. But I certainly

could have stopped years and years ago, and I

wouldn't have this. So it's kind of like I'm

on a path that God has given me. It's nothing

that I've chosen. It's a path the Lord chose

for me, and He's kept me here to share this or

to speak with you today. Yeah, that makes sense.

So I really appreciate you being on the show.

Is there anything that you would like to say

in closing about anything that we've just previously

spoke about? If I was going to say much of anything,

I think I would keep in mind the thing that what

I said earlier about the things that are behind

us and the things ahead of us are very small

matters compared to what's in us. And always

remember, it's always too soon to quit. It's

always too soon to quit. You have to persevere.

Keep prayer going, think about it, but persevere.

You can't ever quit. That's it. Yeah. And one

thing I would like to say in closing, too, is

that you are an amazing example of how you moved

forward in your life and all the positive things

that you've done and the fact that you've accomplished,

physically accomplished everything that you thought

that you wanted to. kind of a dream, a goal,

call it what you want. And that is why I have

this show is to show people that this is possible

through speaking, coaching, whatever, whatever

your flavor is, whenever the person desires that

they want to do, regardless of how they get there.

I'm a coach, so obviously I'm going to promote

that. But the bottom line is, regardless of how

they get there, to have people to really accomplish

what they feel that they want to, even if it's

a small thing, even if it's just getting off

the couch and making dinner, if they don't feel

like doing that, even if it's just we're talking

about big things here. But it's just a very small

thing. And this is this is a very, very positive

thing that we've conversation that we've had

here. So thank you very much. As we close, this

conversation is a reminder that progress really

comes from one big decision, but from the internal

choices we repeat. If something from today's

discussion connected with you, take a moment

to notice how those internal choices show up

in your own life. This has been the Internal

Shift Show. Thank you for listening. Thank you,

Jay, for coming onto the show. I appreciate it.

Thank you, Debbie. I appreciate it very much.