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As an inductee into multiple Halls of Fame, Diana Nyad knows the glories that come with striving for greatness and achieving it. At the age of 28, she was widely considered the greatest long-distance swimmer on the planet and had already set a number of world records, including one for circling Manhattan Island. Her big dream was to swim from Cuba to Florida, and she certainly appeared primed at that time to make that wish come true — but life had other plans.

Decades later, she was able to prove that you’re never too old to realize your dreams, but the true gift may have been in those years in between, in the aiming and failing, because, as she admitted, “What a tremendous build of character and spirit; what a foundation you lay down in reaching.”

In sharing this, I am reminded of a quote by Henry David Thoreau, who once said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals,” and I couldn’t agree more. This type of outlook is invaluable in the challenging times we face, and we have much to learn from those who embody it. That’s why I’m so excited to be welcoming Diana as a guest speaker in our Spotlight Keynote series at Citrix Synergy 2020, May 19-21, in Orlando, Florida, where she’ll share her insights on the power of the human spirit to turn failure into success.

Diana Nyad’s Story

Thirty-three years after her initial failed attempt, 62-year-old Diana couldn’t let go of her lifelong dream to swim the 110-mile stretch from Cuba to Florida, and she resolved to try again. There was little question around what she was up against: These waters are teeming with venomous box jellyfish and whitetip sharks, are highly susceptible to storms, are impacted by the strong ocean current of the Gulf Stream, and are often transformed into enormous swells by the area’s high winds, which ultimately pushed her so far off course on her first attempt that doctors decided to pull her out of the water and end her journey prematurely. On her second attempt, strong winds and ocean currents once again sent her substantially off route, but she was determined to succeed until an asthma flareup made it too difficult for her to keep stroke.

Still, she refused to give up her dream. Finally, on September 2, 2013, on her fifth and final attempt, Diana Nyad completed the journey from Havana to Key West in 53 hours. She was 64 years old. Upon reaching her destination, Diana said, “I have three messages. One is we should never ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three is it looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team.”

Spotlight Keynote Sneak Peak

At Citrix Synergy 2020, Diana will draw on her celebrated career as author, sports broadcaster, and one of the world’s greatest athletes to address the value of teamwork in reaching goals and the importance of focusing on the journey, not the destination.

Diana is just the first of an incredible lineup of speakers you’ll have the opportunity to hear at Synergy this year. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more of the exciting content in store for you. I hope you’ll join us in Orlando this May, because I am certain these speakers and their stories will be an inspiration. Learn more about Spotlight Keynote speakers and Synergy programs at www.citrixsynergy.com.