Dr. Myron L. Rolle - The 2% Way

Myron Rolle is an amazing role model who is in the process of becoming a neurosurgeon after having achieved the goal of becoming a Rhodes Scholar and NFL player. His no-excuses mentality combined with a philosophy that always moves one forward is something to be emulated by all.

BENJAMIN S. CARSON SR., MD, founder and chairman, American Cornerstone Institute; emeritus professor of neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Medicine; 17th Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

Myrons journey from a defensive back in the NFL to a neurosurgery suite as a cranial surgeon is an incredible example of excellence in execution and 120. Small steps cover big distances, and regular 2% improvements can mean the difference between success and failure, average and exceptional, winning and losing. The 2% Way will change the readers lifeI know this because it changed mine.

ERIC THOMAS, PhD, author, speaker, educator, and pastor

Dr. Myron Rolles diverse life experience will connect with so many communities. His empathy and genius are evident in his voice and storytelling, which weave together his experiences of the most elite and world-renowned organizations. Dr. Rolles relentless spirit is a product of Love and overcoming seemingly insurmountable adversity, and his methodology and philosophy are directly linked to the joy and success he has. His story is groundbreaking.

TROY POLAMALU, Hall of Fame strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers

By beautifully interweaving on- and off-field anecdotes with his 2% Way philosophy, Myron has designed a powerful playbook for tackling our greatest challenges, achieving our most daunting goals, and realizing our true potential.

BONNIE BERNSTEIN, veteran sports journalist and CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions

Dr. Myron Rolles achievements by any standard are stellar. But I am even more proud of the commitments that inspired him to such high attainment. These include a determined, rock-solid grounding in and connection to his cultural heritage, a strong and clear life-vision pursued without fear or compromise, and a subscribed obligation to give back no matter how far his life may take him. What we are seeing is a life richly infused, and for him I believe the best is yet to come.

GLENYS HANNA MARTIN, minister of education, technical, and vocational training, government of the Bahamas

ZONDERVAN BOOKS

The 2% Way

Copyright 2022 by Myron L. Rolle

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

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ISBN 978-0-310-36374-3 (audio)

Epub Edition March 2022 9780310363668

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Rolle, Myron L., 1986 author.

Title: The 2% way: how a philosophy of small improvements took me to Oxford, the NFL, and neurosurgery / Myron L. Rolle.

Other titles: Two-percent way

Description: Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: Dr. Myron Rolleneurosurgery resident, Rhodes Scholar, former NFL playershares how the strong work ethic, faith, and family values instilled in him by his immigrant parents and older brothers combined with a simple-yet-transformative life philosophy to enable him to overcome adversity, defy expectations, and build a life of meaning and purposeProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021050915 (print) | LCCN 2021050916 (ebook) | ISBN 9780310363651 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780310363668 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Rolle, Myron L., 1986 | Conduct of life. | SuccessReligious aspectsChristianity. | Ex-football playersUnited StatesBiography. | NeurosurgeonsUnited StatesBiography.

Classification: LCC BJ1547.5.R65 A3 2022 (print) | LCC BJ1547.5.R65 (ebook) | DDC 170/.44dc23/eng/20220207

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021050915

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021050916

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version). Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Any internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Cover design: Micah Kandros

Cover photo: Enoch Kavindele Jr.

Interior design: Sara Colley

Printed in Canada

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I dedicate this book to my parents and my brothers. To Daddy, for the long car rides to boarding school where we shared the best father-son moments. To Mummy, for hugging me after all my games and telling me that I played the best game youve ever seeneven if it wasnt true. To Marchant, for teaching me how to read with Hooked on Phonics so I could stand out in my primary school classes. To Marvis, for answering my 2:00 a.m. calls to you despite the random and often esoteric topics I had on my mind. To Mordecai, for giving me your Holy Spirit High School football jersey so I could feel as unstoppable on the field as you were. To McKinley, for always reminding me that were Rolles and should be remembered for something good that we do in this life.

We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Will Durant

Information about External Hyperlinks in this ebook

Please note that the endnotes in this ebook may contain hyperlinks to external websites as part of bibliographic citations. These hyperlinks have not been activated by the publisher, who cannot verify the accuracy of these links beyond the date of publication

I want to acknowledge my wife, Latoya, for believing in me to write this book. I called you on my walk home from a twenty-four-hour shift at the hospital. You told me that I had a story to tell. A story that could change lives. I sat down in the lobby of my downtown Boston high-rise apartment and listened to you encourage me, inspire me, and motivate me to make a difference in the world through my words. Im grateful for that conversation because it has led to this moment. Thank you, Latoya. Im blessed to have you in my life.

A newborn babys head has a circumference of about fourteen inches. Thats not much space for a neurosurgeon to operate in, especially when the procedure calls for drilling holes the size of quarters into the skull. The margin for error, already slim in brain surgery, is reduced to an almost invisible line dividing life and death.

Todays patient presented an even more challenging problem. He was delivered twelve weeks premature and now weighed only five pounds. Excess cerebrospinal fluid was trapped deep within his brain, dangerously building up pressure in a condition known as hydrocephalus. This condition is often seen in premature babies who havent had time for their brains and blood vessels to grow fully. In developing countries, it usually stems from an infection that has passed from mother to child. In either case, the objective is to bring down the swelling, and for that, Id need to place a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in his brain matter. The device would drain the fluid and divert it through a tube I would run behind the ear, over the clavicle, and into the stomach.