Gene Hammett - The Trap of Success: A Brutally Candid Guide to Overcoming Your Fears, Finding Significance, and Attaining Profound Success

Probably the single most important lesson I have ever learned in my life was how to get outside of my Comfort Zone. I only wish that Gene had written his book when I was struggling so much. You have the opportunity to Avoid the Success Trap by reading this book. I promise you wont be disappointed.

Howard Behar, President Starbucks, Retired

A friend once told me that success traps are harder to get out of than failure traps. This is brilliantly illustrated in Gene Hammetts raw and authentic book. Be careful: this might just change your life!

Greg McKeown, New York Times Bestselling Author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

What a fascinating story! Gene Hammetts journey is inspiring to us all. He shares the common enemies that we must overcome to keep growing.

Dee Ann Turner, VP of Enterprise Social Responsibility of Chick-fil-A and Bestselling Author of Its My Pleasure, The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture

Gene Hammett works from the depths of his heart, from a place of openness with the facts instead of his hopes, and with a massive body of knowledge gathered from his experiences and the countless interviews hes conducted with leaders. What you get with The Trap of Success is a great tool for getting yourself out of your own traps and back on the path to what matters most.

Chris Brogan, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth

For many of us, weve been taught to follow the beaten path because its supposed to be safe. Genes candid stories around losing millions and his path back coupled with the experiences and insights from clients as well as guests on his popular podcast, Leaders in the Trenches, teach and inspire you to overcome the fear that keeps you from living a professional life of significance and impact.

Jordan Harbinger, Host of The Art of Charm Podcast

As Gene Hammett shows in this terrific book, we must have the courage to break from what we have always done to create more impact in this world. Stop waiting and start doing.

Dr. Jonah Berger, Marketing Professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Best Selling Author of Contagious and Invisible Influence

2017 by Core Elevation, Inc.

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Published by Core Elevation, Inc.

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ISBN: 978-0-9894888-1-5 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-0-9894888-4-6 (ebook)

For information about special discounts available for bulk purchases, sales promotions, fund-raising and educational needs, contact Core Elevation, Inc. at 1-678-242-9957 or mary@leadersinthetrenches.com.

Visit the authors website at www.genehammett.com.

DEDICATION

Sharing this book with you would not be possible without those in my life that have supported me and believed in me.

To each one of my clients that gave of yourselves beyond what you believed possible. There are too many to name. Each of you knows who you are and what you mean to me. Each of you played a part in my journey of significance. Allowing me to impact you has had a profound impact on me. Thank you.

The ups and downs of life would not be the same without the love of my parents, Gloria and Wendell. The effect of your love is something that has shaped who I am as a person. My Dad is no longer with us. I will always carry a piece of you in my heart. Mom, you are the most giving person I know, and I want you to know how much I love you. I could not have asked for better parents.

Now for my wife who has been there through the doubt and fear...the good and the bad. You encouraged me to get back up after losing it all with tenderness and sometimes being brutally candid (of course, I needed it). You loved me when I felt unlovable. Amanda, you endured more than most could handle and with this, I say to you with my whole heart...I love you.

To God, you were there when life was dark. You are my light. I strive to follow the path you sent me here to walk.

INTRODUCTION

(This gets a little personal, if you want to skip and jump to the heart of the book you can start at Chapter 1.)

I was waiting for the most important call of my life.

If everything panned out, my company would make just over a million dollars.

Then, the phone rang. It was my business partner: We have a problem...

As he began to explain what had happened, the blood drained from my face, and I felt a sharp pain in the pit of my stomach. We had been working on this deal for 18 months, and now everything had blown up in a moment. I collapsed on the edge of my bed and buried my face in my hands. Was this really happening to me?

Im not sure if I blacked out, but I dont remember anything else about that call.

I did know that it was going to change me forever. I now refer to that day as the 2x4 daythe day I got hit upside the head with a 2x4. I learned the hard way that thats what it feels like when you lose $3 million instead of making $1 million on the biggest deal of your life.

Losing that much moneywell, theres no way it could be good . But then it got worse: my wife asked me, Are we going to be okay? Ive never felt more shame than when I had to admit to the love of my life, I dont think so. I couldnt help but wonder if she would leave me and take our two-year-old boy with her.

The weeks and months that followed that failed deal were the hardest of my life. The abrupt crisis that ended the deal created legal problems for me, to put it mildly. I lost my business, my savings, my house. But worst of allI lost my confidence. I lay in bed for days, doing nothing but feeling the gravity of what I caused, not just for myself but for thousands of clients who had given me their money and their trust.

For five years after that, every time I stepped out of my house, I worried that someone would run up to me and shoot me in the head. When I went for a jog, I wondered if someone was following behind me. My mind would keep asking, Is today the day?

Yet I would never be where I am today without that traumatic experience. When you lose everything, you are forced to change. It took a long time to find peace in that, but now I know:

The worst thing ever to happen to me became the greatest gift I ever received.

It set me on the path that has become my lifes work: transcending my old, limited view of success to discover the much more important dance between breakthrough success andmost important of alltrue significance.

In other words, losing it all gave me a chance to find out what really mattered and create a new life, one in which I am fulfilled and living up to my fullest potential.

But lets look a little more closely at how I got here.

Setting the Trap for Myself with My First Business

In 2001, I started a service business with just an ideaselling tickets and travel packages to corporate clients for the worlds largest sporting events. By the end of my first full year of business, I had logged $1 million in sales, built a team of employees, and traveled all over the world.

For years, I kept at it, increasing my revenues and reaching the point where I could run the business and still have time to pursue outside interests such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai boxing. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, we supplied tickets to more than 8,500 people, netting over $1 million in profits for my partners and myself in one event. Buoyed by that success, I decided to go for the biggest deal of my life at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.