October 9, 2024 • 9 mins
Ava and Jake discuss teh latest episode of the Ignition Path Podcat with Nick Prefontaine, who shares his journey of resilience and recovery after a traumatic brain injury. The episode explores how maintaining a positive mindset significantly impacted Nick's healing process. Nick provides an overview of his STEP system, a framework developed to support others in overcoming obstacles. The discussion highlights Nick's notable achievements in real estate following his recovery and his commitment to helping trauma survivors through his speaking engagements. The conversation concludes with final thoughts and key takeaways from Nick's inspiring story.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Ever feel like life throws you a curveball, youknow, just when you think you've got things
figured out?
Oh, absolutely.
We've all been there.
It's like, bam, out of nowhere.
Right?
Exactly.
But today, we're diving into a story that,well, it takes setbacks to a whole new level.
A story that reminds us that even when thingsseem impossible, there's always a way forward.
This one's really gonna make you think.
(00:21):
You're about to meet Nick Prefontaine and hisjourney.
It's one you won't soon forget.
What gets me about Nick's story is he doesn'tjust overcome one massive hurdle.
It's like he takes that experience and uses itto, you know, create this whole system for
tackling anything life throws at him.
That's what's so powerful about it.
(00:41):
We're drawing from this interview he did on theIgnition Path podcast.
I was hooked from the first minute.
Yeah.
Definitely worth a listen.
It all starts with Nick.
Just as regular 8th grader on a ski trip withhis friends full of that, you know, youthful
energy.
Right.
Can't sit still.
Yeah.
Gotta go.
Go.
Go.
Exactly.
Picture this.
They get to the slopes, and while most kids areprobably still figuring out how to stand on
(01:04):
their skis, Nick and his buddies, they're readyto hit the terrain park.
And that's where things, well, they take a bitof a turn.
Detour doesn't quite cut
it.
Oh, what happened?
Nick, he immediately sets his sights on thebiggest jump.
I mean, the biggest one out there.
He even says in the interview, jump with all myspeed.
(01:25):
You can practically hear that that fearlessnessin his voice, that need to conquer.
Oh, wow.
I know that feeling, that rush.
And then the last thing I remember is catchingthe edge of my snowboard.
Oh, no.
Now this is back when, you know, helmetsweren't as common, and Nick, he wasn't wearing
one.
The result of this fall was, well, it was atraumatic brain injury.
That's heavy.
(01:45):
It really is.
And this is where the story could have gone,you know, really dark.
But there are these these almost unbelievabletwists of fate.
Wait.
Really?
Like, what?
So he wasn't wearing a helmet, but his goggles,they were padded, and they ended up cushioning
some of the impact as he was, you know,tumbling down the mountain.
Yeah.
And get this, the helicopter that was supposedto airlift him to the hospital, it couldn't fly
(02:08):
because of high winds.
No way.
Seriously.
Seriously.
And then the ambulance that took him, It justhappened to have the only paramedic on duty who
could do this specific type of intubation Nickneeded to breathe.
You're kidding.
Talk about beating the odds.
Right.
It's almost eerie, and it doesn't end there.
While Nick is in a coma, the doctors, they'reprepared to give his parents the worst possible
(02:32):
news.
But this is where his mother, she's incredible,she becomes this pillar of strength for him.
It's gonna count for something, that kind ofsupport.
It's everything.
Imagine this.
Despite everything, Nick's mom, she holds on tohope.
She insists that even in a coma, he can heareverything.
She refuses to let any negativity, you know,cloud his unconscious state.
(02:52):
Wow.
Just wow.
The power of belief.
Right?
It's a perfect example of how a positivemindset, even in the face of the unimaginable,
can make a world of difference.
And here's the thing.
This is where we start to see the foundation ofNick's step system being laid even if he
doesn't even realize it yet.
It's like his subconscious was alreadyabsorbing those elements.
(03:14):
You know, support, trust, positive energy?
Wild.
Exactly.
It's as if these experiences were, like,shaping him, getting him ready for what's to
come.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let'sback up a bit and really dig into this STEP
system because it's at the core of Nick'smessage, his framework for overcoming any
obstacle, and that's what we're gonna unpack
(03:35):
today.
Okay.
So STEP.
Right?
That's right.
Support, trust, energy, and persistence.
And it's like you said, it's it's bigger thanjust, you know, getting back on your feet after
an injury.
Exactly.
Nick's story, it shows us how these principles,they can apply to anything, any challenge,
really.
It's like a like a road map for life orsomething.
That's a great way to put it.
So support, first up.
(03:56):
Yeah.
It really makes you think about, like, who youlean on when things get tough.
Yeah.
For sure.
Who's in your corner no matter what?
That kind of support, it's invaluable.
But support's just one piece.
Nick talks about trust too.
Right.
And not just trusting other people, althoughthat's huge, but trusting yourself, trusting
(04:17):
that even if it's scary, things will work out.
Which can be so hard.
Right?
Especially when you're dealing with a setback,it's easy to get stuck in that I can't do this
mentality.
Oh, yeah.
That negative self talk can be a real drag, butNick reminds us we're stronger than we think.
Totally.
And that's where the energy part comes in.
Not just any energy though.
It's about using your in a way that lifts youup, not drags you down.
(04:39):
Like, focus on what you can control, not whatyou can't.
Right?
Exactly.
Nick could have easily let this accident, youknow, define him in a negative way,
but he chose to use his energy to heal, to getstronger.
And that kinda ties into persistence too,doesn't it?
Just that that refusal to give up.
100%.
Nick's whole mantra is, like, keep showing upevery single day even when it's hard.
(05:00):
Small steps every day.
Exactly.
Like, think about his recovery.
Learning to walk again little by little, it ledto him, get this, running out of the hospital.
No way.
He literally ran out.
Ran out.
Less than 2 months after being admitted torehab.
Okay.
Now that's persistence.
Yeah.
Talk about a testament to, you know, not givingup.
Mhmm.
And it's that same drive that we see when welook at the rest of Nick's life.
(05:25):
Like, his career, it's amazing.
18 months after this accident, he's not onlywalking, he's thriving.
He's killing it in the real estate world.
Which when you think about it, it's almost likeit's this perfect fit for him in a way.
I mean, he's helping people who are goingthrough their own tough times, people facing
foreclosure, dealing with all that stress.
He gets it.
(05:45):
He's been there.
Exactly.
And you see that a lot.
You know, people who've been through somethingmajor, they often wanna help others going
through the same thing.
It's like their experience gives them this thisunique ability to connect, to empathize.
For sure.
Makes you wonder, though, even when things aregoing well, sometimes there's that feeling that
something's missing.
Oh, yeah.
(06:06):
That little voice in the back of your head.
And that's exactly what Nick starts to feeleven with the success he's found in real
estate.
Mhmm.
He starts hearing this voice telling him to dosomething more.
It's like this this nagging feeling.
At first, it's kinda quiet, but then it it justgets louder and louder.
Yeah.
You just you can't ignore it, can you?
No.
Not really.
(06:27):
And Nick even says he's like, there was alwaysthis voice in the back of my head telling me
that I needed to help trauma survivors.
He knew deep down, you know, that he had astory to tell, a story that could help people.
Right.
Because when you've been through something likethat Mhmm.
You you have a different perspective.
You know what I mean?
Totally.
But it's one thing to think about it.
It's another thing entirely to, like, actuallyput yourself out there like that.
(06:49):
Oh, for sure.
That takes guts.
Major guts.
And for a while, he doesn't.
He's still figuring things out, you know, justgoing with the flow.
But then there's the speaking event back in2019, and something changes.
Oh, what happened?
He shares his story, publicly, I mean.
And afterwards, this woman, she comes up to himand she tells him straight up, your message is
(07:12):
powerful.
And she offers to help him to help him refineit, get it out to more people.
Wow.
That's that's pretty amazing, right, to havesomeone recognize that in you, that potential.
Totally.
But even then, even with that, he still takeshis time.
I mean, it's a big decision, you know, to putyour story out there like that.
That's a very personal thing.
Exactly.
(07:33):
So fast forward, like, a year and a half, andNick, he finally reaches out to this woman.
He's ready to go for it.
And that's when things start happening for him.
Big time.
He starts working with her, you know, kinda asa mentor, and he launches his speaking
career.
That's so cool.
So he's, like, talking about his experience towho like, other survivors?
Yeah.
He starts connecting with, like, brain injuryassociations, giving talks, sharing a story.
(07:56):
It's really incredible.
But and this is something you've touched on abit.
Even when you you find your purpose, there arealways new challenges.
Right?
Oh, tell me about it.
They never really go away, do they?
Nope.
And for Nick, one of those challenges comes inthe form of this request.
He gets asked to give this big keynote address75 minutes long.
Woah.
(08:17):
That's a that's a pretty long speech.
It is.
And up to this point, the longest he had spokenfor was, like, 35 minutes.
Wow.
So this is, like, double what he's used to.
I can see how that would be, you know, a littleintimidating.
Totally.
But true to form, Nick, he takes it on.
He doesn't shy away from a challenge, does he?
Not one bit.
He spends hours, like, crafting thispresentation, making it even more impactful,
(08:41):
digging even deeper into his story.
And in the end, he delivers.
60 minutes, boom, plus a 15 minute q and a.
That's awesome.
You know, I think what's so inspiring aboutthat, it's, like, it shows that those moments
when we push ourselves, when we get outside ourcomfort zone, that's where the real growth
happens.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
And that experience for Nick, it was huge.
It was, like, it gave him this boost ofconfidence, you know, in himself, his message.
(09:04):
Right.
Like, if he can get through that, he can getthrough anything.
Yeah.
And, you know, his story, it's not just about,like, overcoming this one event.
It's bigger than that.
It's about realizing that we all have thisstrength inside us.
We can bounce back from anything.
And his step system, it's like the perfectreminder of that.
Support, trust, energy, persistence, those fourthings, they can get you through anything.
(09:26):
No matter what life throws your way.
Exactly.
So as we wrap things up here, we wanna leaveyou with this.
What's one small step, just one, that you cantake today, right now, towards something you've
been putting off?
It doesn't have to be huge.
Even the smallest thing can make a difference.
Ever feel like life throws you a curveball, youknow, just when you think you've got things
figured out?
Oh, absolutely.
We've all been there.
It's like, bam, out of nowhere.
Right?
Exactly.
But today, we're diving into a story that,well, it takes setbacks to a whole new level.
A story that reminds us that even when thingsseem impossible, there's always a way forward.
This one's really gonna make you think.
(00:21):
You're about to meet Nick Prefontaine and hisjourney.
It's one you won't soon forget.
What gets me about Nick's story is he doesn'tjust overcome one massive hurdle.
It's like he takes that experience and uses itto, you know, create this whole system for
tackling anything life throws at him.
That's what's so powerful about it.
(00:41):
We're drawing from this interview he did on theIgnition Path podcast.
I was hooked from the first minute.
Yeah.
Definitely worth a listen.
It all starts with Nick.
Just as regular 8th grader on a ski trip withhis friends full of that, you know, youthful
energy.
Right.
Can't sit still.
Yeah.
Gotta go.
Go.
Go.
Exactly.
Picture this.
They get to the slopes, and while most kids areprobably still figuring out how to stand on
(01:04):
their skis, Nick and his buddies, they're readyto hit the terrain park.
And that's where things, well, they take a bitof a turn.
Detour doesn't quite cut
it.
Oh, what happened?
Nick, he immediately sets his sights on thebiggest jump.
I mean, the biggest one out there.
He even says in the interview, jump with all myspeed.
(01:25):
You can practically hear that that fearlessnessin his voice, that need to conquer.
Oh, wow.
I know that feeling, that rush.
And then the last thing I remember is catchingthe edge of my snowboard.
Oh, no.
Now this is back when, you know, helmetsweren't as common, and Nick, he wasn't wearing
one.
The result of this fall was, well, it was atraumatic brain injury.
That's heavy.
(01:45):
It really is.
And this is where the story could have gone,you know, really dark.
But there are these these almost unbelievabletwists of fate.
Wait.
Really?
Like, what?
So he wasn't wearing a helmet, but his goggles,they were padded, and they ended up cushioning
some of the impact as he was, you know,tumbling down the mountain.
Yeah.
And get this, the helicopter that was supposedto airlift him to the hospital, it couldn't fly
(02:08):
because of high winds.
No way.
Seriously.
Seriously.
And then the ambulance that took him, It justhappened to have the only paramedic on duty who
could do this specific type of intubation Nickneeded to breathe.
You're kidding.
Talk about beating the odds.
Right.
It's almost eerie, and it doesn't end there.
While Nick is in a coma, the doctors, they'reprepared to give his parents the worst possible
(02:32):
news.
But this is where his mother, she's incredible,she becomes this pillar of strength for him.
It's gonna count for something, that kind ofsupport.
It's everything.
Imagine this.
Despite everything, Nick's mom, she holds on tohope.
She insists that even in a coma, he can heareverything.
She refuses to let any negativity, you know,cloud his unconscious state.
(02:52):
Wow.
Just wow.
The power of belief.
Right?
It's a perfect example of how a positivemindset, even in the face of the unimaginable,
can make a world of difference.
And here's the thing.
This is where we start to see the foundation ofNick's step system being laid even if he
doesn't even realize it yet.
It's like his subconscious was alreadyabsorbing those elements.
(03:14):
You know, support, trust, positive energy?
Wild.
Exactly.
It's as if these experiences were, like,shaping him, getting him ready for what's to
come.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let'sback up a bit and really dig into this STEP
system because it's at the core of Nick'smessage, his framework for overcoming any
obstacle, and that's what we're gonna unpack
(03:35):
today.
Okay.
So STEP.
Right?
That's right.
Support, trust, energy, and persistence.
And it's like you said, it's it's bigger thanjust, you know, getting back on your feet after
an injury.
Exactly.
Nick's story, it shows us how these principles,they can apply to anything, any challenge,
really.
It's like a like a road map for life orsomething.
That's a great way to put it.
So support, first up.
(03:56):
Yeah.
It really makes you think about, like, who youlean on when things get tough.
Yeah.
For sure.
Who's in your corner no matter what?
That kind of support, it's invaluable.
But support's just one piece.
Nick talks about trust too.
Right.
And not just trusting other people, althoughthat's huge, but trusting yourself, trusting
(04:17):
that even if it's scary, things will work out.
Which can be so hard.
Right?
Especially when you're dealing with a setback,it's easy to get stuck in that I can't do this
mentality.
Oh, yeah.
That negative self talk can be a real drag, butNick reminds us we're stronger than we think.
Totally.
And that's where the energy part comes in.
Not just any energy though.
It's about using your in a way that lifts youup, not drags you down.
(04:39):
Like, focus on what you can control, not whatyou can't.
Right?
Exactly.
Nick could have easily let this accident, youknow, define him in a negative way,
but he chose to use his energy to heal, to getstronger.
And that kinda ties into persistence too,doesn't it?
Just that that refusal to give up.
100%.
Nick's whole mantra is, like, keep showing upevery single day even when it's hard.
(05:00):
Small steps every day.
Exactly.
Like, think about his recovery.
Learning to walk again little by little, it ledto him, get this, running out of the hospital.
No way.
He literally ran out.
Ran out.
Less than 2 months after being admitted torehab.
Okay.
Now that's persistence.
Yeah.
Talk about a testament to, you know, not givingup.
Mhmm.
And it's that same drive that we see when welook at the rest of Nick's life.
(05:25):
Like, his career, it's amazing.
18 months after this accident, he's not onlywalking, he's thriving.
He's killing it in the real estate world.
Which when you think about it, it's almost likeit's this perfect fit for him in a way.
I mean, he's helping people who are goingthrough their own tough times, people facing
foreclosure, dealing with all that stress.
He gets it.
(05:45):
He's been there.
Exactly.
And you see that a lot.
You know, people who've been through somethingmajor, they often wanna help others going
through the same thing.
It's like their experience gives them this thisunique ability to connect, to empathize.
For sure.
Makes you wonder, though, even when things aregoing well, sometimes there's that feeling that
something's missing.
Oh, yeah.
(06:06):
That little voice in the back of your head.
And that's exactly what Nick starts to feeleven with the success he's found in real
estate.
Mhmm.
He starts hearing this voice telling him to dosomething more.
It's like this this nagging feeling.
At first, it's kinda quiet, but then it it justgets louder and louder.
Yeah.
You just you can't ignore it, can you?
No.
Not really.
(06:27):
And Nick even says he's like, there was alwaysthis voice in the back of my head telling me
that I needed to help trauma survivors.
He knew deep down, you know, that he had astory to tell, a story that could help people.
Right.
Because when you've been through something likethat Mhmm.
You you have a different perspective.
You know what I mean?
Totally.
But it's one thing to think about it.
It's another thing entirely to, like, actuallyput yourself out there like that.
(06:49):
Oh, for sure.
That takes guts.
Major guts.
And for a while, he doesn't.
He's still figuring things out, you know, justgoing with the flow.
But then there's the speaking event back in2019, and something changes.
Oh, what happened?
He shares his story, publicly, I mean.
And afterwards, this woman, she comes up to himand she tells him straight up, your message is
(07:12):
powerful.
And she offers to help him to help him refineit, get it out to more people.
Wow.
That's that's pretty amazing, right, to havesomeone recognize that in you, that potential.
Totally.
But even then, even with that, he still takeshis time.
I mean, it's a big decision, you know, to putyour story out there like that.
That's a very personal thing.
Exactly.
(07:33):
So fast forward, like, a year and a half, andNick, he finally reaches out to this woman.
He's ready to go for it.
And that's when things start happening for him.
Big time.
He starts working with her, you know, kinda asa mentor, and he launches his speaking
career.
That's so cool.
So he's, like, talking about his experience towho like, other survivors?
Yeah.
He starts connecting with, like, brain injuryassociations, giving talks, sharing a story.
(07:56):
It's really incredible.
But and this is something you've touched on abit.
Even when you you find your purpose, there arealways new challenges.
Right?
Oh, tell me about it.
They never really go away, do they?
Nope.
And for Nick, one of those challenges comes inthe form of this request.
He gets asked to give this big keynote address75 minutes long.
Woah.
(08:17):
That's a that's a pretty long speech.
It is.
And up to this point, the longest he had spokenfor was, like, 35 minutes.
Wow.
So this is, like, double what he's used to.
I can see how that would be, you know, a littleintimidating.
Totally.
But true to form, Nick, he takes it on.
He doesn't shy away from a challenge, does he?
Not one bit.
He spends hours, like, crafting thispresentation, making it even more impactful,
(08:41):
digging even deeper into his story.
And in the end, he delivers.
60 minutes, boom, plus a 15 minute q and a.
That's awesome.
You know, I think what's so inspiring aboutthat, it's, like, it shows that those moments
when we push ourselves, when we get outside ourcomfort zone, that's where the real growth
happens.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
And that experience for Nick, it was huge.
It was, like, it gave him this boost ofconfidence, you know, in himself, his message.
(09:04):
Right.
Like, if he can get through that, he can getthrough anything.
Yeah.
And, you know, his story, it's not just about,like, overcoming this one event.
It's bigger than that.
It's about realizing that we all have thisstrength inside us.
We can bounce back from anything.
And his step system, it's like the perfectreminder of that.
Support, trust, energy, persistence, those fourthings, they can get you through anything.
(09:26):
No matter what life throws your way.
Exactly.
So as we wrap things up here, we wanna leaveyou with this.
What's one small step, just one, that you cantake today, right now, towards something you've
been putting off?
It doesn't have to be huge.
Even the smallest thing can make a difference.
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