The Brooks Running C.E.O. on Beating Cancer, and Leading With Purpose
I got a phone call the other day from the C.E.O. of CVS. It was a call that caught me completely off-guard.
I’d never imagined that there was another person in the world with the same passion for running in the fight against cancer. This was not only a special day for us, but for the millions of people around the world who suffer from the disease.
I had never felt more proud of anyone in my entire life.
At that very moment, our hearts stopped beating and it took the power of a moment for all our hopes and prayers to be realized.
While the phone call was difficult to digest, I can’t begin to explain how it changed me forever — and for that, I am grateful.
I was so thankful that the man who spoke with me on the line was not only an incredibly successful entrepreneur, but also someone who is truly passionate about what he does.
His passion for running came from nothing more than a desire to be fit — something he was raised with, and one that brought him to his present level of success. The reality of our situation is that I’ve reached the point in my running career where not only do I have the knowledge and experience to be a C.E.O. — but I have the privilege to do it alongside an amazing man who shares even more.
Our conversation started off by sharing our life stories — all of which were equally inspiring. After speaking about our families, careers, and passions, he asked me, “What do you want to do the most with your life?”
At this point, I had never thought about what was even more important to me than my own personal fulfillment. But what I did want more than anything was to be a partner in my father and my brother’s vision of a global company that we could build, grow, and live our lives to the fullest.
What I really wanted was more than anything else to give back to my community and to people who, like my family, had given so much to me over the years. More than that, I wanted to share my