Organised by the NICS Centre for Applied Learning (CAL), this event featured by Mark Pollock, international motivational speaker, sportsman and entrepreneur, who shared his personal philosophy on 'Making It Happen. - overcoming challenges in uncertain times.
Mark Pollock is renowned worldwide as a motivational speaker. He draws on his experiences after losing his sight and then racing in the world's most extreme environments - deserts, oceans, mountains and polar regions - to inspire others to stop making excuses and instead make it happen. His central philosophy is that the power of decision making is the key to taking control in
times of change and uncertainty.
Originally from Holywood, Co.Down, Mark lost his sight quite suddenly in 1998. He had been on the crest of a
wave as he prepared for his final exams in Trinity College Dublin, but came crashing back to earth with the news that he would never see again.
Since then, Mark has used all of his physical, mental and emotional resources to rebuild his life and indeed, has exceeded his achievements of before. Within six months of going blind he was working again and, two years later, he completed a Masters Degree in Business Studies. He has won medals while rowing for Northern Ireland at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, completed six marathons in one week in China's Gobi Desert, raced in the world' smost extreme marathon at the North Pole, and in 2009 became the first blind man to reach the South Pole. Mark has also developed an international speaking business and co-authored a book focused on the motivation and life choices of successful people.
Despite his life-changing difficulties, Mark Pollock has motivated himself to make the most of his opportunities. His presentations have inspired individuals, teams and organisations all over the world to develop intrinsic motivation - stop making excuses and, instead, "Make It Happen".