SI: David England's vocabulary

The word 'quit' doesn't exist in David England's vocabulary

By Bill Atkinson
The Southern
Monday, June 9, 2008 9:05 AM CDT

When David England was 11, he hit .559 in Little League. He attributed this feat largely to a philosophy he had already created at that young age: "Never, ever give up." Life was good that summer.

Everything changed the following year, though. When he was 12, England would be forced to really put his new-found philosophy to the test. "I had a devastating physical-psychological injury, resulting in a blood clot in my spine," he says. "It left me paralyzed from the chest down. I had to relearn to walk."

Ten years later, at 22, England had another major corrective spinal surgery and experienced life with a walking body cast and a steel halo around his head. "I even attended classes at SIU wearing all of this," he says.

Then, when he was 42, he suffered two minor strokes.

Three years later, at 45, England was diagnosed with kidney cancer. "Surviving this has been even more challenging," he says. "The body does not heal itself like it did 20 years before."

What has gotten him through all of these ordeals is his philosophy of never giving up. However, the philosophy has helped in other ways, too. England is currently a professor at John A. Logan College. When he came up with the idea of teaching a trading-investing class at the college several years ago, a number of people told him there would be no interest.

Obviously not a person who knew the meaning of "quit," England persisted. He was eventually given the green light, and his classes have achieved record enrollment in recent years.

He is now gaining national exposure for his unique trading-investing methods. Recently, he travelled to Los Angeles to share these at a conference with professional traders from across the country. In the Fall, he will be releasing a line of tradinginvesting DVDs that will be marketed worldwide, as well as publishing a book he is coauthoring with his mentor, Dean Adams, of Colorado.

"Anytime you try to turn your vision into reality, you will face challenges," says England. "This is where never giving up becomes the difference between success and failure." He continues: "No matter what life hands you, never, ever give up. Use your faith and God-given strengths to get through life’s many challenges."

While this philosophy is the basis of his success, England is quick to emphasize that he doesn’t rely only on himself. "I am extremely fortunate to have a very loving wife, Patti, who has helped me get through the good times and the bad," he says. "When you have cancer, your spouse goes through just as much, and sometimes much more."

England continues by discussing something that he has only recently felt comfortable sharing with other people. "The psychological depression following an illness makes the recovery process even trickier," he says. "After all these physical setbacks, the resulting depression always makes things even more challenging."

What he has learned is this: "You either beat depression, or it beats you, and you cannot let that happen."

There are a lot of people wrestling with depression, according to England. His advice to them is the same as he gives to people facing every other challenge in life: "Never, ever give up," he says. "There will be dark days, and there will be light days. Just remember. Every time you have a dark day, you are one step closer to a light day."

Bill Atkinson has been a full-time freelance business magazine writer since 1976. He is also the author of seven books. His most recent is "Eliminate Stress From Your Life Forever." Contact him at 985-4486.