Sam Schmidt stood in Victory Lane in Las Vegas, having just captured his first IndyCar win. His wife was there, holding their newborn son, their two-year-old daughter by her side. In that moment, life felt limitless—dreams expanding as fast as the track beneath his tires.
Three months later, everything changed.
During a preseason test in Orlando, Sam’s car slammed into the wall at nearly 200 miles per hour. In an instant, the future he had been racing toward disappeared. He was paralyzed from the neck down, placed on a ventilator, and doctors quietly told his family he likely wouldn’t survive the week.
That was 25 years ago.
Today, Sam is off the ventilator and while he lives as a quadriplegic, he has refused to let that define the boundaries of his life. Instead, it has become the platform from which he inspires others.
In No Finish Line, his new memoir—which I had the honor of co-authoring with him—Sam shows what resilience looks like when life refuses to follow the script. He went on to co-found championship racing teams and, through a partnership with Arrow Electronics, returned to the driver’s seat—piloting a car at 107 miles per hour using only head movements and a bite sensor.
“Racing is my passion,” Sam tells Don. “But Driven Neuro Recovery and my Conquer Paralysis Now foundation, that’s my purpose.”
In this episode, you will learn:
From Victory Lane to a wheelchair, from “he won’t make it through the night” to dancing with his daughter at her wedding, Sam Schmidt’s story is what resilience actually looks like.
Resources:
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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