Kevin O'Connell

The Greatest Feeling

“The Greatest Feeling Of My Entire Life”

– Kevin O’Connell, 2017 Oscar Winner for Sound/Sound Mixing

Kevin O’Connell was first nominated for an Oscar in 1984 for the movie Terms of Endearment for sound/sound-mixing. Since then, he has been nominated 21 times. Finally at the 2017 Oscars, he received his first award and says it was the greatest feeling of his entire life.

He goes on to say that he had expected that he knew what it would feel like to win, but he was wrong. The feeling of finally winning and holding that award in his hand was more amazing than he could have ever expected.

Winning an award, being recognized by others, it has a place in our hearts that makes our soul soften. Often we walk around in life with a shield over our hearts so that when someone doesn’t like our work, we don’t take it too personally.

Imagine for a just moment that each year you attend a big fancy event where people get spectacular awards and almost sure fame. The winners are treated like royalty. You attend year after year and watch winners come and go. Some are one-hit-wonders; others are a constant on stage. But you remain seated in your chair, waiting to be called up. People say you have the same talent as the winners, but you remain award-less as you toil, working on new project after new project.

Twenty-one times; 21 years. In 21 years, you can bring up a child to independent adulthood, you can earn five college degrees, you can pay off a 15-year mortgage with six years to spare! Twenty-one years is a long time to wait to feel the feeling of winning.

How’d you like to sit there for 21 years, shielding your heart from the pain of not winning over and over again, as you wait and wait and wait for your moment of recognition?

That is the picture of Kevin O’Connell. That is also a picture of perseverance. It’s a thrill to give an award to a person as well deserving and accomplished as O’Connell because of his perseverance. This is a trait that is lacking in society today as people switch up careers, houses, cars, and vacations with regularity. Which leads me to ask you: who in your organization has remained unrecognized for their perseverance? Who is unseen and could use the benefit of the limelight? Who is your Kevin O’Connell and how can you best reward him or her?

If you are looking for an award that fits the characteristic of perseverance, look no further than our website. In particular, awards with columns, like the Portico Award and the Vanessa Award, are a good fit – in architecture, columns give a structure shape and strength just as your most preserving employees add stability to your organization.

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