Meet Gary Ervin.
His wish for the world: Do not short change yourself, be with whom you love, do what you love, and pursue happiness.
Gary Ervin was born in Germany…
and moved to the United States when he was 2 years old. As part of a military family, he moved around the country, finally settling on a farm in Boxville, Union County, Kentucky. The oldest of six children, Ervin has fond memories of growing up surrounded by family and spent his time working the farm where he and his family still live.
Ervin wrestled during high school, a sport he excelled at. His progression as a wrestler extended and Ervin attended Central Missouri State University on a wrestling scholarship. He studied Business Management and Aviation and worked post undergrad as an assistant wrestling coach and graduate assistant. While in college he would return to Kentucky over the summers and work shooting dynamite in an underground coal mine. While considering his career options, he happened upon a newspaper classified advertisement listing a lineman job for the first cable company franchise in Morganfield, Kentucky. It wasn’t long before he started his own cable business. It was a particularly tough time to be in business, much less start a business. Not afraid to get his hands dirty, Ervin often designed and built cable systems for other companies on the side in order to make ends meet. Difficulties were not limited to finances and while times were indeed tough, Ervin was determined to persevere. He continued in the cable business, setting and achieving new goals. Eventually, he sold his cable tv franchises to Time Warner Cable. He continued to work in the cable business, setting up franchises from Arizona to Florida.
His curiosity led him to seek out new experiences and it drove him in a different direction, too. It made him more committed than ever to be a part of the world and something bigger than himself. This is why he decided to become a mountain climber. “Mountains make you feel small,” he says. It’s this feeling that drives him to attack problems and challenges from different angles. “Mountain climbing gives you a different perspective, it’s a lot more than just going up and coming down.”
It wasn’t just enough to simply decide to climb mountains, Ervin was driven to educate others about his experience in hopes of inspiring individuals to set and achieve their goals. Additionally, Ervin has become an advocate for many global causes around the world. Although Ervin is a popular speaker on his exploits, one of his favorite groups to talk to is kids, particularly middle and high school. When asked why this group, his response was that they are just at the age of formulating their goals and big dreams, and he feels his story helps to give them the initiative to start moving towards the finish line.
Ervin believes the difference between dreaming and doing comes down to initiative. “Initiative is what makes you take action on your ideas,” he says. He’s a firm believer that it is not failure that kills dreams; it is the lack of will to try. His experience on Mount Everest indeed shows his initiative, and his desire to achieve no matter the circumstances. Despite technology and great equipment, scaling a mountain is a test of strength and endurance. Not just in a physical sense, either. Ervin’s Everest story highlights terrifying circumstances, brushes with death, and tests of his faith. “If you don’t believe in God, climb a mountain.”
Ervin’s time on Everest also highlights his drive to attain his goal. Two months in a tent can help a person decide if they really want to do what they set out to do. Add in snow, ice, wind, and hanging in there means you are really dedicated. “Time in a tent or alone on a trip helps to also identify what is important to you, and give up any baggage that is weighing you down.”
Ervin sets out to tell his tale in order to inspire others to achieve their goals. His life is far from boring – and he has many stories about his adventures that his children and grandchildren don’t even know.
The Amazing Race
Gary and his daughter Mallory competed in two seasons of the Amazing Race, and here is what he has to say:
“I was truly blessed to be able to race around the world 2 times, and to have been able to experience it with my oldest daughter made it even more special. And still with everyplace I went and everything I saw, I still choose to live in Union County, and now I can say it is the best place in the world to live. Till the next adventure Gary”
