Meet David Octavio Gandell | 2X Cancer Survivor – Breakthrough Coach – TED X Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with David Octavio Gandell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David Octavio, what do you attribute your success to?
“Finding My Purpose”

Throughout my life, I’ve had many titles from being a business consultant, general manager, speaker, model, Fitness Trainer, Tv host, Life Coach and breakthrough Coach to name a few.

Yet-
I learned titles were accomplishments, that any of us could achieve.

I also learned that when it comes to branding your company, you are the brand.

But more importantly, what I learned was that my story would eventually reveal my purpose.

When I think about success, I also learned many lessons.

Everyone defines success differently, It could be money, it could be possessions, or It could be how many businesses or longevity you had.

But throughout my life, some of those lessons have been that when people chase success it’s sometimes based on wrong motives, or they have false illusions or they tried to copy someone else.

At the end of the day it was not really our fault because, we’ve defined success, depending on our atmosphere or the environment, our own personal experiences or what we see as possibilities.

It wasn’t until I got diagnosed with terminal cancer that I looked at my life and I wanted more, not more titles, not more businesses, but I wanted more out of my life.

I had already accomplished a lot mostly because I believed that my Dreams were a preview to my Life.

But there was a Question that I needed answered.

Why ?
Was the question that I had to answer?

After battling cancer, not once, but twice, I learned how to defined my gifts, my talents, I learned what was really truly important, that yes we were meant to serve others, but I never knew that it was through My Story.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
“Living a Bonus Life” By Women’s Breakthrough Coach
David Octavio Gandell

Have you ever asked the ?
If I had one week to live what would I do ?
But when we ask the question we expect to live that week as if everything was perfect and you had all the resources to live that week to the fullest. Throughout our lives we all face challenges that feel like its Finite.

Today as you read this I hope you feel as you too are living a bonus life.

By everyone’s standard, including all the major Hospitals, and revered Doctors, oncologists, surgeons and experts in Cancer Research im not supposed to be alive today to even tell you my story.

Diagnosis – Immature Teratoma (only 1% of Teratomas are immature)
Pass stage 4 – Terminal No Cure
Death Sentence – 3 Days to Live ?

So How am i alive today and Why ?

I’ll only give you a few details because if it’s not for Cancer, I would not be living my Purpose.

Most of my adult life I managed and operated health clubs, I was the consultant that would change the atmosphere of the gyms including profits. I had the privilege of opening studios, gyms and managing most of the Golds Gyms in South Florida.

The story has been told countless of times for the past 16 years, over 40 articles published, and I’ve been on television dozens of times including all the major networks and featured on the Steve Harvey Show.

Why because I’m a 2 x Cancer Survivor, that not only beat a terminal cancer twice, but survived 7 rounds of 14 chemos per round, & a 14 hour surgery. All with no hope from anyone because their was then and today no cure.

We all will face and have faced challenges in our lives and the question we always ask is Why ?

After going through all of it, what was about to happen I truly never Expected or Imagined…

I started to live my life like there was no tomorrow, becoming the regional manager for Golds Gym, working out with a purpose of getting back to modeling, acting, speaking life from every platform or stage I was on, hosting Fitness Universe months after my surgery, hosting pageants, and speaking at schools always with the purpose of impacting lives.

But those were all things I dreamt I would do when I survived. What I didn’t know was that when the 1st Article was Published that God was going to answer my Why?

I promise you won’t guess so stop thinking and keep reading. LOL

Since the age of 19 I’ve been a personal trainer, and for over a decade I had trained athletes, models, fitness competitors and of course people that just wanted to get in shape. 99% of my clients where women and most of them competed in shows and even at the Proffesional level.
But the Why ? What was the Why ?

I’m getting to that I promise.
What i didn’t know is what I had done for those women as a trainer and as a friend.

Most people will never know how people feel about them when they die. In my case I felt like I had gone to my own funeral after the article was published. Women started to call the gyms and come to the gyms to find me and asked if I was ok… because the article had a subtitle that read, I had died but at the bottom if you read all of it you would read REBORN.

I listened to women tell me how I helped them through their challenges, how I believed in them more than they did, how I always listened and even prayed with them.

These women were sharing their traumas, and all types of abuse from mental, physical, sexual and even Rape. They also shared with me about their addictions, body dysmorphia, anorexia, bulimia and other types of disorders. As they share these things they cried and hugged me like they felt they needed to thank me for being someone in their lives that had inspired them to keep going.

Now remember these where women I had trained and coached but I never imagined that I had been a type of lifecoach in their lives.

But let’s go back a bit, As I battled cancer I started to video tape my comeback thinking it would be great to witness the physical transformation yet God had a different plan. I spend months looking into a camera and recollecting my past. I graduated with two bachelors the main one B.A. Marketing Management and the other Speech Communications but I minored in Spanish and Psychology. My mother having 2 doctorates one in business and another in psychology, I was always intrigued how the mind thinks and how powerful a mind can be.

What I didn’t know is that God was training me as I told my story to the camera, starting to locate memories from 5, 10, 15, 20yrs old etc…

I started to define all the areas in my life, define my gifts, talents, relationship, attitude, fears, doubts and most important did I have a Purpose, what was my meaning for surviving, what would be my legacy.

I had remembered studying the mirror effect and also even sometimes looking at myself before a game or a show in the mirror and speaking life into myself remembering I was prepared for all that I was getting ready to face.

But this time the hardest thing was watching myself on 72 inch Tv and replaying those videos of my life. What I realized was God was taking me to school and the subject was me!

It was the hardest thing I had to do, but I had just survived the battles for my life so I went ahead and watched hundreds of hours, breaking down my life, asking questions and more importantly answering many more.
Reliving my life was one thing but I had to relive my Cancer Battles over and over revealed it was my Trauma.
I started to see how God was always with me, how He allowed me to make decisions even if they were the wrong ones. Because the lessons I learned took me to new levels. I realized I always had what I needed to face the challenges in front of me. But Cancer was the only thing in life that would stop me because I could not control the outcome, and I needed God from start to finish in order to survive.

I know what you are asking yourself but what was it that I never imagined or expected ?

Well it started August 25, 2006 when I asked God to heal me and that I would tell “His Story” my testimony until the whole world hears. See that was the moment I believed I would live but I thought it would be to just tell my story and inspire others to live through cancer. But that was just a small part because what I started doing after I survived was becoming a breakthrough coach to thousands of women.

Today I’ve had the privilege to life coach around 400 women one on one, I’ve produced over 50 women’s seminars/events, just finished my 4 annual Women’s Breakthrough Confernece and was blessed to be the keynote speaker at the Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Conference.

I’m excited to continue to inspire women to define themselves, to organize their story and Own their Story, All with the sole purpose of Empowering Women to Share their Story.

If my story was meant to give hope to others, can you imagine the army of women that will change the world by their story’s giving hope to millions.

As I celebrate another year cancer free, I am Reminded that when you show up GOD shows Off.
I still live my life like tomorrow is never promised. I continue to work on my non profit benefiting children battling Cancer Lifechangers4Life, and other foundations.

But Now my dream is even bigger, not only
To finish producing my personal documentary and book but to be able to produce tv shows, movies and documentaries with the collaboration of the women I’ve had the privilege of listening to their story’s.

As a Speakers Coach I look forward to continuing to produce Seminars, Masterminds and Conferences where women can have a safe place to share their story.

Remember in life Before you make any decision do these 4 things :

⁃ PRAY
⁃ LISTEN
⁃ BE OBEDIENT
⁃ BE CONSISTENT

Cancer Revealed My Purpose, Are You Ready to Define the Cancer in Your Life?

My Hope is to Inspire you to find your true passion and God given Purpose to Achieve the Life of Your DREAMS.

It’s Time to Stop Dreaming Your Life and Start Living Your DREAMS!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Since living in South Beach For over a decade I can say I’ve had many people visit.

Besides the beach, lincoln road and taking boat rides around the islands I have a few favorites.

They are all based on friendships and relationships I built while managing Golds Gym in South Beach and have maintained for over a decade.

Favorite pizza is of course Spris on Lincoln Road and they also have a special for locals “Beat the Clock “

Having been to the Versace Mansion many times it’s always a blessing when you know the Chef.
Chef Valter always gives me the royal treatment.

For a New Years Party every weekend
I reserve my table at Mango’s Tropical Cafe
Where I have celebrated many Birthdays.
I’ve met the owners many years ago we have done events together and raised funds for many causes. David Wallack and Joshua Wallack always treated me like family, so when friends or special people come in town they reserve me a table and it’s a show like no other celebrity look alike
Performers, music from the Caribbean and professional dancers that will make you get up and dance and celebrate Like no one is watching. Amazing dishes and drinks that only Mango’s can make.

For a true latin European and latin cuisine we have to walk española way, where the food and drinks will take your taste buds on a trip to Europe.

And finally but not least the hidden gem as you walk to South Pointe Pier the staff at Smith & WOLLENSKY have always made me feel at home and the view is one of the best in the world as you eat at one of the finest restaurants in the world.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
In life, we all have heroes, and most of us would name a star, a celebrity and mentor that has given us those feelings in my life.

My heroes were my Parents for their Unconditional Love & Support.
They taught me the most important thing that I would ever need in my life.
It was a bible Verse, that would eventually become my Life Verse.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
Philippians 4:13

They taught me how to activate my Faith or belief. They taught me that we always have a part in our stories through our choices and decisions.

As a Women’s Breakthrough Coach I would love to thank every friend and client that trusted me with their story.

Michelle Ollivierre-Lawrence for believing in me and supported to start Empowering Women in the Now Seminar Series.

Gary Stephen Arias for believing in me to keep pushing forward and opening a space at his events to continue to share my story.

To GOD for granting me a Bonus Life & for believing that I would live everyday with a purpose to be a blessing in the lives of others.

Website: https://davidgandell360.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidoctaviogandell/

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/david-octavio-gandell-2xcancer-survivor-tedx-aspika-speaker-46ba677

Twitter: @davidgandell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.o.gandell

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/DavidGandell

Other: Tik Tok : @davidoctaviogandell

Image Credits
Photo Credit Gary Stephen Arias Corey Grenier Ernesto Sempoll Aj Gonzalez