What does it take to have a long career as a professional skateboarder? Join us as Cairo Foster shares his personal motivational tips and mindset and get inside glance at the long career and journey of a skateboarding legend.

Skateboarding Story:

• He started skateboarding in Egypt, then moved to Florida. A friends asked him to make a 'sponsor me' tape. He was reluctant to make one because skateboarding was only his escape. He eventually moved to California and became sponsored from a friend. That opened up doors and he met all more people in the skateboard industry.He was also working full-time at a bagel cafe and had an apartment with friends. It was when he got his first check for $250. That meant that he could work one fewer day. That was when skateboarding became real to him.

Biggest Failure/ Worst Moment:

• One time Cairo clipped his back on a rail and he hurt himself so bad that he went to the hospital. He got X-rays and the doctors thought he broke a vertebrae. According to Cairo, he looked like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. He was hurt from the middle of his back down to his butt. He couldn't stand up straight for 6 weeks. He looked bad. But it was only a contusion on his back. Jim Thiebaud from Real Skateboard asked him "what are you going to do?" because he looked so bad. Cairo's response was "I'm just gonna skateboard." They reinforced that he has to stay on his board and he will get back no matter what how hurt he is.

Biggest AH-HA Moment:

• He was skateboarding with a friend recently and saw that he has a similar approach to skateboarding -- which is carcass tossing.  It's the process of throwing yourself into a trick. That idea or moment also reminded him of the notion of when trying a trick to also imagine another person that you admire and relate to trying the same trick. That idea and thought process has served him well and always pushes and motivated him to improve at skateboarding.

Best Advice:

• "There's no better time than the present"

Tool / Tip:

• He uses Notes on iPhone
• Comes up with the end goal with the date and works backward from there
• Print out calendars so he could see it and visualize
• Writes down goals on a sheet of paper
• Uses Google Calendar
• Writes out list of tricks he want to complete on a sheet of paper and checks it off

Book / Video:

• Blood Meridian
• Luan Oliveira Nike SB Chronicles
• Pyramid Country

Interview Links:

• Cairo Foster - Stellar
• Cairo Foster - Facebook
• Cairo Foster - Instagram
• Cairo Foster - Twitter
• Enjoi
• Etnies
• Eswic
• Poler
• Krux
• Ricta Wheels
• Mob Grip
• Bones Bearings
• Diamond Supply
• Loud Headphone