My Back 9

Another year has gone by.....or should I say....another “not so good” year. I remember joking around with many friends and colleagues last year, coining the phrase, “hate the 08.” As I look back on 2009, logistically speaking, it wasn’t much different....or better than 2008. The economy is still in bad shape, unemployment is still very high, and many people are still in recovery mode.....trying to figure out what exactly happened to them over the last few years. For me, the latter part of the year has been much better....and things are finally starting to head in the right direction. All I can say is, “it’s about time.” :) I could go on and talk more about the negative aspects of the last two years, but those days are over for me. It’s just not productive to complain and/or talk about the negative aspects of your life. If you don’t believe me, remind me to tell you the story about the chicken and the pig the next time we talk. What is important is that you use these experiences as a fr...

It has been a few months since I last blogged, mostly due to the fact that nothing has really inspired me lately. I have had some more family challenges recently, with 2 of my sons spending time in the hospital. The first hospital visit was for my 9 year old son ( Alexander ) who had an appendectomy. He was a trooper, handled it like a champ, and was out in a few days. I think it was more difficult on his parents than it was on him. Nothing like the feeling of pain you have when your children are hurting. More recently, my oldest son AJ ( who has Autism ) has been admitted to hospital due to some unforeseen circumstances. This poor guy has been through many challenges over the years, and now the combination of adolescence, going back to school, and some other events just proved to be too much for him to handle. But an interesting thing is starting to occur as a result. I believe that he is really learning a lesson this time, and that he is truly starting to understand where he...

I really can’t let this week slip by without writing about Tom Watson’s performance at the British Open this past weekend. I still have a bit of a queasy feeling in my stomach over his second place finish, and I keep going back to the 18th hole; “If only his 7 iron would have stopped on the green….he would have won the tournament!!” At 59 years of age, he certainly defied the odds, and if he had won he would have been the oldest major champion ever.....by a stunning 13 years. An incredible feat from an incredible man that has surely recharged many of us “middle-aged” golfers. Especially those of us who have been watching Tom Watson play golf for so many years. I had such a horrible feeling when he didn't win, but I soon realized that golf is just a game. Watson’s own comment after the round helped me come to grips with this when he said, “this is not a funeral folks”. He’s right…and as I pondered this remarkable weekend experience, I couldn’t stop thinking about the connecti...

I just got finished reading one of the most incredible books I have ever read, and there is a force beyond my control that is typing these words right now. Heck, I don’t even know what I am going to say, but I can assure you it will have deep meaning for me. I hope it will for you. The book is entitled The Shack , by WM. Paul Young, and it was recommended to me by 2 of my closest friends. Their recommendations were served up within days of each other, and their individual places in my life are separated by many years. The first is an old and dear friend of mine from my college days. This person has been such a valuable and supportive friend to me over the years, and our relationship continues to grow. We met while I was a freshman in college and he was a senior. For some reason ( sports, beer, music, girls, etc.. .), we took a liking to each other and I was introduced to all of his friends, who were also seniors. Typically, in college, seniors do not hang out with freshman ( it’s just ...

I received a video clip the other day from the movie Pay it Forward , with Haley-Joel Osment, Helen Hunt, and Kevin Spacey. For those of you who have not seen this movie yet, I would encourage you to do so as soon as you can. I will not divulge the details of the entire story, but let’s just say that the connection between the title and the story is so powerful, that it quite possibly will change your life…..at least temporarily. I watched the movie several years ago, and I remember being very moved by the story. I’m sure it brought tears to my eyes at the time, but quite frankly, I was in such a different emotional space than I'm in now, and the feeling didn’t last. So even though I was moved by the story…..and it impacted me at the moment...it really didn’t change my life. Like many people caught up their egocentric lives, I just had too much on my own plate to be concerned about paying something forward . I figured that, in my own way, I was already doing things to help people, ...

“ What doesn’t kill us….makes us stronger ” What do you think? Is there truth in this statement, or do people just say it to keep others motivated in troubled times? Well, after reading about some recent suicides in the financial services sector today, I started thinking deeply about this topic. You see, for those of us who are actually in the financial services industry, these tragic stories hit very close to home. The last few years have been very challenging to say the least in this business sector….specifically in the mortgage banking space. The recent recession has certainly taken its toll, and its tentacles reach far and wide. I was reading an article yesterday about some of the more high-profile suicides, all from the financial services industry: David Kellerman: The Freddie Mac acting chief financial officer was found hanging in his basement on April 22. It has been speculated that the stress of the failing mortgage giant was the reason. René-Thierry Magon de La Villehu...

Greetings my friends. Here I go with my 2nd post. Since I have not really informed many people of my blog to date, I would encourage you ( time permitting ) to read my 1st post ( below ) before this one. Your choice….but the 1st piece kind of outlines my “blogolosophy”. I’m sure that’s not a word……but maybe it will catch on :). I am writing today because I know…..deep down…..that I am finally starting to grasp what it really means to be healthy. Yes….. health …..a critically important aspect of one’s life that has somehow eluded me over the years. I am very pleased to have a new found interest and desire for optimal health, and I am totally determined to tackle this major component of my life. Although I will turn 46 this week ( ouch !!), my children are still all very young ( 4-14 ). Therefore, I really need to be living ( health wise ) like I am 36. By the way….scientifically speaking…..this can really be done. If you read the first chapter in Dr Oz’s 1st book, “You, the Owner’s Manu...

Well.....here I go....finally starting a blog. I thought that it might be a good idea to start by letting people know what they can expect by reading/following my blog. First, a little history regarding the origin of my passion for writing. I have spent the last 15 years of my career as a sales manager. In my opinion, in order to be an effective sales manager, one must develop a strong ability to motivate and influence others. From the beginning, I had a passion for motivating others, and for me, it was one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. However, I soon realized, that in order for me to be a more effective motivator, I needed more education. I immediately started reading every book I could get my hands on about: leadership, sales, and motivation. I ingested as much information as I could on these topics from authors like: John Maxwell, Jeffery Gitamor, Jeffery Fox, and Tony Robbins. Once I started putting into practice all of the things I was learning, my sales teams started...

Greetings my friends. Well……here I go again……another “jolt” of inspiration has struck me this morning…..and the thoughts, ideas, and their respective connections all started bouncing around in my brain. Typically, what happens to me is those thoughts turn into words….and those words ( and associated message ) start getting typed…..and ultimately “cry out” to be shared. Today, the inspiration has come from an old high school friend who posted a video on her Facebook site. I have neither seen nor spoken to this person in over 25 years, but today her message was the “grease” I needed to get me wheels in motion. How cool is that?? She posted an old video of the Elvis Costello’s song, “Peace, Love, and Understanding”. This is one of my favorite songs of all-time, but this version is particularly special in light of the fact that Elvis is joined by Nick Lowe…..who actually wrote the song. The song has an incredible message….especially today…..when our economy is struggling so badly…....

First and foremost, I would like to thank all of you incredible people for the kind words you send me in response to my messages. Although I write to share and feed my soul, your genuine and thoughtful responses warm my heart. My distribution continues to grow…and thanks to Facebook, Hotmail, and LinkedIN…..I have added so many more people to my e-mail contact list over the last few months. That, in and of itself, is unbelievably inspiring to me. Connecting with people is just awesome. Weather its constant contact with close friends, a once in a while e-mail or call to catch up, looking at pictures of friends and their families on Facebook, checking up on their careers on LinkedIN…..or reconnecting with old friends. It’s all such good food for the soul…….and ultimately lies among the things I cherish most about my life. So, thank you to those of you who are in my life…..and those of who have re-entered my life. Well, another ‘jolt” of inspiration has rushed into my small mind t...

I hope this e-mail finds you all in a great Holiday spirit, and getting ready to spend some special times with your family and friends over the next several weeks. As we pave our way through this Holiday season and into the New Year, we can’t help but to reflect on the year passed and look forward to 2009. Although the economic situation seems bleak and it’s been a very tough year for many of us, I am actually thankful to have had the experiences of 2008. You see, it’s through the difficult and challenging experiences that you find your “true” self. At least, it’s been that way for me. I have talked with many of you recently, and everyone has experienced some sort of life changing situation this past year. Guess what, we made it through….and the future is bright. The future …..that will be the focal point of my message. For you Sesame Street fans, I will be assisted by the letter “F” today. My inspiration for this message today comes from a poem I read this morning by Langst...