About my Bolg

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 to perform at a higher level, and my course was set.

Early in my sales management career, when my teams were fairly small, I had the time to work with and motivate team members individually. I really enjoyed taking the time to work with each one of them, and did my best to help them achieve their goals. This was also very rewarding for me, because I believed that while I was assisting them with their strategies and goals, they were helping me become a more effective leader. However, as my sales teams grew, I needed to find some new, interesting, and creative ways to motivate my team. Phone conferences and sales meetings were great, but I still wanted to be able to add a "personal touch" that could resonate with each individual. Something that was powerful enough so each person could potentially grab just a little "nugget" from each piece that may help them improve in some fashion. Therefore, I started to write what I viewed as "motivational" e-mails. Before then, I didn't have much interest in writing, and certainly didn't believe it would end up becoming a personal passion. However, once I started writing these e-mails, and getting positive feedback, I began to actually enjoy the creative process. Writing was very new to me, but the prospect of creating correspondence that would be read by others, and maybe....just maybe....could give them the extra "spark" they needed that day.....gave me an awesome feeling. A feeling I still get every time I write.

One of the other revelations I have had recently, was that being a sales manager and motivating people has helped me build a plethora of phenomenal relationships across the country. Many of the colleagues and salespeople that I have had the pleasure to work with have actually become my personal friends. I have done my best to stay connected with as many of these people as I can, and these relationships have become a very important part of my life. As a matter of fact, a few months ago, I took an assessment from the Dan Rath book, Strength Finder 2.0. As the title indicates, the assessment is designed to analyze your top 5 strengths. For me, my top strength was "Connectedness". I was very pleased, because this is what my life has always been about, even more so today. I truly enjoy connecting with people, and adding value to their lives any way I can. This is why I enjoyed being a sales manager, and this is why I enjoy writing.

As I write this note today I am no longer a sales manager (bummer). This is certainly a position that I miss greatly. However, through my writing, I still get to connect with all of these great people that I have been fortunate enough to meet over the years. I still get to share my thoughts, strategies, and ideas....and I still get to receive heart-warming feedback from many.

My writing has taken more of an "inward" tone in the last year or so, mainly due to the personal tragedies and difficulties I have experienced in my own life. Through my writing, I have been able to heal, and also have had the opportunity to share with many others who have gone through similar circumstances. You see, the mortgage banking world has pretty much been turned upside down in recent years, and many of my friends and colleagues have had a difficult time adjusting. Certainly it has been a challenge for me. But its a challenge that I am eternally grateful for, due to the fact that my perspective on life, work, family, relationships, spirituality, and many other topics have been altered in a very positive manner.

So, basically, if you have the time to follow some of my writing.....here's what you will find:
1 - I write from my heart
2 - I will write about topics that inspire me, and nothing is off-limits. Sports, politics, literature, current events, music, philosophy, history, people, business...to mention a few. There are not many topics that do not interest me.
3 - The subject matter will typically be accompanied by some sort of deep "message", some "quotes", and an occasional video or attachment.
4 - I will attempt to make a connection between the title and the content, so folks can ascertain for themselves whether or not its a topic they wish to read about.
5 - I tend to go off on tangents (sorry)....but I usually figure out a way to tie it all together and put a nice, pretty bow on it. :))

I would love you to join and follow my blog, and I welcome your comments. Corrective criticism, suggestions, new topics, or whatever feedback you desire is absolutely appreciated and welcomed. That's it for now......stay well my friends.......tc