My Back 9

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...