Day 23 - My Father's Legacy

As you may know, my father passed away 2 weeks ago at the age of 83. He was a brilliant man (holding several patents in the arena of air conditioning and refrigeration products) and leader (rising to the head office of a substantial public company). He leaves behind a wife of 56 years, a daughter, 3 sons and 10 grandchildren.

But, I thought I'd take a moment to share with you what I believe his greatest legacy is through the words I delivered at his funeral this past weekend ...
_________

In telling people of my father's passing, I found myself repeatedly referring to him as a great man.

And,following one of these conversations, I began to think about that statement more and more. I began to wonder exactly what was it that made me refer to him as great ...

Was it his Herculean work ethic ... that drove him to strive for levels of excellence beyond that which us mere mortals often settle for?

This amazing work ethic powered him to almost single-handedly plant dozens and dozens of bushes around my childhood home and renovate a condo for my growing family. It was a work ethic that inspired him to put in tireless hours on the job only to return home to lead a boy scout troop or travel 3 hours away on countless weekends to repair and renovate an apartment complex in his desire to provide as well as he could for his wife and his family. 

His work ethic truly was great. But in my heart, I knew THAT wasn't what I was referring to.

Perhaps it was his brilliance ... more specifically his "MacGyver-like" mechanical brilliance that seemingly enabled him to fix or improve just about anything with a roll of duct tape, can of WD40 and a paper clip.

His mechanical brilliance was legendary with family, friends and neighbors alike ... as he continually invested his time and talents into the lives of others by keeping dryers, pool cover motors and ice makers running ... or foraging in a junk yard and finding just the right parts to transform high school floats into animatronic masterpieces that were well ahead of their time and worthy of a Disney World parade.

His mechanical brilliance was truly great as well .. but still not what I seemed to be referring to.

Finally, in a moment of introspection, it hit me ... the one thing that seemed to stand out as a theme of his entire life ... 

It was a principle that he actively demonstrated every day ... his deep desire and commitment to leave every situation better off than when he first encountered it.

It was this principle that caused him to see every circumstance with a vision for how it could be better. Whether it was seeing how a newlywed couple would be much more comfortable in their new little home with a couple air conditioning units installed.. or after perusing a school project that I'd produced -- suggesting how it could be better. At the time, I may not have always recognized the merits of his suggestions, let alone appreciate them. 

But, in hindsight, I began to see how they were motivated by love and coming from his desire to help and improve.

And, while there are words I wish we both had said (or said more often), I can see that for my dad, Love was not about words or even feelings. No, for him, Love was an active improvement in the lives of those who were in his care or sphere of influence.

My dad was not a perfect man, but he was a truly great and honorable man. 

Ephesians 2:10 Tells us - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

My father's legacy was not that of endowments or libraries or hospital wings. Instead, he built people and things throughout his life and left a "wake of improvement" wherever he went.

He left his thumbprint on the world .. a thumbprint of works - in a way that only he could.

So while we will most certainly miss the daily presence of the husband, father, grandfather and friend that we knew, we can be comforted. For we will never have to miss the eternal effects that he had in each of our lives and in the lives of generations to come.

______________

As I seek to be more conscious of the legacy I'm creating throughout my daily activities, I am challenged by the example that my dad left me ... and encouraged that he probably never knew the extent of the positive effect he was having on others (as many of us might not know our own impact either).

I pray that in sharing this you are challenged and encouraged as well!

About This Chart: For those who haven't been following, I created this daily chart for the purpose of communicating and tracking some of my more important goals - publicly. You can read about it in THIS EARLIER POST.

Day 22 - Resetting The Sails

What do you do when you've set out to accomplish big things and you experience challenges, setbacks and utter derailments along the way?

That's something I've had to grapple with over the last few days as I have experienced both self-inflicted and outside challenges on the road to accomplishing my 79 day goals.

In the arena of self-inflicted challenges, I completely overcommitted myself with project work - not leaving enough margin to focus on the goals I established - which are more important in the big picture, but not quite as urgent!

In the arena of outside challenges, my father suddenly took a turn for the worse and passed away ... and in the days leading up to our unexpected trip to North Carolina for his funeral, my wife and 6 kids were all stricken with a very nasty stomach bug - leaving me as the 'last man standing' to clean up and help nurse everyone back to health.

However, even taking all that into consideration, I probably should have only lost 6 or 7 days out of the 79 days I've alloted for reaching my goals.  So, why did it take longer? What did I do to compound the challenges and make it harder to keep going strong? Faulty Thinking!

FAULTY THINKING #1 - Perfectionism - I KNOW ... these posts and my other projects are FAR from perfect. But, that doesn't keep me from 'noodling' with them and working and re-working them to death so that they wind up taking longer than they are probably worth and represent an overwhelming task when the 'squeeze' is on with the rest of life.

The Solution - Step up the volume and force myself to allow projects to leave my desk before I'm comfortable with them... AND, remind myself daily that mediocre execution beats perfectly undone any day!

FAULTY THINKING #2 - Self-Imposed Rules - When I first fell behind, I began thinking that I had to go back to where I got derailed and catch up on all those days of posts. So, the overwhelm of getting behind became more and more daunting with each passing day.

The Solution - Reframe my failure - I came up with the goals and activities in order to increase my service and value to others. They were put in place to help me grow. So, why would I use them to beat myself up instead? (It's a bad habit I've had since I was a kid and I'm finally trying to change that.)

Additionally, I need to reframe my view of temporary setbacks. Too often, I act as if they are like taking a wrong turn on a road where I have to backtrack to where things went wrong before proceeding. Instead, if I view the journey to my goals as a sailing expedition, I recognize that even when I am blown off course, I can simply set a new and more direct course to reach my goals based on where I am right now.

The good news is that some progress has continued to be made and, unlike some of my past failures, I didn't wind up giving up completely. Hopefully, by sharing all of this, others of you who may struggle with the same faulty thinking can find encouragement and help.

Meanwhile, I've reset my sails and charted an alternative course - still fully intending to achieve everything I set out to accomplish.

About This Chart: For those who haven't been following, I created this daily chart for the purpose of communicating and tracking some of my more important goals - publicly. You can read about it in THIS EARLIER POST.

Day 1 - The Wind At My Face

Have you ever made your intentions known publicly in a big way and shortly thereafter, it seemed like anything and everything was conspiring against you?

So went my first of 79 days! From computer files that weren't working right, to issues with our health insurance company to challenges with people that have never been anything but rock solid. It really felt like the wind was at my face all day long!

I wasn't complaining, but I also didn't do the greatest job at adjusting the sails to harness the wind either.

However, in keeping with the wise advice of one of my mentors, Dr. Mollie Marti, I'm going to do my best to celebrate my small successes. On the list today, I shed a half pound, posted to this blog, called my Mom and even created this little updatable chart so I can make it easy for everyone to see how I'm doing at a glance... and, of course, all of my regular daily work.

It doesn't feel like much yet, but I know that I'll start building some momentum here. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to a new day tomorrow. It will be a fun one too! I'm a Panelist for Ken McArthur's JV Alert Live. I love being on panels and other forms of consulting from the stage.

Well, now off to do something else my wife, Jody, told me should have been on my list - SLEEP! Goodnight!

Living Out Loud - A Social Media Experiment

Have you ever been struck by an idea and not known whether it was inspiration or insanity?

Having the impulsive personality I do, I must say that most of my greatest accomplishments and life changes have occurred when I've started to act on certain ideas without stopping to evaluate how do-able (or even smart) they might be. From creating the Extreme Business Makeovers Experience to proposing marriage to my wife with my very first words to her, my life has been forever enriched when I got out of analysis and into action. (NOTE: Some actions - like proposing marriage to a girl you've never spoken with - should carry a warning label which reads: KIDS, DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME. Fortunately, God has often shown me favor for my faith regardless of my lack of sense - as He did in my impulsive proposal to my wonderful wife Jody ;-)

So, this morning I had the idea to do something BIG to really challenge and inspire others ... something that will bring my authenticity and transparency online to a whole new level.

While I was journaling, I was thinking - I'm really a happy guy overall ... very blessed and grateful ... and, in most people's view, successful. At the same time, as I journal, I'm always writing things that I'm working on and goals that I have in order to increase my level of integrity. I know myself so I know firsthand how much more I can be doing. Most of these areas tend to be cases of "the cobbler's children having no shoes." Often, I'm helping others create balance, massive income gains and passive profit centers, while I'm running around like crazy trading my consulting time for dollars and neglecting important things like health, relationships and my own message development and product creation.

In order to make a dramatic and intense shift towards improving those weak areas and achieve my goals, I had the idea of reviving this abandoned blog of mine and use it as a tool to post my goals and give a daily update on progress and lessons learned along the way. When I told Jody, her initial response was, "It sure is gutsy." But, I figure it will:

- force me to treat myself like a client and take my own counsel
- be the ultimate accountability tool
- create a massive amount of energy and action
- inspire others to 'play full out' - at least THAT's the theory anyway

Hence, my little social experiment begins today. I'll start by posting my short-term goals. Then, starting tomorrow, I'll be posting here daily and will include an update chart to let you know how each goal is coming along.

Since my annual Extreme Business Makeovers Experience is April, 23, 2010, I thought I'd use that as my first goal deadline date and create a fresh set of goals after that! Here are the things I'm committed to accomplishing (in addition to my regular work) in the next 79 days:

1) Shed at least 50 pounds
2) Start and complete 1 book
3) Create and launch 1 informational product of my own
4) Launch 3 websites and post over 100 times
5) Help Go-Givers Sell More achieve bestseller status
6) Bring Jody on at least 10 dates
7) Call my Mom at least 10 times
8) Have at least 5 Scott Family Fun Nights

Nothing too ambitious eh? ;-) Just a few of the things that I've put in the "back seat" for too long! I'm excited about embarking on this journey and even having you along for the ride. Buckle up ... it MAY get bumpy ;-)

What do you think? Am I crazy or inspired? ;-)

The World is Officially Upside Down

Okay... not my usual post, but I had to comment on a "news" item that I just came across on DrudgeReport.com. Apparently, there is this rapper, "Rick Ross" who has recently been caught in a lie and lost his "cred" (credibility for those of us who still speak some form of English). Why is his audience up in arms? Was he caught in some perversion or illegal activity? No, apparently, "Rick" (real name - William Roberts) once made the unforgivable mistake of working an honest and worthwhile job as a correctional officer for 18 months.

Sad but true my friends. There is a subculture that values rebellion, anarchy and lawlessness. They are preaching their message of hate and destruction through their music. Many parents may not even be aware of the messages their kids are exposed to or they may not be concerned because little "Sally" or "Johnny" still gets A's and doesn't have any tattoos. It's a slippery slope though.  You and I both know that what we fill our minds with WILL eventually manifest itself in attitude and action.

For me, not only is this a "wake up call" to examine what I'm exposing my kids to, but myself as well. No, I'm not a closet rapper, but am I reading too much "news" and not enough of The Bible or other inspirational works? Am I spending more time with "go-nowhere complainers" or with friends who will challenge me to live up to my potential? The actions we take tomorrow are a result of the things we fill our minds with today.  Let's all choose wisely!

You're the best,

Thom

Time to Adjust the Sails

I'm back from North Carolina with the family... totally charged up and ready to plough through the rest of 2008 with a joyful fury!  ;-)

During my two weeks away, and the subsequent few days I've been home, I've noticed a dramatic shift in the mood of even my most optimistic friends and a generally dour outlook from strangers I've met. Between the erratic economic indicators, some very real issues in the banking/mortgage sector and the culmination of an almost endless multi-year campaign by the media to assure us that we're heading into economic crisis, it appears that the mass psychosis has taken hold. So now, what has been conceived in the minds of the masses is actually manifesting in very real situations. Even those of us who haven't had to sell real estate or stocks feel the pinch at the gas station and grocery store and many businesses are getting into survival mode.

If you're feeling a bit anxious about the economy and how it will effect you, I'll offer these simple thoughts.

1st - Remember - our journey in business and in life is NOT a like a train on a track. I've never seen a business fully execute according to plan. They often hit or surpass their goals, but seldom, if ever, in the neat and tidy way they were envisioned in the plan. No, our journey is much more like an oceanic sailing adventure. 

We determine the destination we are wanting to reach and the timeframe in which we want to reach it. We chart the course and we set sail. Then, all bets are off. Winds change direction and storms unexpectedly roll in. Our job is simply to control our own responses and adjust the sails and steer the ship to compensate for the outside forces that come our way. As the Bible puts it .. "In his heart a man plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps."

In a time of shifting economic conditions, it's time for us to remember that we have no control over the outside forces. So, we can either waste our time cursing the winds or we can adjust to take advantage of them in a way that we perhaps hadn't thought of before.

The Chinese symbol for Danger is the same as the one for Opportunity. You will only be able to recognize and take advantage of the current opportunities that are emerging if you are asking yourself quality questions like "Who is making money now that might not have been a few months ago?" and "What can I do right now to profit while others are living in fear?" In a time of dramatic shift, those who keep their heads on straight and their focus on their goals, will adjust the sails instead of dropping anchor. They will use the same force that grounds other vessels to propel further and faster along their course of success.

2nd - Don't lose your joy and zest for life! The Bible says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." So, no joy, no strength to overcome ... to be buoyant and rise above situations.

Even if you've taken a big hit, put it all in perspective and remember what and who you value ... what really makes your life rich and rewarding. Money most definitely makes life easier, but nothing and no one can take away the true richness and rewards that reside in the heart of someone who is "living out loud" the way God has wired them to be and according to the values that they have in their hearts.

Times like these offer a fresh start. They cause us to get out our maps and dust off our compasses and evaluate where we're at and make the adjustments necessary to stay on course, or in many cases, get back on course... in all areas of our lives ... spiritual, relational and professional.

If you're one that perhaps has drifted way off course take heart. Thank God for the threatening storms that made you take notice. Be at peace with where you're at (it is what it is and you can't change it) and use the knowledge you've gained from experiences that landed you where you are to propel you forward.

I'll end with a few You Tube music videos. For me, music can touch my heart and lift and direct my spirits in a way that mere words cannot. So, hopefully, these clips will resonate with you as well.

This one is by Point of Grace - great song to remember to play full out!

Here's Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield to remind you that you are writing your story every day and you can make it what you want it to be.

Finally, Vivere (Dare to Live) by Andrea Bocelli and Laura Pausini



Hope you enjoy them and experience renewal.

Be buoyant and get excited about what lies ahead.  I believe in you!

All the Best,

Thom

Could I be replaced by a machine?

So my parents are all moved into their new apartment at an assisted living facility in Hendersonville, NC. Jody and the kids and I came up to spend some time with them and my siblings, brother-in-law and nieces.

Beyond all the emotional challenges that this move has presented to my folks, there are also some very practical challenges of moving from a large, 2 story home into a more manageable 3 bedroom apartment ... the biggest of which is storage.

My brother David and I decided to take advantage of my being there by installing some shelving in their closets to help them maximize the space. So, off we went to the local Lowes to pick up supplies where we experienced what my business partner, Bob Burg, and I have termed "Anti-Wow' customer service.

First, though we were passed by MANY Lowes employees as we combed the aisles in search of the shelving units, not a single one even acknowledged our presence, let alone asked us if we were finding everything we needed.

Then, when we did find the particular set of modular shelving units that we were seeking, they were out of stock on the shelves we could reach (certainly not their fault), but fortunately, there were more boxes of them available on the top shelf of the  warehouse-like aisle. Immediately, I attempted to flag down an employee who could help us locate the person who could retrieve the product we needed only to be literally waived off as if I were attempting to hail a cab in front of Carnegie Hall after a show. This rather odd customer service technique was displayed by not just one, but two employees who, by all indications, were on duty and fully capable of speech (though perhaps not rational thought).

Okay, so I'm certainly not going to let a little customer service glitch foil my efforts to help my parents out. Next step ... I'm off to the Customer Service desk where, after over a minute of waiting with no one else in line, the customer service representative was nice enough to break off her conversation with a fellow employee about the concoctions they drank at their 4th of July party, so I could ask her to please send someone to our aisle to retrieve the boxes from the top shelf. She immediately hopped on the PA system to send the message. So, I returned to the aisle to wait ... and wait .... and wait ... for OVER 20 minutes - with still no sign of anyone who was going to help us and with employees passing us by right and left.

If I were there alone, I would have driven to the Home Depot 2 blocks away after only about 10 minutes of waiting. However, I did have my older brother there so we were able to take advantage of the time and catch up on the happenings in each others' lives (though both of us would probably have preferred the conversation over a glass of wine back home or a Cider and darts at a local watering hole.)

But alas, here we are still waiting and wondering if anyone even heard the announcement that the customer service representative had made. Back again I went to the customer service counter as I asked her once again to help me. Put out, our once-friendly representative reminded me that she had already honored my request once before. But, since I was still without the product I was so desperately attempting to purchase, she reluctantly agreed to issue the dictum one more time.

9 minutes and 22 seconds later (I'm now very conscious of the time), an employee comes to retrieve the boxes from the top shelf (which took him 37 seconds total).

Ahhhh, now it's off to the checkout where we are faced with the decision of going to a checkout line with a real live cashier and only one person in line before us, or go to the self-checkout station where there are 2 people at each of the 4 machines. You guessed it - we went for the machine. It was quicker and in my imagination (based on my experience there that day) probably friendlier as well. 

My point? Well, it comes down to the value-added benefit of service. Those employees at that particular Lowes store added virtually nothing to the sales experience and when they did actually perform their job, it was with great reluctance and poor attitude. Rather than be driven to deliver such a high level of customer service that they could not possibly be replaced by a machine, they seemed almost hell-bent on hastening the process of their demise.

After experiencing the let down of their real customer service that day, I opted to checkout with a machine. And, you'd better believe that if I heard of a store that had mechanically rotating shelves so that I could move the top shelf down myself, I'd be bringing my business there... bing, bang, boom - I'm empowered and former employees are looking for work (and likely blaming the big "heartless corporations" for putting profits above people).

However, don't take this as a rant against certain parts of the retail sector. Frankly, there are some companies as a whole and individual employees that are so good at delivering service which does in fact add value, that I wouldn't consider going to their competitor - even for a lower price.

So the question we all need to pose ourselves is this ... Are there any areas of our customer service where we are resting on our laurels ... that we take advantage of the competitive benefits of our primary service or our products and are falling short on cultivating relationships where people LIKE doing business with us?

If you sell nutritional supplements, could the customer just as easily buy them through the company directly and not miss a thing with you removed from the equation? If you're a CPA, could a hot new computer program with super new fuzzy logic (like a "Quicken on steroids") make you look replace-able? For me, if someone developed a fuzzy logic marketing plan builder that reveals hidden assets and provides a plan to maximize them, is there anything I bring to the table above and beyond the pure and simple intellectual output that would compel someone to do business with me? Could I be replaced by a machine?

Food for thought .... 

All the Best,

Thom

End of June already???

It's the end of the month already and I've been so swamped that I have neglected to post much of anything. Sorry about that!

The Extreme Business Makeovers event was a smashing success on the 19th-21st. Over a week later now and I'm still getting people sending me emails and cards to thank me for putting it all together. I've got to say, it was an incredible lineup of speakers and each one not only delivered different expertise, but they have the same deep care for our participants that I have!

So, now that 2008 is half over, it seems an appropriate time to measure where I'm at for the year ... what's working, what's not and how to maximize the strengths and workaround the weaknesses.

Which leads me to the topics of balance and structure - not something that a typical "creative" type like myself excels in. I tend to bounce back and forth between juggling 50 projects at once or getting ultra picky and ultra focused on a particular project. The end result is the same ... a lot of busyness and much less fruitfulness. And, I've also done a lousy job at consistently taking care of myself by getting enough sleep and eating regular small meals versus my feast or famine pattern. Do you ever feel challenged in that area?

Well here's how I'm handling it for myself. First, I've created a block schedule, as per my friend, Stephanie Frank's advice. In it, I account for Focus Time (for projects), Flex time (general office stuff/communications, etc...), Family Time and Free Time. By making sure I have that Focus time when the door is shut, the phone is off and I'm not checking emails, it's much harder to get sidetracked or distracted by the tyranny of the daily urgent stuff and neglect the big projects that have huge payoffs.

Also, starting tomorrow, I'm taking a couple weeks for a working vacation - first to go to Hendersonville, NC to visit with my Mom and Dad, my sister and brother-in-law and their kids and another of my brothers. Then, after that, we head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a mini reunion with my In-Laws and my wife's sisters and their husbands and children. With 13 grandchildren and 8 adults all staying in the same house, that should be a fun time. And, of course, the time out-of-pocket will give me the time to come back to the office ready to implement my new schedule versus if I didn't have that transition time for my mind.

On the positive side, I'm working on a book and should have a really large chunk of it done by the time I return! I'll save the details about that for another day.

If I don't post before then, have a super and safe 4th of July holiday! Be sure to take time to be grateful for this incredible country we live in!

All the Best,
Thom

Going with the Flow

Well, Mother's Day turned out to be very nice - though not exactly what was expected. Here we showed up at the restaurant where we had reservations for over a month ... and they were CLOSED!!!! In addition, we were greeted by a police officer who told us that they would not be opening again anytime soon. (Of course, I "googled" it all right away on the ole iPhone, but apparently, there's no news about it and we still don't know what happened ... but, I bet there's a pretty long list of disgruntled ex-patrons out there now.)

Obviously at noon on Mother's Day Sunday, we weren't going to have any luck getting into another A list restaurant. Argghhh! Fortunately, I had been to a restaurant almost across the street with my two oldest boys one day, so I knew that the food was solid and that they didn't take reservations. Off we went to the new choice and made it in just in time to beat the later church crowd ("Thanks" Discovery Church for an earlier church time ;-)  ) We wound up having a nice time, the food was solid and the kids, especially, thoroughly enjoyed it. AND, since we saved a ton of money on what we would have spent as a family at the original restaurant choice, I told Jody that we could go out to one of her very favorite Japanese steakhouses - Mikado at the Marriott World Center - for a date night. So, she wound up getting her Mother's Day with no dishes and good and plentiful food AND another relaxing, higher-end date to boot! ;-)

If you're like me... these types of things happen all the time in business as well. Whether it's a marketing promotion or plans for a public program that we're putting on, it seems like there is often a fair amount of difference between what was planned and how those plans play out in reality. 

There are definitely some times when initial feedback you get seems negative and you just have to stay the course and fight on through to get to the goal you have established.

Other times ... perhaps too many times ... I find myself fixated on the MEANS and not the END. So, instead of adjusting the sail to capture the wind as it is really blowing, I figuratively shake my fist in the air and curse the wind for not blowing the way I want it to blow. In those times, I fall short of where I want to be, versus surpassing what even I had in mind.

Anyone else ever have experiences like that?

Be Blessed,

Thom

Tricked By God

Have you ever had one of those times when God used circumstances to trick you into something that you might not have done if you were given the choice up front?

That happened to me last week. Here, I had gone with Jody to see a counselor at church about our oldest kids ... no major issues, just thinking they may benefit from being able to blow some steam about parents, life, etc... with an impartial outsider ... and, wanting to make sure we're striking the right balance between grace-filled and authoritarian parenting.

Well, it started off weird as the counselor looked at the waiting area and was a bit surprised because they don't usually take two people at once. Jody had heard that the counselor wanted us both there - when really what was said was that they wanted to see both of us as well (not meaning at the same time).

However, it turned out to be a God thing since our time there together revealed some mutual resentments and hurts that had been shoved under the carpet years ago and not dealt with. 

And, then another God thing ... apparently, the person in the slot right after us was finishing up their counseling THAT week, so that slot would now be available.

So... you guessed it. For the next several weeks, Jody and I will have back to back counseling sessions - first apart dealing with the muck in our own closets and then together, tuning up our communications and conflict resolution skills... a pretty cool thing to do before our 19th Anniversary which is coming up in August!

My point? If someone had suggested that I go in for counseling and that Jody and I have a little marriage counseling, I probably would have rebuffed saying that this isn't the right time with our annual Extreme Business Makeovers event coming up and that Jody and I are fine since we're not having any major issues and no one is running for the escape hatch. I guess I still could have said "no," but I've learned my lesson from other times God re-ordered my steps. Nope, God had to trick me on this one and I'm glad He did.

I think of the verse in Proverbs (16:9) where it says, "In his heart a man plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps."

How cool is that? He allows us to be the big goal setters for our lives ... what's the way we want to go? (ie... I want a lifelong and healthy marriage) But, since His ways our higher than our ways, He often changes the path that we take to get there. If we fight the circumstances that He allows to come our way that change our path, we tend to muck things up. But, when we start to see those things as coming from Him and look for how they fit in with our big goals, everything falls into place without strain and striving.

Has God ever tricked you? Are you open to it when He tries?

All the Best,

Thom

(Note: I promised more open and heartfelt postings ... hope this helps you when I share openly like this. It's not the most comfortable thing in the world to share the "behind closed doors" world with a ton of other people. But, there are plenty of places you can go for expert type articles. I'm no expert ... just a fellow "pilgrim" in business and in life!)

Best Laid Plans, etc...

Well ... It's been a crazy couple weeks. First, I wound up getting knocked down by the Flu (a totally new experience for me since I'm used to getting an annual sniffles type of thing that slows me down, but nothing like this with aches and pains and making it tough to think clearly and work). In fact, I got it, along with 5 of my children - compliments of my oldest, Josiah, picking it up at a "camp in" event at church. Thankfully, Jody and Charity survived it all unscathed.

Then, last Friday night (actually Saturday morning at 2:30am) we all piled into our "less than environmentally friendly" conversion van and drove up to Hendersonville, NC to visit with my parents (who are now in their 80's), my sister and brother-in-law and their two children and my closest brother. My oldest brother and his wife also travelled to be there with his son and one of their grandchildren. Great visit! All the kids got along really well - not just with their cousins, but with the own siblings too (sometimes a challenge)  ;-)

Of course, I managed to get myself in a little hot water by checking my emails and phone messages far too often and consulting with my brother-in-law on a new business venture while I was there.  He is an amazing guy - a Psychiatrist AND MBA and a fellow A.D.D. type like myself ... so as co-dependents, we went off "chasing rabbits" and a quick breakfast out turned into a 3 hour consult which made for a less than warm reception upon our arrival back at my sister's house. Whoops! I guess that's the telltale sign that you're doing what you're meant to do ... that you'd do it for hours on end for free ... just for fun!

So, we got back late Wednesday night and now I'm headed for the airport in about a half hour to go to Mannatech's big Mannefest convention in Dallas. They're expecting about 5,000 people and my business partner, Bob is speaking there, along with Robert Kiyosaki, throughout the weekend. It should be a fantastic time ... the Manntech associates I've met are all really wonderful, giving people who seem to be in the business for all the right reasons.

I'd better dash for now, but I wanted to update you as to why it's been quiet on the blog for a couple weeks. I get back home on Sunday and sometime early next week, I'll post a video review for Gravitational Marketing (I did post a written review on Amazon.com if you want to check it out). I hope you're able to spend the majority of your time doing what you're created for today!

All The Best,

Thom