Success Starts Here!

Friends,   First I wanted to take a quick moment to thank you for your time. I write these messages as personal therapy if you will but I post them in hopes maybe someone out "there" in the blog-o-sphere might get something out of it. So thanks once again.    Second, I don't want to alarm you but um, Christmas is coming!!!! In 69 days we will be wishing each other a Merry Christmas. How do I know this? Cause this morning's local paper reminded me with a big photo of Santa getting himself primed and ready (story was about preparations for the Macy's Day parade in NY and of course that parade ends with Santa). It got me to think of holiday seasons of yesteryear and my first reaction was a big smile on my face. As I thought more I remembered those holiday seasons which weren't as good and it gave me an idea, but I need your help. That in a moment.    Prior to that, a quick story. When I was a young married guy, I was stationed in Washington, DC. For those of y

This past weekend I had the honor of attending a good friend's retirement from military service. As he shared his remarks about a career that spanned 27 years, he said something I wasn't expecting yet it resonated with me. Maybe because it just made so much damn sense, and hopefully because I have been doing it unconsciously all the while (or so I hope I have). He said "I've succeeded in this Army career because I was willing to fail". Of course as soon as he said that, I grabbed a little coaster which was the closest thing to me, borrowed someone's pen, and wrote it down before I forgot it. As soon as I heard him say those words I was reminded of an old Michael Jordan commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5szc . Michael speaks about the many times he has failed over his career. He ends with "I have failed over and over and over in my life, and that is why I succeed." Wow, talk about powerful stuff. In today's sterile, hypo-allergen