“The smallest change in perspective can transform a life.  What tiny attitude adjustment might turn your world around?”

                                                                                                  - Oprah Winfrey

I continue to be amazed how simple shifts in consciousness can have such a profound impact on our lives.  Despite the label we put on our current conditions or the fear of what is up ahead, our worry and displeasure can simply evaporate when we choose to change our perspective and the see the positives of a given situation. 

Several years ago, I found myself in a position I never dreamed I would encounter – divorced and playing the role of a single dad. 

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

                                                                                             - Mahatma Gandhi

Several years ago, while conducting my Discover Your Breakthrough You board breaking experience workshop here in Denver, I had the honor of meeting an American treasure, the Reverend Harold Middlebrook of Memphis, TN. 

Rev. Middlebrook was a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the organizers of the March on Washington in 1963 where Dr. King delivered his I Have a Dream speech, organized voter registration in Selma, AL following the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and was with Dr. King when he was...

“In the study of truth, we talk often about the power of words.  It is important to put into words only the verbal statements you want to see manifest in your life.  For instance, the word ‘problem’.  You say, ‘I have a problem.’ A much better word to employ when referring to some sort of challenge is ‘project’.  Note what happens when you say, ‘I have this project.’  It makes all the difference in the world.  The word project suggests a positive endeavor of development…..We tackle a project with vigor and imagination and with the conviction that it will be done.”

                                                                                             ...

“Hope is a start.  But…hope needs action to win victories.”

                                                                      - David J. Schwartz

A new year is upon us.  I don’t know about you, but I am very happy that 2024 has arrived. 

Recently, I was speaking to one of my friends and shared with him that I am usually not overly excited about the beginning of a new year, but this year I certainly am.

It is an understatement to say that 2023, for many of us, has been a difficult year for all of us, and I am personally filled with hope for what lies ahead for the upcoming year.

Hope can serve as an incredibly powerful force in getting us moving and breaking through the barriers we face in difficult times.  It is also...

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”  

                                                                                                      - Joel A. Barker

I believe we are all born with a vision for what we want in our lives inside of us. 

Just think back to when you were child and the numerous visions you had for what you wanted to be in when you “grew up”.  Your imagination was boundless.  I personally wanted to be a cartoonist, a doctor, an astronaut and a super-hero (Actually, when I was 5-years old, I WAS Batman).

I believe these visions exist inside of us...

“No one can do it for you, but you can’t do it alone.”

                                                            – People’s House – Denver, Colorado’s Motto

The quote above has its origins in the drug and alcohol rehabilitation world. 

As an adult child of an alcoholic, this statement has particular resonance for me.  However, regardless of addiction has impacted our lives (and for most of us, it has), this adage holds just as true as a profound lesson in life.

We all encounter challenges in our lives.  Although some of these trials may seem to come “out of the blue” to impact us, upon reflection we find most of the experiences which test us are of our own making; either through our own actions, thoughts and/or beliefs. 

As...

“It is solved by walking.”

                                                                            - St. Augustine

In May 2014, I undertook one of the most amazing experiences in my life as I walked the Camino de Santiago. 

The Camino or The Way as it is known, is a 500-mile pilgrimage across northern Spain.  My trek began in the town of St. Jean-Pied du Port in western France, ascended into the Pyrenees Mountains and then descended into Spain where I would spend the next month trekking 17-18 miles per day across the beautiful Spanish countryside to my ultimate destination, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Legend has it that the Camino began in the 9th Century as a way for early Christians to pay penance for their misdeeds...

“People aren’t grateful because they are happy, they are happy because they are grateful.”

                                                                                                            - Anonymous

This coming Thursday, we will be joining our family and friends around the table to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. 

In addition to indulging in an array of traditional foods like turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, we will also pause to reflect on the many blessings in our lives and share our appreciation for family, friends and the many wonderful things our life provides us.

While taking a day to remember and express our gratitude is...

"Don't ever doubt that one small single event can trigger an unstoppable chain of events that gain momentum with increasing force, and nothing is ever the same."

                                                                                                 - [email protected]

One of the vivid memories I have of my Grandma Natzke, as I was growing up, was her joy of playing the game dominoes.  During the course of my childhood, she attempted to teach me several times how to play.  Although I never acquired her love of the game (nor do I think I remember how to play it), each time I see someone play or speak about dominoes, I get a warm memory of my grandmother.

Several years ago, I was introduced to a...

“The moment you take Responsibility for everything in your life, is the moment you can change Anything in your life.”

                                                                                                                   - Hal Elrod

As a speaker, I am honored each year to share my Mind of a Champion message with wide variety of audiences.  Groups range from elementary school children all the way to corporate leaders. 

While it does take a diverse set of skills and strategies to be able to communicate with, and hold the attention of audiences of such a wide range, I believe that we are “all big kids anyway” and as a result the...