Father Knows Best

What does it take to beat the odds and live a successful life?  Richard Harris did the following when he was told his son, Tim, was born with Down syndrome:

1)  Admit disappointment, shock and fear
2)  Continue to set high expectations
3)  Learn and teach how to count the blessings of hugs in your life.

I first saw the story of father Richard Harris and his son, Tim over 10 days ago on the CBS Evening News.  Journalist Steve Hartman had traveled to Albuquerque, NM to do a feature story on the only known person with Down syndrome to own his own restaurant.  The memory of this piece has stayed with me all week. 

Many times over the last few years I have found myself telling people that I got into the human development profession because of my Uncle Louie.  Uncle Louie was born in 1930, the last of 11 living children in my father, Andrew Terzano's family.  Uncle Louie had severe Downs.  In 1930 the family was told to do one thing:  put Louie in an institution and in one year he would pass away.  The family did not do that.  Uncle Louie lived to be 59. 

My first memories of Uncle Louie (begrudgingly) were having to answer the phone at approximately 7:05 p.m. each night when he called my Dad.  Uncle Louie never spoke, but used various sounds to make himself understood.  Uncle Louie could not read or write, but he walked to the candy store in his Brooklyn neighborhood each night and called all his brothers and sisters who did not live with him (4 lived in the family home and cared for Uncle Louie).  Even though he never spoke words when he took his little piece of paper with all his siblings phone numbers out of his wallet, everyone knew what assistance was needed. 

Uncle Louie wore diapers his whole life but he was dressed each day in a business suit and tie just like all his brothers.  He had a pinkie ring just like his brothers.  He was expected to be his best, do his best, and love the most.  Just like his brothers and sisters.  And as much as I dreaded those calls each night - I was always afraid I would not understand him -- as an adult I saw what love, devotion, and expectation could do in aiding a human develop to their highest potential. 

I love my father for the part he played in never letting me avoid those calls.  I love my Dad's brothers and sisters for teaching me the true power of love, family, and why never giving up and taking action to beat the odds, is so very important.  Thank you CBS for a great piece. 

Dr. Success Challenge:  After watching this piece, ask yourself this question:  If Tim could accomplish opening a restaurant, what dream are you capable of achieving? 

West Point Wisdom

As is the tradition at a West Point graduation, the cadets toss their hats in the air.  Young people run on to the field hoping to be lucky enough to get one of the hats.  Usually, the cadet has put a dollar bill in the hat.  A beautiful young lady cousin of graduating cadet, Lieutenant Gerard Connolly, got more than a $1 dollar bill -- she received wisdom worth millions of dollars.  What follows is a typed transcript of the letter.  The letter is only signed 'SS' so I will respect the desired anonymity.  Since I have the graduation roster I could narrow down who that might be, but decided to allow the message to do all the talking.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.  Thank you.

To the receiver of this hat:

If I have one piece of advice for you it’s to “live above the common level of life.”  As the cadet prayer says, never be content with a normal life, or an easy life.  Success in life, friendship, love, and work often involves taking the hard, difficult route.  It means choosing the harder right over the easier wrong.  To be honorable, loyal, responsible, and to be endowed with justice and truth, to be courageous:  These things require dedication and commitment.  No matter what you do whether you serve as a soldier, a doctor, or a candle stick maker, be the best.  Serve with all your heart, and always do what is morally right no matter what the pressure.  To do what is right does not mean do what is easy.  Most of the time, the right thing is the hardest.  You are the future of this nation.  As you grow older, do not be afraid to become the leader of your generation, do not be afraid to forge new paths, and make the tough decisions.  Also, the Right path will be difficult, often treacherous.  However, do not lose faith.  God will provide what you will need.  He will place friends along your route to help you and aid you and to guide you in your hardest trials.  I leave you with the final stanza of Robert Frost’s A Not Taken:

I shall be telling this with a sigh

                                                   Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and…

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.

SS

Peace, Andrea Goeglein, PhD
http://dontdiebooks.eventbrite.com

Goals, Energy and Self Help Books

I once bought a book entitled Living Without Goals just because the title ticked me off so much. The thought of living without goals is so counter intuitive and so alien to me I actually bought the book just to prove the author was wrong. I bought that book 20 years ago.

Today I write living without goals still does not resonate with me, yet I now understand what the author was attempting to convey. Having goals, writing goals, thinking about our goals is not the problem. How we attach to our goals is!

Dr. Success™ Challenge*: Think about your goals. Is it the goal that turns you on and ignites your flame for life or is it the potential outcome?

Consider your goals from a place of “high attention, low attachment”.  And remember:  where you put your energy, you create your results.

Thank you,
Andrea T. Goeglein, PhD
www.YouTube.com/user/ServingSuccess
http://www.dontdiebooks.com/
http://www.servingsuccess.com/
www.Facebook.com/DrSuccessPhD
I wish to thank Jack Canfield for introducing me to the concept of “high attention, low attachment.”
A Dr. Success Challenge is an example of teaching what I need to learn!

Thank You

You may notice that I use the words Thank You a lot.  I sign a lot of my correspondence using that salutation.  I do that because it causes me to pause and think before I sign off.  Do I always mean it when I use it?  No!  But there is never a time I am not striving to mean it.  For me part of the Don't Die spirit is never missing an opportunity to transform a relationship.  For me that means never miss an opportunity to make a good relationship better, or a not so good relationship better.  Watch this short clip from TED.com 

Thank you!
Andrea Goeglein, PhD
DrSuccess@ServingSuccess.com
http://www.dontdiebooks.com/
http://www.servingsuccess.com/
www.Facebook.com/DrSuccessPhD

Do You Want to be a Lap Dancer?

What is the price you are willing to pay to have financial success?

During a business strategy call this morning I found myself using a personal example of a low water mark for financial success.  Lap dancers.

Let me explain.  In the community I live, lap dancers out earn me by about 10 to 1.  Some might success that at 55 year old becoming a lap dancer is really not an occupational choice.  However, if you live in my community you would soon learn that is not the case.  So go with me for the moment -- let's assume I could choose to become a lap dancer and earn 10x more than I earn today per hour.

Would I do it?  It's legal.  This is not a question of 'am I choosing to do something illegal to achieve financial success?'  This is a question of 'exactly what am I willing to do to achieve fiancial success.' 

We all have to answer that question at some point in our business careers.  I found myself answering it a lot lately.  A few weeks ago someone mentioned the names of two highly intelligent men who happen to host talk shows that I think represent the 'no water mark' meaning the quality of the material and topics presented is so low that it does not even raise to the point of being a low standard of acceptable.  Since hosting a show is one of my many objectives, I could see clearly what I was not willing to do for success -- financial or otherwise. 

Which brings me back to lap dancers.  There comes a point in striving to be successful that you must face your 'lapdancer' question.  Your 'lapdancer' maybe a rude boss, late paying clients, publicly demeaning co-workers -- whatever and whoever you are ignoring just to keep earning money -- and do what is right for your spirit regardless of how it effects your financial success. 

Just thoughts.  Please share yours with me.  Thank you. 
Andrea T. Goeglein, PhD
Dr. Success (tm)
www.DontDieBooks.com

Don't Die With Vacation Time on the Books

Note:  If you buy the book from Amazon, make sure to only pay the $9.97 price!  The Book is not out of stock at $9.97 and you can have all you want!  Or go to http://www.dontdiebooks.com/

A big thank you to all who have purchased the book today.

I will be hosting a call to answer your questions the week of March 1.

Information to follow.

Peace