Giving back. A Thanksgiving blog

A few years ago I was teaching a radio class at Appalachian State in Boone, NC and I happen to get there early to watch the guest speaker before me. He and I had never met and I only caught the tail end of his lecture, but it was what he said at the end that really hit me.   “You can’t get into the hall of fame unless the next generation votes you in”. Brilliant! It’s essentially how I have lived my life, but crafted from someone who I had never met till that day.  Giving back is imperative.  Sure, I walk by bell ringers in front of the mall all of the time and I don’t give as […]

Take yourself seriously!

A friend and former employee of mine was up for a promotion and needed some advice on what to say/do during the interview process.  This person is a very talented and I am their biggest fan for sure.  My friend just struggles with balance.  Balance between self confidence and ability.  My friend has all the ability and is extremely talented, but lacks the confidence to be able to sell those talents to others. Yes, it is good to be disarming, but not to the point where you cannot gain credibility or emote confidence that people need to see in you. Many people derail their point or success by clinging to the crutch of self doubt.  If you believe in yourself, […]

Climbing the ladder and turning left?

I have mentioned before, in an earlier blog, that I have never been a fan of Robert Frost.  I never could get into his stuff.  I once got into an argument with a college professor about Frost and how I thought his poetry was fluff (still got an A).  His largest contribution to the literary world is “The Road Not Taken”.  (The snowy woods one wasn’t bad I guess). Sometimes in life and in business we take a left turn.  “The road not taken”.  More often than not, it was a choice made out of necessity-not always out of desire or spawned from your original goals.  Survival sometimes opens doors to new jobs, relationships and adventures.  Often, your climb in […]

Shut up! Just shut up!!

Admittedly I have said those words to my wife and I am not proud it.  Her point was made and chances are I was wrong.  There is no need to keep beating a dead horse or in my case, reminding me that I am wrong.  I get it.  Shut up. My beautiful wife Christal is a 2 sentence too many person.  Go with me on this- I promise you I am not writing this to pick on her, but rather making a point about people and word economy.  She has a tendency to pile on words and it does muddy communication.  Telling  me to pick up my socks is a one statement request.  Telling me to do it with 3-4 […]