Tag Archives: make a difference

Feeling Better Inward Takes Turning More Outward

Last week I spent a few days doing both speaking and mentoring session via video conferencing on Zoom with groups of students from multiple Universities across the country.   During that time I was serving those students I wasn’t worrying about the pandemic we are facing, or the riots still going on, or the wildfires, or […]

Resolve To Be Happy Regardless Of Our Circumstances

With all that’s going on currently with COVID-19 the words of this talk which shares some universal regrets that dying patients have gives us much to consider about how we ought to look at things. It’s a talk given by one of my favorite speakers, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, titled “Of Regrets and Resolutions” and here […]

You May Be The Very Person That Can Do It

“You were born with the ability to change someone’s life. Don’t ever waste it.” We often hear that we must help ourselves before we can help someone else, and to some extent I believe that to be true.  But I also find it to be true that one of the best ways to help ourselves […]

The Good Kind Of Tired

Last week was crazy for me – during the week I had dinner with Utah Governor Gary Herbert, the First Lady, Governor Scott Walker (Wisconsin), and a few other business leaders at the Governor’s mansion to discuss the importance the States need to play in driving Washington to balance the federal budget.  After the dinner […]

When You Are Busy Doing Good Things

What a whirlwind of day today was!  My day began at a board meeting with the amazing Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne for her Amar Foundation www.amarfoundation.org which is an award winning charity that works in the Middle East helping improve the lives and livelihoods of some of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged people. […]

Time Flies When You’re Doing Things You Love

I swear the day goes by so ridiculously fast when you are working on things you love to do.  The days I spend my time trying to help others and give back in meaningful ways literally fly by so fast that I’m always blown away to look at the clock and realize the day is […]

Do More Than…

“Do more than belong: participate.  Do more than care: help.  Do more than believe: practice.  Do more than be fair: be kind.  Do more than forgive: forget.  Do more than dream: work.”      -William Arthur Ward That quote highlights the difference between good and GREAT!  Great takes being proactive and getting involved. It takes […]

Be The One To Provide Encouragement

To illustrate the message of today’s blog I have to first share a story someone sent to me years ago that goes like this: “Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from […]

Go Into The World And Do Well. But More Importantly, Go into The World And Do Good

“Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.” – Minor Myers Jr. Waking up this morning was downright brutal. I was so tired after only getting a few hours after flying home late the night after having gone to speak at the conference in Orlando and […]

Freethink – Sharing The Stories Of Innovators Who Are Solving Humanity’s Biggest Challenges

Earlier this year I met a filmmaker named Dan Hayes. Dan’s group was filming at an event where I had been asked to answer a few questions for a video being made of business leaders and entrepreneurs.  I did my quick interview and then had a few minutes to chat with Dan and found out […]

Success Comes From Doing The Little Things Over A Long Period Of Time

Today I heard “The Stonecutter’s Creedo” for the first time. It was written by Jacob Riis: “When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will […]

Of Regrets And Resolutions

Six years ago I heard a talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf called “Of Regrets And Resolutions” that impacted my life tremendously. I had pulled portions and excerpts from this talk (as the full talk was a little long to post in my blog) and shared them back in 2012.  Today I happened to be looking […]

Lessons On Branding Shared By Advertising Expert Gordon Bowen of McGarryBowen (Forbes Article)

Last night I had the opportunity to go to the home of Gordon Bowen, Founder and Chairman of McGarryBowen, esteemed international Advertising Agency, representing such clients as Disney, American Express, Intel, Marriott, Verizon, Crayola, Chase, and many other iconic brands. As for Gordon, Time Magazine dubbed him the creator of “emotional blockbusters” for his creation […]

Is the Universe just messing with us?

“Today: had my top on backwards, the pants I’d slept in and looked like Jack Nicholson from the shining. Saw all of the people I know. All. Of. Them!” Isn’t that exactly how it goes?! Those days you feel prepared for anything often nothing seems to happen… and then the days you aren’t prepared at […]

A Happy Thanksgiving Wish From Me to You

The best way I know how to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving is for me to express my thanks to all of you. I am so grateful to all of you make time in your lives for me and the words I share in my blog. And I am grateful for the comments and the […]

There are opportunities everywhere to make a difference

The world is full of all kinds of problems that we can’t solve in a day, but what we can do is find a way to give a little bit of service here and there…whether it’s just a few hours a week or only once a month, every small effort up over time. And when […]

The Thirty Second Quiz

Today we are all going to take a Thirty Second Quiz.  Now I realize that the word “Quiz” probably gives a few of you PTSD as you start thinking back to the days when you walked into your college classroom and your professor would tell you to take out your number 2 pencils because you […]

If you think you are too small to make a difference…

If you have ever felt inferior, or powerless, or like you are simply too small to make a difference in the world, you need to hear this quote: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”- Dalai Lama Too often we feel like we are just an […]

Declare your life a Drama Free Zone

Declare your life a Drama Free Zone – what a brilliant idea! Here is what it comes down to: People are going to disappoint us. They are going to make mistakes. They are going to hurt us and do dumb things. That is part of life. And it is up to us to forgive them […]

We Need To Remember That We Are The “We” In “We The People”

Politics. It’s like the dirty word that everyone is sick of hearing, but there is no getting around the fact that politics are essential. Going through the political process is the only way to achieve the objective of promoting good government. We can’t throw our hands up in disgust and turn away from it, instead […]

There is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint in this world

Today I went down and spoke to the students at Utah Valley University. I really love speaking to the students at the colleges because as I stand on the stage and look out at their faces I can’t help but be humbled by the amazing things these young people are going to go on and […]

Great Advice on Building Relationships and a Great Reminder To Make A Difference

Today attended the Peak Awards hosted by the Greater Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce. During the event I was asked to introduce the keynote speaker, David Bradford who is a dear friend of mine, a great business leader, and a published author. Dave shared some of the principles taught in his book, “Up Your Game: […]

You’re Alive For A Reason, Don’t Forget That. It’s Called Your Purpose.

Purpose. Every single one of us has a purpose to fulfill in this life. Something unique that we, and only we, can accomplish. Something that if we use our talents and God-given gifts to fulfill it, will make this world a better place. It is our mark to leave upon this earth and our legacy […]

Master the technique of living to reach your goals

I believe our life should be lived by a pattern of setting goals and then achieving them. I am absolutely passionate about goals because every success I have achieved in life has been as the result of setting a goal and then working hard to achieve it. When we simply live our lives day to […]

Ordinary People Can Do Extraordinary Things

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve…You only need a heart full of grace…A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr Speaking of those who serve, a few years ago I was able to attend a conference that highlighted ordinary people who had done some extraordinary things with their lives.  There was a […]

It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving

Every Sunday when we sit down for our family dinner we have a tradition where we go around the dinner table and as we are eating each person in the family shares with the rest of us what they learned that day or week. We have done this since the time my children were little […]

Charity Is Expecting The Best Of Each Other

“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down or resisting the impulse […]

The Power of One

“Never question the power of one! Throughout history it has been the actions of only one person who has inspired the movement of change.” – Steve Maraboli Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and I would be remiss if I didn’t express gratitude for the amazing life he lived and the example he set […]

Never Suppress A Generous Thought

In our cities so full of hustle and bustle it is amazing to watch how people are so absorbed in their own thoughts that they barely notice one another as they hurry past each other on the streets.  Often times we see someone lost or someone who dropped something on the ground and is struggling […]