It All Matters E-Book

Paul Cummings

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 395

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

The all-encompassing framework for achieving the life of your dreams It All Matters presents a framework for the rest of your life. What are those dreams you would only dare to dream if there was no possibility of failure? How can you live a life of real intention and purpose instead of duty and obligation? This book answers these questions and more. Everyone has the capacity to author their own destiny; it's not our circumstances that shape our lives, it's our response to those circumstances that either propels us to great heights or keeps us stuck in the mud. Here, author Paul Cummings shares one of the most comprehensive goal setting systems ever put into print. Based on the key U.B.U. process--Understand who you are, Be true to yourself, and always be Unique--this framework gives you the power to transform your life. Through a fast-moving series of engaging stories, you'll learn how to question yourself to greatness as you begin to think in bigger and more positive terms. Professionals from across the globe have implemented this framework to achieve what they truly wanted out of life--isn't it your turn? This enlightening guide teaches you the revolutionary strategies that can help you make big things happen. * Dig deep to find your real dreams, and set a plan to achieve them * Discover the core principles the form the foundation for success * Learn the art of self-questioning as a motivational tool * Implement a comprehensive, proven system for getting what you want You are one great question away from everything you ardently desire at all times. Are you ready to take the leap? It All Matters shifts your perspective to let you see the shining path ahead.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Acknowledgments

My Big “Why”

Introduction

A Moment in Time

Part One: Confidence

1 Where It All Began

The Power of a Single Decision

My Action Plan (MAP)

2 The Journey Begins

Lessons on Positive Thinking

Question Your Mindset Up

3 Components of Mindset

Heart and Mind

Get Up Early and Start Your Engine

Time Is Too Precious to Waste

Part Two: Clarity

4 The Power of Goals

Step 1: What Do You Really Want?

The Magic Formula

The Goal‐Setting Formula

What Do You Really Want?

Goal‐Setting Toolkit Instructions

5 Create a Compelling Future

Step 2: See the Goal in Your Mind's Eye

Puppy for Sale

6 A Goal Is a Commitment with a Deadline

Step 3: A Starting Date and a Completion Date

The Bottom Line

7 Written in Stone

Step 4: The Power of “I Will” Statements

Goal‐Setting Toolkit: “I Will” Statements

8 Stopping‐Stones and Stepping‐Stones

Steps 5 and 6: The Obstacles and Benefits

Complete the Action Plan

9 Never Leave Home without It

Steps 7 and 8: The Price and the Plan

You Must Plan

Goal‐Setting Toolkit: Planning the Day

Prepare and Execute a “Daily Activity Plan” Kind of Life

Paying the Price Toolkit

10 Pursue Wisdom and Understand Fear

Steps 9 and 10: Learning, Usage, and Massive Action

The Wisdom Toolkit

Resolve and Massive Action

Fear and Resolve

Part Three: Certainty

11 The Pathway to Dreams

The Ingredients of Success

12 Planning, Practice, and Preparing

Gold at the End of Effort

You Must Be Willing to Stand

Pen in Hand

A Story about Preparation

13 The Power of Attitude

Mindset in Motion

Spencer Hays: The Man…the Message…the Attitude

Protect Your Mindset

Attitude and the Alphabet

The GAP Analysis Toolkit

14 See Yourself Stronger Daily

The Strength Improvement Journey

15 The Power of Optimism

Find the Pony

Just for Today: A Daily Declaration

Optimist Declaration

Let the Real Games Begin

Part Four: Creativity

16 We Are All Creative

Question Your Life Up

17 The Master Key to Riches in Life

Drive, Dedication, Determination, and Discipline

Drive: A Component of Creativity

Dedication: A Component of Creativity

Determination: A Component of Creativity

Discipline: A Component of Creativity

18 It's Heart Work

You Are Creative

Part Five: A Life Well Lived

19 You Must Finish Strong

Going Home

20 A Life Well Lived

We All Have a Story

21 My Stories

Story 1

Story 2

Story 3

Story 4

22 Finding Your “It”

Understanding Your “All”

In Conclusion

A Gift for You

125 Life Lessons

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 21

Bonus Life Lessons

Chapter 22

Index

End User License Agreement

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

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E1

“If you're looking for a book that will inspire you to go for what you want in life, It All Matters is a great choice. Paul Cummings uses himself as a case study in this encouraging guide filled with life lessons, tools, and activities to help you set your course. Read this book—it could be the key to a successful future.”

—Ken Blanchard – coauthor of The New One Minute Manager® and One Minute Mentoring

“It All Matters is an inspiring book that is full of timeless truths and universal wisdom to help you to succeed in anything that you do.”

—Brian Tracy – International motivational speaker, self‐development expert and author of over 70 books, including Maximum Achievement

“As both an athlete and a World Champion quarterback, I can truly appreciate the importance of having a great coach to help you on your journey. Great coaches will inspire you to dream big and they will push you towards achieving goals that you never thought were even possible. It All Matters is a fantastic read and having Paul Cummings as your personal coach along the way will inspire you to not only dream big, but to deliberately take action so that you too can achieve all of your goals and dreams.”

—Joe Theismann – Former professional football player and World Champion quarterback, sports commentator, corporate speaker and restaurateur

“Paul Cummings has achieved something truly remarkable. In the spirit of sharing freely and uplifting others (which he has practiced for more than four decades), he has given us a book that opens the principles highly successful people follow, and challenges the reader to go through a powerful, proven set of exercises that will allow immediate application – and ultimately, with commitment, true mastery – of those principles. He walks this talk every single day. I was blessed greatly by It All Matters. You will be, too!”

—Dan Moore – President of Southwestern Advantage

“Paul Cummings' gift for storytelling delivers fundamental success principles in a fashion that is engaging, memorable and practical for effecting change in people's lives. He is a master of the science and the art of communication. We count him as a distinguished alumnus of the Southwestern program and are honored to have played a role in his life at an early age. I highly recommend It All Matters to anyone wishing to learn, improve and grow in the pursuit of excellence.”

—Henry Bedford – Chairman and CEO of The Southwestern Family of Companies

“Paul Cummings has created a collection of some of life's greatest truths and presented them in concise snippets with actionable tools to help you get them implemented. The principles in this book have the power to change your life.”

—Rory Vaden – Co‐founder of Southwestern Consulting and New York Times bestselling author of Take the Stairs

“It All Matters is a timeless masterpiece of intellectual strategies that will propel any individual or business who desires to excel to unparalleled heights of success. Paul Cummings is a master of the art and science of personal development. Paul has lived these lessons and impacted people all over the globe with his unique ability to inspire confidence, clarity, certainty and creativity.”

—Robert Forrester – CEO, Vertu Motors, United Kingdom

“A powerful, compelling, impactful, and inspirational guide to personal and corporate excellence is the best way to describe It All Matters. Paul Cummings is a master teacher who has inspired people all over the world to change their lives for the better. We have used these strategies to drive millions of dollars of annual growth into our business for over a decade. No doubt this book will be a tipping point in your life.”

—Warren von Bibra – von Bibra Motor Group, Brisbane, Australia

“In Life Lesson 12, Paul Cummings says “You are one great question away from anything you want in life at all times.” Now here's a question for you: Are you ready to find out what matters to you? The answer starts in It All Matters.”

—Harvey Mackay – #1 New York Times bestseller of Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive

“Paul Cummings' book, It All Matters, is a book that you will want to peruse and not read with a cursory attitude. His strategies to live a creative and successful life are excellent. I highly recommend it because it is loaded with nuggets of confidence, clarity, and a path to peace, love, happiness, and success.”

—Dale Brown – Former Head Basketball Coach at LSU‐1972‐1997 and a member of the National College Basketball Coaching Hall of Fame

“Congratulations from everyone at kiWW on this magnificent project. We all look forward to purchasing it. Reading It All Matters was an extraordinary experience. Paul Cummings brings to life the wisdom and strategies to win in life and business. This book is a must read regardless of where you are in your life right now. Mr. Cummings' success is legendary. We now understand he accomplished extraordinary things by deciding each day that “it all matters”. If you read this book, and take action on its lessons, your life will change in powerful new ways. It's happening in our company right now!”

—Kathy Ireland – Chair, CEO, Chief Designer, kathy ireland WorldWide

“It All Matters is an inspiring, well‐structured, instructive, lightning fast read that will be your new best friend on the path to reaching your fullest potential. And there's no better guide for the journey than the insightful and dynamic Paul Cummings.”

—Dave Anderson – President of Learn To Lead, international columnist, renowned sales and leadership speaker, and author of 12 books, including Unstoppable

IT ALL MATTERS

125 STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE, CLARITY, CERTAINTY, AND CREATIVITY

PAUL CUMMINGS

Copyright © 2018 by Paul Cummings. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 646‐8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from.

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Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print‐on‐demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e‐books or in print‐on‐demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data Is Available:

Names: Cummings, Paul, 1957– author.

Title: It all matters : 125 strategies to achieve maximum confidence, clarity, certainty, and creativity / by Paul Cummings.

Description: Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2018] | Identifiers: LCCN 2017029782 (print) | LCCN 2017040129 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119418467 (pdf) | ISBN 9781119418443 (epub) | ISBN 9781119417064 (cloth)

Subjects: LCSH: Conduct of life. | Self-realization. | Success.

Classification: LCC BJ1589 (ebook) | LCC BJ1589 .C86 2018 (print) | DDC 158—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017029782

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Image: © Ilya Chalyuk/Shutterstock

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My Big “Why”

First, a special word of thanks to all my students. To everyone who ever invested their time and money to attend one of our events or watch one of our 12,000 eLearning videos, you have been my career inspiration. For all the times you screamed “10” and banged drumsticks together, thank you. For all the times you helped me convince a conference center or hotel that we should never be invited back because we were too loud, too intense, too enthusiastic and excited, I say thanks. I wrote, recorded, and spoke all over the world for you. I packed my bags, hugged my family good‐bye, ate airport food and slept in thousands of hotels for you. It was all worth it because all a teacher lives for, is that moment when the light comes on in someone's eyes and you know they will never be the same. I thank you all.

Special word of thanks to my parents, George and Shirley Cummings. I was blessed at birth to have amazing parents who gave me all I needed and much more. Thanks for all the love, support, and encouragement over the years. Thanks for telling me I could achieve any dream I had the courage to dream. Thanks for coming to so many of my speeches and special events. Thanks for teaching me that the secret to living is giving. I will always cherish the evening we shared when we rented the entire House of Blues in New Orleans and raised money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Your fingerprints were all over that special night. Most of all, thanks to you both for being examples of character, integrity, and values for our entire family. I love you both to the moon and back.

Special word of thanks to all my children: Jane Ellen, Lauren, Chris, Ryan, and Kobi Cummings. You have been my life. As a dad, I have always been proud of each one of you. I did my best to provide all of you with the love and support you deserve. I cherish every moment I have spent with you individually and collectively. I traveled too much and worked too many hours many times and through it all you have all cheered me on, and “Go, Dad!” still rings in my ears. You shared a lot of your dad with the world. I am a blessed man to have five incredible children. I love, cherish, and respect you all for the great grownups you have become. You make me proud.

Special word of thanks to my brother and sister, George and Sue Ellen Cummings. I wanted to say thanks to you both for all the memories we have shared over the years. I was lucky to be the middle child between a great big brother and the world's best sister. Congrats to you on all that you have accomplished, and thanks for the years of encouragement and support.

Special word of thanks to Sue Rice. You made my life brighter, bolder, and better for so many years. You were my left and right arms, both personally and corporately. I owe you more than I can ever repay you. Thanks for the love you expressed, the happiness you created, and the joy you shared with so many. You were my rock and the matriarch of our company and thanks for believing in my vision for TechTown for over a decade before we ever opened the doors.

Special word of thanks to Clay Odom. You have been such a valuable asset to our organization. I appreciate the immense effort you have displayed during your time with the company, and I appreciate your willingness to pivot and take on your new role as the CEO of Steam Society. I am so excited to have you at the helm of an organization I created to improve the lives of underserved youth all over the nation. I am stoked to see the results as you launch your summer camp program on college campuses across the nation. In addition, the friendship we have developed and fostered has been remarkable. I count on you for so much and you have never let me down. Thanks for everything you do every day to contribute to others so selflessly.

Special word of thanks to Tony Pate. You were the first leader I ever entrusted my mission to, many years ago. Thanks to you and Cathy for all the years of tireless efforts throughout the years. We certainly put a lot of people in a lot of rooms. Together, we changed a lot of lives, but more important, the moments you, Cathy, and I shared as friends will always be what I cherish the most.

Special word of thanks to Tina Huet and Wendy Baldwin. It is impossible not to acknowledge you as a team. I don't know what to say to two people who did so much for so many years to make my life better. I am forever in your debt and will always consider myself blessed that you chose to work with and beside me for so long. A man is lucky to have a lifelong friend, and I am grateful to have two, whom I will forever respect and cherish.

Special word of thanks to Mike Burdette. You were the first trainer I trusted to teach my work, and teach you did, for over 20 years. I appreciate you and all your efforts on behalf of the organization. More important, I appreciate all the lives you impacted along the way. We have too many memories to mention and you know that I love you both, Mike and Elaine.

Special word of thanks to Stephanie Wharton. You are in every way an amazing friend, mother, and wife, and your faith in God has always been an inspiration to me. Thanks for all the years of service and for making me look better than I deserve as you correct my serious writing deficiencies. More important, thanks for your friendship over the years. I'll always remember when my dad met you: He said, “Son, go ahead and hire her, that little redhead is a keeper!”

Special word of thanks to Renaldo Leonard. You are still my brother from another mother. I enjoyed every second that we worked together. I miss those days more than you know. I am so very proud of you and all that you have accomplished. For all the moments we shared the platform, traveled together, shared meals and family time together, I say thanks and I pray that life treats you well.

Special word of thanks to Keri Chriswell‐Kuffel. You have impacted my life in so many ways. Thanks for the two decades of friendship and support. I appreciate you traveling across the world to support our expansion in Great Britain. Thanks for your advice and editing skills in preparing this manuscript. More important, thanks for your friendship and wise counsel. You are an incredibly strong woman and mother who carries herself with dignity and class.

Special word of thanks to Victoria Bruck. You have been such a blessing with the editing and marketing of this project. Thanks for your optimism and for your passion for what we do. You're the best.

INTRODUCTION

A Moment in Time

While sitting at a picnic table with my grandfather, George W. Cummings Sr., in Conway, Arkansas, on a beautiful summer day, one conversation completely changed the course of my life. As a young teenager, it would have been unnatural for me to think in those terms. However, looking back four decades later, that conversation was truly a defining moment in my journey that would set in motion a decision that would ultimately impact the rest of my life. It's stunning to think of it in those terms, but that one single moment in time was a tipping point. A statement, a story, a quip, a quote, a conversation, or an unexpected experience in life can be that moment, when “It” all changes for you. This was the beginning of my road to a life of confidence, clarity, certainty, and creativity.

Growing up, my grandfather was my mentor, confidant, fishing buddy, and best friend. He was a man who possessed immense knowledge, a sidesplitting sense of humor, and a multitude of life experiences that he was willing to share with his eager grandson. I loved every second that I was able to spend with my grandfather.

He shared a multitude of life lessons with me standing by the fencepost at his farm that still are present in my mind today—lessons such as “enthusiasm is an inside game with an outside reflection” or “you can't get a positive charge off a dead battery no matter how hard you try.” I will never forget the day when he told me that the age‐old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink,” was a lie. He explained, “If you salt their oats and make them thirsty, they will drink all day long.” I was fortunate to be able to plug into this type of wisdom at such a young age. Each one of these lessons was wrapped up in a compelling story that kept me engaged for hours.

His bigger‐than‐life personality, wisdom, and laughter made an indelible impression on me that I still cherish today. Unfortunately, you will never have the pleasure of his time. However, you will have the benefit of understanding all of his profound wisdom as you read this book. I refer fondly to his life lessons as “golden nuggets” that can lead you to a life filled with meaningful experiences and monumental victories.

I believe the art of storytelling is one of the most compelling skills anyone can learn. For this reason, I made the decision to base this book on a real‐life story that began in May of 1975. I believe that we all have a story that's important to us for a multitude of reasons.

Truth be told, you were never intended to run from conflict or to play small in the world. You were never designed to participate in the frenzy of life, solely based on other's opinions of your worth or your value. Life has offered you unlimited freedom and the power to choose your own path. You were intended to be bold, powerful, unique, determined, and immensely successful. Life is not a dress rehearsal, and my goal is to provide you with the life lessons, toolkits, strategies, and action plans you need to live a compelling life.

I deliver my speeches, blogs, and stories with what I call southern ease. Growing up in Arkansas and then Louisiana, I was dipped in the age‐old wisdom of my grandfather and bathed in the South Louisiana culture and the celebration of life by my mother, Shirley Cummings. All of these experiences are combined with the lessons I have learned over my 40‐year business career as an entrepreneur, teacher, and owner of a global business enterprise. It All Matters is void of theory and overflowing with lessons learned through both moments of immense struggle and mind‐boggling successes.

I have invited five of my great clients—Robert Forrester, Andy Heck, Wade von Bibra, Brad Mugg, and Charlie Collins—to author the introductions for each part of the narrative. I am confident you will gain great insight from their words of wisdom.

Over the course of my career, I have been influenced and inspired by many great teachers. Og Mandino and his great book, The Greatest Salesman in the World, inspired me to believe in myself and pursue my most important goals and dreams. I have been honored to speak on platforms with Dr. Ken Blanchard, Harvey Mackay, Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, Terry Bradshaw, Dale Brown, and many other great speakers whose work has continued to play an important role in my life. As a student I was inspired from a young age by the words of Tom Hopkins, who taught me that success is comprised of thousands of hours of hard work, dedication, and practice.

I was inspired to become a public speaker, teacher, and author by Spencer Hays, Mort Utley, David Dean, Art Williams, Les Brown, Zig Ziglar, and Jackie B. Cooper, whose amazing presentation abilities captivated me at a young age. I would like to acknowledge and thank these individuals for their commitment to improving the lives of others through their work. Join me now as I share a personal story with you, which was written with the pen of my own experience, a sense of humor, and an appreciation of life all in hand.

Part OneConfidence

Where It All Began – Confidence

A Special Message from Charlie Collins

As a Man Thinketh was written by James Allen in 1902, and remains to this day a book filled with timeless wisdom. That very same year, George W. Cummings Sr. was born and, other than his family, friends, and the local community, his birth received very little notice. But that would all change, as he, too, would leave behind a legacy of timeless truths and wisdom to encourage and inspire many future generations.

I met Paul Cummings for the very first time in the spring of 1975. At age 23, after selling books with Southwestern for five summers myself, I was a sales manager of a hundred people who were a lot like Paul…or so I had thought.

Check that: There are very few people like Paul. When I first met him, he was a brash, talented, and passionate young man. And yes, over the past 40 years he has changed some, but only in the refining and maturing that all men need. He has never lost his passion, and is still committed to making a difference in this world. If you will take these timeless truths to heart, and act on them, you will benefit more than you know.

Paul was blessed to have such a wise grandfather, who took the time to impart his experience and wisdom to his beloved grandson. In this book, Paul, now a grandfather himself, will give you the opportunity to accelerate your own life at the speed of light. This is George's legacy, but it is also a part of Paul's legacy too. Now, you can benefit from almost 100 years of combined life experiences from both of these incredibly wise gentlemen.

Success involves principles that are universally true, as clear and certain as the laws of gravity. For example, the Internet is not free; someone pays the bill. I believe that success involves some of these exact same universally true principles. Paul has simply outlined these principles in a manner that gives anyone who will choose to follow them a road to travel on which to create success in any area of their life. These truths will help you whether they are applied at your place of business or if you apply them within your family.

Paul had an advantage of the heritage of loving parents and grandparents. Unfortunately, many of us do not. Look around and you will see that dysfunctional and broken families abound everywhere. If you see yourself as a grasshopper, you will be regarded as one. If you will take hold of the truths that Paul Cummings has given, recognize that the lies of your environment are simply that, only lies, you can then begin to see the beauty of your creation. This book can be your guide to reorder your life.

If you as are young as Paul was, when he was first introduced to these life principles, then congratulations. However, if you've traveled further along on your journey in life, this book can still be a springboard to encourage you toward a greater future for all of your tomorrows.

If you are in transition, or think life has passed you by, I have a news flash for you. It is never too late. You can have the life you desire. These principles work and they will work for you. If you are in your 60s or 70s, you may be nearing retirement, but remember, you aren't dead. Living intentionally has no expiration date. Passion is not only for the young.

Have the courage to live, really live. You have far greater value than you think. You have been created for greatness. Experience it by living intentionally every day that you have left. Paul has given you an organized form and as excellent path towards greatness. Take it!

—Charles V. Collins

1Where It All Began

The Power of a Single Decision

As I packed my bags on the morning of May 26, 1975, I had no idea that a summer opportunity would change the direction of my life forever, nor did I know this single decision would affect the lives of thousands of people that I would meet in the future. A high school buddy of mine, Richard Svetlecic, had convinced me to give up summer baseball, which was a big deal to me at the time, with the promise of making $2,000 working for the Southwestern Publishing Company, now known as Southwestern Advantage.

Richard had worked with the company the previous summer and already had something I did not have—wheels. That's right, a car! A car purchased with the money he made last summer while I played baseball. With college staring me straight in the face, the thought of buying my own car was the number‐one reason that I finally decided to accept the position.

Preparing to leave on my journey, I replayed the conversation with Richard from two weeks earlier, as I sat down with my parents, to sell them on the idea. After all, Richard may have convinced me, but I now had to persuade my mom and dad.

Needless to say, it was not an easy sale.

George and Shirley Cummings were full of questions, concerns, and, of course, some very serious doubts. Today, as the father of five children, all of whom share my adventurous and relentless spirit, I fully understand all of my parents' concerns.

Some of the questions that they were asking me were easy to answer; however, others had required some creativity, as this was not an ordinary summer opportunity by any stretch of the imagination.

Southwestern Advantage, out of Nashville, Tennessee, offers college students an opportunity to sell an array of publications, including bible libraries, cookbooks, and a variety of children's educational books. The sales are made door‐to‐door, in various cities across the United States. Now, I was about to become a “bookman,” and I was going to join a fraternity of exceptional individuals from all over the country who sold these books.

Little did I know how incredibly challenging, inspiring, and invaluable this entire experience would be for me. I also did not realize that what I would learn at Southwestern would ultimately take me on a rewarding global adventure. This experience inspired me to teach people all over the world and open numerous companies that have generated millions of dollars in revenue over the past 40 years. It's incredible to realize that a single decision has the potential to become a defining moment in your life.

A Little Background

In 1855, Southwestern Publishing House was established in Nashville, Tennessee. The company's name was chosen because, at that time, Nashville was in the “southwestern” part of the United States. Founded by the Baptist minister, James Robinson Graves, Southwestern Publishing Company had initially published The Tennessee Baptist, which was a newspaper, and it also sold various religious booklets by mail, for 20–30 cents each.

The Program

The company operates on a traditional direct selling model in which the student dealers participating in the program are independent contractors, not employees. Their sales revenue, minus their expenses and the cost of goods sold, solely determines the amount of money that they net.

Students entering the program are encouraged to attend a weeklong Southwestern Sales School in Nashville. While there, they learn the product line, how to make customer presentations, and about the company's requirements for running a book business. Students are responsible for the cost of their own travel to and from the training, and for their personal expenses, such as food and gas, along with $100 for company‐subsidized lodging.

After the training program, students work in a sales area outside of their home or school states. Sales areas are predominantly located in suburban, small towns, or rural areas. Dealers are advised on what they should be selling, and they are strongly advised to obtain a solicitor's permit, where one is required.

The Expectations

I was told that the most successful student dealers work 80 or more hours per week, of actual time in the field, Monday through Saturday, typically from eight o'clock in the morning to nine‐thirty at night. This means that you could potentially make the recommended 30 or more presentations every single day.

At the end of the summer, products are shipped to the dealers, who would then revisit each home where they had made a sale, to deliver the product and also collect any balance that was owed. Dealers generally pay their living expenses out of the down payments that they would receive, and remit the rest of the money to the company, to the extent needed to cover the wholesale and other charges on their accounts. Dealers generally return to the headquarters in Nashville, at the end of the summer, where they settle accounts and receive a check for their final credit balance.

Some dealers are invited to come back in subsequent years as team leaders, and would then, in turn, recruit their own sales teams during the school year. If they do this, they can earn a percentage from the company from the sales of their team.

Hopefully, this gives you a little bit of context into what I was attempting to sell my parents on letting me do, over the next 14 weeks.

The Conversation

My mother was by far my toughest sale. Even though I was 17 years old, I was still her “little boy.” You can only imagine her shock when I admitted that I couldn't tell her where I was staying for the summer because the sales areas were not assigned until the last day of the sales school. Imagine the look on her face when I explained that there was no guarantee of income. It was simple. You would either sell something, and you would make money, or you would sell nothing, and you would make nothing.

Topping it all off, I would be responsible for all of my own expenses. Are you starting to get a feel for how this conversation was going for me? My mom said, “Son, what kind of transportation will be provided for you?” I looked at my dad as he was patiently waiting for the answer, knowing that my summer's fate was dependent upon their final decision.

I said, “Mom, they don't provide any means of transportation. In fact, I will walk, or ride a bike, to and from my sales area every single day. We begin knocking on doors at eight o'clock in the morning and then we will knock on our last door at around nine‐thirty at night, every day, Monday through Saturday.”

I will never forget the look of horror in my mother's eyes. “You are not doing that, Son!” My heart sank. I wanted this opportunity more than anything. In a moment of either total desperation or teenage lunacy, I dropped the big bomb on Mom and Dad, thinking that it might help. “Mom, don't worry. Richard said they will teach us how to hitchhike, so I will have a ride every day.”

Needless to say, this last revelation did not help me win over my parent's support. My dream of earning $2,000 and a car of my very own were evaporating more quickly than a raindrop on a hot summer day. Luckily for me, my parents had taught all of their children to fight for what they believed in.

In fact, they had provided us with examples of strength, courage, and perseverance regularly around our home through everyday situations. As I looked at my parents, my two best friends on earth, I then realized that I simply couldn't just give up this easily.

With all of the enthusiasm that I could possibly muster, I said, “Mom and Dad, I have to go. First, you taught me to honor my commitments, and I have already committed to Richard that I would be a part of his team. Second, you also taught me that I shouldn't follow the common path in life, but that it was important to take risks and to create my own path. I want this opportunity because I believe that this experience will be right for me. Most important, I really want to buy my own car.” There was still no response, so I continued.

“You have supported me throughout all of my athletics in baseball, football, and basketball. You have always encouraged me to do my best and to work hard in both school and sports. And I want to do this more than anything else that I have ever wanted to do in my entire life. I promise that I will not fail or let you down. Please let me go.”

I just took a deep breath and waited for their answer. My parents sat there in almost a stunned silence, trying to grasp what I had just said to them. They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity, communicating silently as only parents know how to do.