The End.

I've kept this blog going for almost two years, though it has had its share of down time. While it had its moments, for the most part it hasn't served the purpose I had hoped, which was to inspire people and help keep myself and others accountable. For this I have only myself to blame.

I've decided to go in a different direction with my blogging, returning to my more general blog style from RichSpeaks, which I stopped writing in Summer of 2009 - the last post there, in fact, covers Michael Jackson's death!

I will continue to blog about the importance of Choice and finding your Self-Defined Success, but I may also just blog about a movie I like, something that happened with my kids, or my take on current events. The blog will also be my first attempt to embed a blog into my main website.

Of course, I will continue to write Speak & Deliver, my blog dedicated to public speaking, as well.

Special thanks go out to David Goad and Robert Jensen, two of my stalwart readers and commenters over the time of this blog.

It's been fun everyone - and I hope to see you all at my new digs: Rich Speaks

Remember - your success is always up to you - go out and be a Champion of Choice!

Just Keep Swimming!

Right before I went to Disneyworld on Nov. 14th with my family for a week, I managed to get my email box down to ZERO. An amazing feat for me.

My habit is to keep 75-100 emails, with a goal of 50, the most I can see on the screen at once in g-Mail with my current settings. I had emails from 2008 sitting in the bottom, filled with testimonials about my speaking coaching that I kept saying I'd get on my website and never did. I still haven't, but I've at least copied the info to another spot on my hard-drive, and filed that email away. I think that was progress.

So I'm gone for a week, and deliberately didn't check email, blog, etc. the entire time. Not that anyone noticed, because I've been pathetic at keeping up with my blogging for awhile now. I'd say I'm CHOOSING to change that, but I'd rather, at this point, shut up and just do it, and talk about the choice later.

Coming back from Orlando, I find just over 500 messages in the inbox. The breakdown was about 20 percent Twitter notifications, 20 percent newsletters, 10 percent personal, and 50 percent Internet Marketing opportunities I've been looking into the last few months. I think the most common name was Matt Bacak.

Two weeks later, I'm still at about 350 messages, because I've told myself I want to pay close attention to those internet messages and take some action. Those two weeks have been filled with so many other projects though - finishing, proofing, and marketing Thriving with Neurofibromatosis, the Thanksgiving Holiday, and staying in the top third of my Fantasy Football pool.

So now, do I just delete them all and start over? I'm sure in a week I could fill it up again. But what amazing opportunity will I miss? It's amazing how too many opportunities can turn into none when we let them paralyze us, or just overwhelm us.

That's probably been my biggest obstacle since declaring the initial Champion of Choice Challenge - too many opportunities. Crazy. Should I pursue speaking, coaching, writing, blogging, marketing - how much of each - or should I take some speaking job with a company willing to fly me everywhere? I made ALL of those choices over the last year, and while I've added a tremendous amount of experiences to my life and helped my wife write her book, I can't say I've done as much as I'd like to, or yielded the results I'd hoped.

It's at this point I feel a bit like Marlin and Dory in their search for Little Nemo - I tell myself "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." And I do, and I will. Without swimming, I'd of missed a tremendous amount of opportunites over the last 18 months. I just want to swim with even more purpose than before.

So today, among other things, like my daugter's doc appointment, I'll be swimming through all those emails - and tomorrow, my email account will be back down to zero, and I'll have either found some great opportunities, or I'll at least have a clean box to catch the next ones.

What are you going to do with all your opportunities today?

Make 2010 the Start of a Decade of Directed, Determined Choice

10 years ago today, I woke up to a world that hadn't been destroyed by Y2K, a still-fledgling marriage (less than a month old), 2 young children, and a welcome day off from working as a retail ad salesman for the Salt Lake Tribune/Deseret News. I was in Toastmasters, but didn't have any designs at that point of becoming a speaker or coach - I hadn't even competed in a contest yet.

This morning, I woke up to a world that hasn't been destroyed by terrorism, despite our worst fears, a stronger-than-ever marriage (yes, to the same woman), 6 kids, and no days off from pursuing my passions of being a speaker and coach!

The 2000's
The last 10 years have been dominated by five activities: growing my family, growing myself, physical challenges, searching for focused career goals, and competing for the World Championship of Public Speaking - with mixed results.

My family has certainly grown, in size and maturity. I married not just a wife, but her two kids, and we've added 4 more. Watching them grow and mature, seeing how they take cues from me and Kristi, it's an amazing process to nurture an individual to model behavior and determine their own.

Growing myself had never been that big a priority. I'd been sent to a seminar that featured some professional speakers, including Zig Ziglar, Peter Lowe, Mary Lou Retton, General Schwartzkopf and a couple others in the 90's, and I was vaguely aware that for a few thousand dollars I could buy tapes from a guy with big teeth named Tony that would help me Awaken The Giant Within. But it wasn't until 2001 that I actually listened to Tom Hopkins sales training (loaned to me by someone who asked if I was related to Tom). I started reading Robbins, Tracy, Covey, getting deeper and deeper into discovering the world of self-development, and the role speaking played in it. This part of my life would have a significant aspect on my career choices the rest of the decade.

My physical challenge put me into position to make a choice I never imagined having to make - trading the substandard manufacturer version of my lower left leg in for a Super Deluxe Robot Leg. Waking up in January of 2006 without being able to take a step on my long-deteriorating ankle led to a series of appointments which led to a voluntary amputation. I had other options, they just weren't good ones, in my eyes. Little did I know at the time this was the genesis of what would later become my quest to create the Champions of Choice.

My career goals of being a speaker and coach didn't become clear until 2005, but the vehicle by which I work to reach them would change often, and continues to remain in flux even now. The experiences I've had selling newspaper and magazine ads, working as a media buyer, coaching speakers, speaking to audiences on everything from competition to leadership to goal setting to speaking, and even co-writing three books have given me more experience than many would expect over a ten year period. Working for myself has been my choice the last few years, but there are opportunities for me to take my skills to the workplace, which 2010 may see me do.

I never did win the World Championship of Public Speaking, despite competing 9 out of 10 years, finishing in the Top 100 worldwide 6 out of 8 years, the Top 20 five times, and actually making it to the final competition in both 2006 and 2008, finishing 3rd in '06 (competing even while recovering from the amputation). I learned a tremendous amount from my experiences. I coached my first speaking client in 2004, helping a nervous father give a 15 minute toast at his daughter's wedding, which was taking place in a castle in Austria. I gained skill and confidence as a speaker, and realized how much I enjoyed it, eventually finding my way to paid speaking engagements in 2005, even before I made it to the finals.

The Genesis of the Champions of Choice
It took me another 3 years to realize that everything I wanted to tell people boiled down to their willingness  to choose to do them - and that if I didn't talk to people about reclaiming their power of choice, everything else could easily end up as so much blather. The Champion of Choice was born, and in its first 9 months suffered from all the pangs of babyhood as I realized I was not living up to my own standards. If you've been reading, you've witnessed the unevenness of it all!

It takes more than believing in the Power of Choice. It takes consistent Choices of Action as they relate to your Choice of Desired Results. It takes the Choice of Personal Responsibility combined with the Choice of Personal Forgiveness, followed quickly by the Choice of Persistence.

The Challenge of 2010
This year, I am choosing to take action every day to develop into a stronger Champion. I want to help as many people as possible this year Choose to take the Actions necessary to take their lives to a higher, more successful level than ever before. By the end of this year, I want 2010 success stories from 2010 different Champions of Choice. Even though I've heard from many of you over the last few months who've changed jobs, lost weight, and set new goals, 2010 sets the higher than ever.

No matter where my choices bring me (and I've got some surprise choices in the works this year), I will be leading this charge all year long. I will be blogging every day, even if its just a few lines. I will be adding features, contests, and content on a regular basis. My first choice is to continue to be open and honest about my victories and defeats, and encourage you to do the same. I've battled between the marketing angle of looking perfect vs. being real. I've been told by experts that people only want to follow those that have already reached the promised land, and I've been told by experts that people want to follow those they can identify with. In light of that, I'll simply choose to be the latter as I journey towards the former. And when I reach the promised land, you'll have taken the journey with me.

The last ten years, at least for me, have been a Decade of Education & Discovery - often by accident. The next ten will be the Decade of Directed, Determined Choice. Follow the blog, leave a comment, join the NING site - stake your Choice for all to see!

Choices that Last

"I Choose Us" - Jack, in The Family Man

Ten years ago today I married my best friend.

It was a choice I'd made months before, in truth before she made her choice to marry me. The choice carried with it the responsibility of two kids from her first marriage, age 3 and 2 at the time - a choice I made easily, knowing we would be able to create a successful family since they were still both at such young ages.

Over the years, we chose to add four more children to our family, one about every two years. We've chosen to stop, but I'd wouldn't change a single choice when it comes to the children God has loaned to me.

10 years means 3650 days of choosing to stay married. Choosing to love during the triumphs and the defeats. Choosing to love through the occasional lovers quarrel, and the occasional lover's all-out war. Choosing to love through challenge, through sickness, through uncertainty, though pain. Choosing to focus on blessings and joy and victories no matter their size.

Choosing to marry Kristi was the best choice I've ever made, and she reinforces that choice everyday. Marriage, love, commitment...all are choices both sides must make each day, each hour, each minute.

No matter what the past has brought, no matter the present circumstances, no matter the future - I stand firm to choose Kristi, over and over again.

Happy Anniversary, my dear.

Is Tiger Still A Champion?

I have followed Tiger Woods since he tied for 60th at the Milwaukee Open back in 1996. I have blogged about him, his attitude, his skills, and his competitive spirit.

I have never blogged about his character, other than how it is displayed on the course. I've ignored the cursing and club throwing, understanding the intense pressure he is under from outside and from within each time he tees it up.

Now, he's a week into his worst situation ever - media bombardment, the fickleness of fans, and the ramifications cheating on his wife will have on his family, most important of all (to me).

I do not find it to be my place to judge Tiger, sympathize with Tiger, or defend Tiger.

However, he has provided us with an amazing example of what happens when our choices don't align with our overall goals (or what he has put out there as his goals - I suppose he would be dead on if his goals were to become a virtual sports god and then risk it all by conducting an extra-marital affair).

A week ago, our perception of Tiger was still pristine, and about to get another shine with his Tournament this week that benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, which largely benefits kids education.

Today, his endorsements, his ability to draw fans, his focus to his craft, and his marriage are all at risk. His legacy has changed forever. Just as Kobe Bryant may never truly out-play his rape trial, no matter how many championships he wins, Tiger may forever be seen as the fallen angel.

Of course, he still has choices. Moving forward, he can make some great choices, as can any of us who have made mistakes of all types and varying degrees in our past. He's already making choices, and they are being scrutinized every second, from his communication on his website to reports of his pre-nuptial agreement rewrite, a large payment to Elin, his supermodel wife, and immersion into marriage counseling.

What he does from this point one will determine his future, just as his past choices have determined, in all of its mayhem and stress, his present. He has to live with his choices, past and future, just as we live with our own.

Two things to think about:

1. Learn from Tiger. Align your choices with your ultimate goal - whether it's to become a revered golfing legend, a successful entrepreneur, or a great dad and husband. Don't let your short-term choices short-circuit your long-term success.

2. Monitor the Big Choices with the Big Consequences. After all, no matter how many titles Tiger wins, how much money, how many people he helps - these Big Choices will always be carried somewhere in his golf bag.

Tiger is still a champion. Whether he will be a Champion of Choice is up to him.