You Will Fall

"Is that like when I'm trying to make a card tower and it falls, and I try again until I get it to stay up as high as I wanted?" Asked my 10 year old.

"That's EXACTLY what it's like" I responded.

We were sitting in the a busy parking lot this afternoon and I had turned on the last few minutes of what would be an epic sporting event. 

Tiger Woods was pulling off a come-from-behind win at the 2019 Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia. His first in more years than Austin (10 yrs old) has been alive. And I wanted them to witness it because for me, it's a big deal.

I'm not a big enough sports fan to watch many sporting events live on TV. A BYU football game from time to time, the NBA finals, Superbowl, and only a handful of other events usually draw me to find a streaming or live game. But today, I kept getting notifications that Tiger was closing in on the lead and going into the last few holes of the tournament, it drew my attention.

Most of us know what it's like to fail at something, or to fall, get knocked down, beat up, and often unfairly treated in life. Sometimes, it's just life. Sometimes, its the result of other peoples decisions that affect us. And yes, sometimes, its our own decisions that knock us down to the depths of personal disappointment and shame. We all have our stories, our experiences, which makes the story, so far, of Tiger Woods, completely and inclusively, relate-able.

His fall from grace and rise back up to the peaks of the sport of Golf has come with painful price and personal loss, and yet paints the picture of so many, if not all, of us in our journey. 

His story is inspiring, disappointing, hopeful, and invokes strong emotions on every end of the spectrum from sports and non-sports fans alike. I can appreciate the passion against him, the role model he was opportune to be but at times wasn't. He was, and is not today, perfect. My appreciation for his accomplishments comes with personal introspection for what I might still accomplish in circumstances I find difficult to manage.

As we watched him sink his last putt for the tournament championship today, I told them, about how unique Tiger was from when he was young. The work and practice he put into his golf game, and how he became really one of the greatest golfers that's ever lived. I told them of his back pain and surgeries, and in general, how his personal decisions had destroyed his family life and caused many of his closest friends and family, to withdraw their support. Consequences of our mistakes can sometimes be very difficult to deal with no matter who we are.

I asked the boys if they had ever tried something and maybe it didn't work, or they feel like they failed at it. What followed was a lengthy conversation about trying and falling, and trying again. About my own experiences with disappointment and failure. And how no matter what, no matter how hard, life can be lived greatly when you never give up. 

Austin asked me what kinds of things I failed at. He was inquisitive, curious, and learning. THOSE are the moments right there. THOSE are the reasons a son needs his dad, and more, why a dad needs his son(s). And THOSE are the minutes I value most with mine.

Dads if you have boys, tell them about Tiger tonight. Tell them about yourself and your own struggles and the ways you never gave up, and maybe are fighting not to now. Mom's, encourage the dad's in your life, your own, your kids dads, to never give up and pass that gene down. Life is hard and the team around us can make all the difference in ways we sometimes don't even recognize. 

Tiger's rise, his climb out, is what makes me look to my own boys and myself, and makes me grateful we have sports as a backdrop of winning drama, that if you look close, offers invaluable takeaways as we parent, live, and love. 

Only those who don't give up, have the opportunity to experience the greatest wins. 

When I fail, when my boys fail, and we have and will, we will always work to fail forward.

Will you?

 

I Caught a Pass From Ty - Part 3

Me and Ty Detmer, June 11, 2007

“You did what!?” Came the overwhelming response from my mom, and a few close friends and family to whom that news would be relevant. The next question on their minds was something I hadn’t thought through yet either, “what are you going to talk to Ty Detmer about?”

What questions had he not been asked countless times, what type of conversation would make me seem less like a creeper and more, an adoring fan with the up most respect for his talent and person? In search for those answers, the next couple of weeks went by in a flash and the day came for me to make a follow up call to confirm and time and location.

While my nerves were still on high alert, that next conversation went much better, at least in my head, than the first. I actually had to leave a message for him and yet within the same day, a number with a familiar Texas area code showed up on my cell phone. That’s right, Ty Detmer had my cell phone number. I can only assume that he saved it in his phone and put it in his ‘favorites’ list. (Deliriously optimistic I am)

_________________

The drive from San Antonio to Austin is about an hour give or take. That smoldering summer afternoon however, it felt more like San Antonio to El Paso. (A much longer and more Wyoming-ish drive I assure you)

I arrived in Austin and with a map I printed off of MapQuest in hand, found my way to the BBQ joint he had recommended. Since I was nearly an hour early, I drove around and admired the green hills of Austin, Texas. It’s a beautiful city with lots of trees and a downtown that reminded me of Salt Lake City, which I frequented often.

I pulled into the parking lot of County Line On The Hill, about ten minutes before we were to meet. I made a couple last minute phone calls for reassurance that this was really happening, and quite possibly for some calming advice since I had never really done anything like this before.

I had brought several items, including football cards, a BYU branded football, and the very Sports Illustrated issue I received when I was 10, in hope he would autograph them for me. As I sat there gathering my thoughts, a large white F-250 pickup pulled up on my passenger side, and a slightly older, yet recognizable Ty Detmer appeared in the driver’s seat.

I took a deep breath and said “here we go”.

I had rehearsed my first impression with him over and over in my head and yet nothing seemed fitting for the larger than life moment set before me. I was 26, yet I felt more like I was 10 again.

“Mr. Detmer, thank you so much for coming, this really means a lot to me.”

"Just call me Ty", he responded. And thanked me for the invite. So humble.

We shook hands and made our way into the restaurant. Small talk about the southern Texas heat, two-a-day practices in such humidity, and why he picked this specific restaurant ensued.

“You get used to the heat” he admitted. “Up until I arrived in Provo for camp, the first time, I didn’t know anything different!”

Sitting down at a table in a restaurant, with your hero sitting across from you, is by far one of the coolest experiences in the world! I was in awe, possible some shock, and just overwhelmed that this moment, for me, even materialized. I probably spent the first 5 or 10 minutes just telling him how much I looked up to him, the inspiration he was, and even how much my own mother appreciated his example to her son. The fun coincidence for us is that both our moms, are named Betty!

I showed him a few of the cards, and a letter he had sent me in response to letters I sent him back in the day. I even showed him a short note that my Uncle Brent had asked him to sign for me one day when he went into the city of Provo offices to pay his utility bills. He was flattered that I was so honored and grateful to have been the recipient of his time and efforts like that, and yet in his own way, he made me feel like he was the lucky one to have been part of my growing-up experience.

After ordering lunch, a conversation took place which went from one incredible story to another. We talked football, including the differences in the different organizations he played for. He spoke of playing with talented guys like Brett Favre and Michael Vick. He spoke humbly of backing up someone he really looked up to, in Steve Young in San Francisco, and how that was a great time in his career with many guys on that team of the same Faith.

He told me of how he threw Chad Lewis, a great BYU Tight End, his first NFL touchdown and how it was little moments like that, which really made his career amazing.

Ty’s memory of the detail is remarkable. I asked about, and he walked me through the play against Miami, in 1990, where two giant defensive ends were closing in on him. Not only did he escape their crash, but ended up throwing a touchdown pass to Brent Nyberg seconds later. He wasn’t aware there were two guys after him on that play, until he stepped out of the way and heard a loud crash! “That was a close one!” he recalled.

His humble acknowledgement of his success, is nearly as legendary as his actual success on the gridiron. He kept giving the credit to the QB’s before him for paving the way, Coach Edwards, and the support of his family, in particular his parents and little brother, Koy.

He spoke highly of what Coach Mendenhall was doing with the BYU football program now and how he was proud of the guys playing at the time. He even mentioned how he had texted John Beck, after his last second touchdown pass, to beat Utah in the 2006 rivalry game in Salt Lake. Who does that! I wondered, apparently Ty does.

_____________

We stopped for a picture near the door as we were leaving the restaurant. As we stood there for the picture, I remember turning to my right, looking up, and just saying “Thanks Ty”. I can only hope that the emotion and gratitude behind those two words, he felt as strongly as I meant them.

As we got out to the parking lot, I asked him to sign a few things and he was more than willing. The football I had brought however, was for a specific reason, not only to be signed, but I wanted to catch a ball thrown by the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback. I awkwardly made the request, and his big Texas smile told me all I needed. I tossed him the ball and took off about 10 yards out.

I’m not going to lie, as that spiral ball game heading my way, the fear occurred to me more than once, “DO NOT DROP IT!”

Catching the perfect spiral thrown by Ty, I secured it against my body, as if it was a precious game ball I would cherish forever. And I Have.

Nearly 10 years later, and 25 years from the time I first saw him throw a football, I still look at Ty Detmer as a hero of mine, not just of my childhood, but now as an adult as well.

I now have 2 little boys under the age of 10. My hope is that one day, both of them can find a hero like Ty to look up to. In our culture of ‘fame before values’ and ‘riches before integrity’, heroes, like Ty, are difficult to find, yet they are there. Every day, men and women, athletes or not, whose principal and integrity overshadow any talent or fame, stand as incredible role models to all of us, the kind of people each of us can be.

Perhaps one day, my boys, might have the opportunity to sit across a table from their hero, and express their appreciation for them as a positive role model in their life. An imperfect father’s wish, for his amazing sons.

And then, I want them to call me immediately, and tell me the story. And in their own words, with as much excitement as I had on that hot, humid, afternoon in Austin, tell me about how they too, caught a pass from Ty!

I Caught a Pass From Ty – Part 2

My 4th grade artistic rendition of the Heisman Trophy

There is a crazy-nervous energy that overcomes us when we are on the brink of a larger-than-life moment. Where courage is required to tackle the fear of rejection or failure. When our heart beats loud enough we feel nearly that we can hear each pound like the powerful drumline. Which causes nervous sweat to run down our brow, and often times, that little tingle in the tips of your fingers, cause your hands to uncontrollably shake. This is the story, of one of those moments.

Disclaimer…In order to fully appreciate and understand the significance of the following account, consider an entertainment, sports, or master of industry hero, to whom you would die to meet. A Michael Jordan, Celine Dion, or Ellen if you will. If you have ever had the crazy dream and ambition to meet your hero or icon, I can promise you that any effort you put forth into that end, will produce an experience so grand, and a nervousness so tense, that you’ll never forget it as long as you live. That’s what happened, when I made a phone call one afternoon on an impulse, to the office of Ty Detmer.

It was warm early summer afternoon in south-western Montana 2007. I was sitting in my office in a manufacturing plant in a small town just outside of Bozeman, checking reports, responding to emails, and other various ‘administrative’ tasks before making my afternoon round throughout the plant.

The sound of forklifts driving by, nailing machines hammering down, and Mexican dudes singing along to their well over-played music, became the soundtrack to my days there. Looking out my window were a couple small willow trees and a baseball field across the street. I missed playing baseball, or any sport for that matter. I loved the competitive nature of athletics, and passionately followed a few sports teams growing up. But none as zealously, as the BYU Football team.

For a couple months now, I had been planning a mini vacation down to San Antonio, Texas with an amazing friend I had met while working there a few years before. I was excited to go back to that city that had become, and still is, my favorite city to visit in the United States. She was excited to go home and visit her family and spend time with friends. It was a much needed break for both of us and a trip, which for me, would bridge the excitement of the boy I used to be, with the man I was becoming.

As I looked over at that baseball field, my mind was caught up in memories of watching games as a kid. And that’s when something hit me.

My childhood hero was none other than Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer, who quarterbacked at BYU for a few years. He was from the San Antonio area, and from conversations with friends about sports lately, I had learned that he had recently retired from the NFL. That afternoon as I was thinking about it, I wondered out loud: ‘is there a chance he moved back home and lives in Texas now?’ And if so, maybe I could go meet him!

Not realizing where this thought process was really taking me, I jumped on the internet and navigated through ESPN, to BYU’s homepage, to Google and finally landed on an investment firm’s webpage where I had learned in my search, that Ty was currently employed and acting as primary face.

At this point, not unlike many decisions I make, I was not thinking more than a half a move ahead. I saw that the firm was located in Austin, Texas, roughly an hour from San Antonio. I also noticed that there was a ‘contact us’ link with a phone number right on their webpage. And most importantly, I learned that I didn’t think about what I might say, before picking up the phone and dialing.

When I nice lady with a southern accent answered the phone, I still wasn’t giving it much thought.

“Hello there, is Ty in today?” I asked, like a buddy calling to simply catchup.

“Yes of course” she replied, “Can I ask who’s calling?”

Her accent made me smile, I spent time in the south as a missionary and then again on a sales team and absolutely fell in love with the southern people. Their hospitality, generosity, and even the way they talk made me feel welcome and home.

“This is Greg”, I responded. Once again seemingly calm and cool as if he would be expecting my call.

In retrospect, I’m not sure if it was just plain arrogance or not really being aware of what I was about to do, that made my confidence level seem so smooth up to that point. The nice lady told me she would place me on a brief hold and he would be on the line in a moment.

Okay, so you know that moment I was referring to earlier, where your hands shake, body freezes, jaw locks, and all recollection that you speak fluently the English language goes directly out the window? That all hit me in that brief moment while on hold. It couldn’t have been more than 30 seconds, however the last 10 years of my life has seemingly gone by faster than those 30 seconds did.

“This is Ty”, I heard in a familiar southern drawl.

Owing to the many interviews he had done during his playing years at BYU, I recognized his voice the moment I heard it.

There is a strong possibility that the term awkward silence, could never account for such a moment, and what again felt like hours, was probably only a few seconds of acknowledgment of what I had just done.

My heart raced, and the phone nearly slipped out of my sweaty palms as I introduced myself as a huge fan of his.

He graciously and humbly thanked me for the sentiment and asked if there was something he could do for me. I felt so ridiculous because I had clearly not thought this through. I didn’t know what to say, let alone request to meet. In retrospect, I probably couldn’t have ordered a milkshake at the local diner at that moment. I was a complete mess.

Somehow, I managed to utter the news that I’m certain he had been waiting all day to hear that I would be down in San Antonio in a few weeks and would love the opportunity, if possible, to take him to lunch.

Was I asking Ty Detmer on a ‘lunch date’? What on earth was I doing? And more importantly, now I faced the potential of being turned down, and how would I handle that coming from my childhood hero!

Funny thing about heroes. If you choose the right kind, they rarely if ever let you down. Something I have taken as inspiration to be that kind of person, as a dad to my 2 awesome boys.

He responded positively enough that we spoke about a potential day during that week of my visit and he suggested for me to follow up with him the week before to nail down a time and location. I’m sure my salutation in ending that conversation was just as awkward as it had begun, we said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone.

As the reality began to hit me of what I had just done, I couldn’t believe it! I rehearsed the conversation over and over in my head for a few moments, just to be certain that it had actually occurred.

I believe the reality didn’t really sink in until I did the one thing which always brings me back to reality, no matter what the circumstance, I called my mom.

To Be Continued…

I Caught a Pass From Ty – Part 1

Sports Illustrated - December 10, 1990 

It was Christmas morning 1990, about 4am. I snuck up the stairs of grandma’s house, one slow step at a time, being sure not to wake the adults. I knew if I were caught, I would be sent back to bed only to wait another few hours to see what Santa brought! This would not happen, it could not happen.

I was 10 years old, the Berlin wall had fallen, MC Hammer was making his entertainment entrance, and come to find out his grand finale. And most importantly, a junior quarterback at BYU had just won the prestigious Heisman Trophy, the first ever in school history. And to a 10 year old kid in southeast Idaho, and a raving BYU football fan, nothing was more exciting, or more inspiring.

As I reached the top of stairs, I turned left into the kitchen and made my way towards the dining room and into the living room. Every step, silently waiting to hear of movement anywhere else in the house. My queue to hurry back downstairs as fast as I could!

As the living room couch came into view, something caught my eye. While there were presents under the sparkling lit tree and a stocking full of snacks and goodies, even those mini cereal boxes Santa brought us every year, nothing else existed, save it be the shiny cover of Sports Illustrated, propped up against a red stocking, with a life size shot of Ty Detmer, back in the pocket ready to pass.

“Ty's Prize” was in big which bold letters across the top. I had adopted Ty as a hero that entire season. I had watched every game, I went crazy when they toppled Miami in September, and waited anxiously every Sunday for the new rankings to come out in the Sunday newspaper. (That’s what we had to do before ESPN.com existed!)

I remember throwing a football over and over, into a tire hanging by tree in the back yard. Mimicing every move Ty made that season, I dreamt of becoming a BYU quarterback great, like Jim McMahan, Steve Young, Robbie Bosco, and Ty.

I wrote him a couple letters and he even responded with a little card on BYU letterhead, “Dear Greg, Thanks for your support, Best W

ishes. Ty Detmer #14”. The day that came in the mail might have been one of the most valuable pieces of mail I’d ever receive, save it be a letter I received about 9 years later from church headquarters.

For the next several years, I followed his career into the NFL from the Packers, Eagles, to 49ers, Lions and Falcons. He was larger than life to me through my teenage years. It wasn’t until years later, as I sat across from him at a small table in a smaller BBQ joint in Austin, Texas, that the true measure of that man, and his value to those around him, hit me like a ton of bricks, and my childhood hero, became my lifelong hero.

To Be Continued...

A People Pleasers Guide to Serenity – Part 2: Saying Yes!

Serenity, as defined by Google, is ‘the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil’.

Springtime Dusk in South-Central Alberta, Canada

A beautiful yellow and red sunset passes almost daily in all parts of the world, yet is often missed and not appreciated. So the maker of worlds decided to cut us a break, and give us the chance to see it again the next day and witness its unmistakable beauty. And what then if we miss it a second time, well, here it comes again as a reminder than no matter the outcome of a day, no matter the poor choice or mistake we execute, beauty can be found each day and welcomes all who care to bask in its warm glow.

It takes decades to really fine tune this little thing we call life, and even longer, to get most of it right. I may indeed need a couple lifetimes to get even some of it right, but that’s thing, I’m ok with that.

I stumble from failure to victory and back again, not knowing sometimes why yesterday was so tough and why tomorrow looks so bleak. We all face choices each day, that lead us down winding roads towards our own temporary demise, satisfaction, and ultimate knowledge of what we want out of life. I use the word temporary deliberately, for each choice we make bares a consequence, and each choice, is followed up by something similar and often times haunting, another choice. Those moments after a decision conceives a consequence, or set of consequences, deals us the card of redemption, decisions to make things right, do things different, and win the day.

The choice then to be free, serene, and ‘good’ with life is just that, a choice. A state of being can ultimately be the result of your mental decision to be that way, in combination with the factors of your decisions. However those who struggle for the lack of self-serenity, can often times find that each sunset, truly represents an opportunity to start anew, looking forward to the sunrise of success that waits for them to just simply look forward and backwards, no more.

Peace is an inner feeling demonstrating itself by who you feel you are.

By giving of one self, which when delivered to those in need, want, and desperation, yields a remarkable miracle to those recipients of selfless acts of various service. There is no better example of selflessness than that of a mother. No different than my own mother, most spend countless hours, days, weeks, months, and years, missing sleep, meals, showers, and many other personal needs/pleasures, by putting their young, and often not so young children first. Losing themselves for the life, and happiness of their little ones, noble and giving by design, with blessings yielding from the effort and satisfaction in the glory of raising that child.

Countless men and women all over the world give graciously of their time and efforts to help others in big and small ways. I speak from personal experience the joy overwhelming which accompanies acts of service. It’s a pleasure indescribable to which no other satisfaction compares.

Yet at times those same men and women fall victim to predator of depression, self-doubt, even addiction and pain from giving so much of their time and attention to others. They lose themselves completely and quite often in the shadows of guilt for not being able to do more.

Is there a way to say no without feeling you are letting someone down? It sometimes takes years of consistent interpersonal reassurance, to convince one’s self that it’s okayto say no to others. Especially when you have made it a point to never do that when faced of someone who may need you.

I submit that instead of working towards saying no to those opportunities, we can easily and without guilt, work on say yes, not only to opportunities to serve, but also to ourselves.

Yes to the risks we want to take but may be too afraid. Yes to concerts, trips, dates, quiet moments alone, and passions yet discovered. Yes to the friend who we haven’t seen, that movie we’ve wanted to go to but haven’t because there was so much to do for others, and yes to dessert (maybe only every once in a while in my case).

And most importantly, yes to service from others. Yes there are many opportunities each day to say YES to those around who in their own quiet ways, want to serve us just the same as we look to serve them. Say yes. When offered lunch, or a drink, a ride or something small and insignificant, just say yes.

Say yes to you. After all, in all fairness you give and serve, and whether great or small, your efforts are seen and appreciated. And moreover, they give you the right and opportunity to say yes to things in life that give you joy, happiness, that fill up your emotional tank, and ultimate serenity.

Eyes of Remembrance - Part 2

They say time forgets pain, forgives heartache, and heals broken hearts...my question then is what determines the length of time necessary to overcome?

8 years ago I was given the challenge of opening the new Montana branch of Challenger Pallet & Supply. After nearly a 5 year tenure, my personal life was critically viewed and my options then changed.

My run in Restaurant management began in springtime of 2009 with Ryan at Pickett's Bambino.

As my time there progressed from learning how to actually make the food to clean, count drawers, and lock up, came the opportunities to lead. I wasn't really born to follow I've decided. Don't mistake my heart 8 had to learn to follow and follow obediently as leadership is earned through diligent followship.

As Ryan began to see a greater need within his organization, more responsibilities were thrown my way. By fall of that year I was the General Manager of Pickett's Bambino with responsibilities ranging from training and development of the the leadership of both Rigby and soon to he Idaho Falls restaurants, to public relations, marketing strategy, and brand standardization. I worked in the store helping serve guests and training the crew, I attended chamber of commerce meetings and city functions. I did a couple interviews for the media and helped find and hire the crew and management team which would open the Idaho Falls restaurant.

It was a great job honestly. I got to work with great people, train and coach managers into leaders, and work with the public in an already popular platform. The boss stayed out of the way and I was compensated well.

There was just one tiny problem...to this day I'm unsure entirely what the major issue was, but there was a point that Ryan realized there was not room enough for my influential leadership and his ego in the same organization. So he let me go. Disgracefully I might add.

I have kept in touch with various people from that organization and have kindled close friendships from those I trained and invested in. Their support and admiration have served me well in the last couple years. Friendships with Kaylene Hunt and Tommie Kearns will always be close to my heart as members of my leadership circle.

As that chapter closed, I knew I needed to open another fairly quickly. I wasn't meant not to be active.

I set a plan in place to win! I still have my goal sheet from April 2010 and it motivates me still. Focusing on leadership and personal development books, to a certain amount of possible job contacts and interviews kept me focused and moving forward in an otherwise frustrating and emotionally trying time.

Mom and dad also were great supporters. I was living at home at the time and their daily reassurance that everyone would be okay was well, priceless.

I came across a listing one day for a restaurant "Manager in Training" position here in Idaho Falls. I sent an email and got a response from a Bill Hawes with a time when we could meet. I remember the morning we met over at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. It was a very new concept for me. I'd never been to a Five Guys and knew very little about it.

What I had anticipated being a grilling questionnaire of my qualifications and experience soon turned into the outline of how he had come into the burger business and what his goals for the company were all about. We probably spoke for nearly 45 minutes, mostly about him! After asking a few questions, I was so fascinated by his story and what he was doing that I just kept asking more and looking for as much information download as possible. This was a remarkable guy I wanted to learn about!

At the end of a brief life history, without really getting into my work experience or anything, he just simply said 'we need to get you into the system'. He had a few ideas as to where but he wasn't certain which was going to be the best fit for now. He introduced me to Rick, the GM of the Idaho Falls restaurant and within a week I believe I was putting on a red shirt and suiting up to begin making great burgers and fries.

This was in mid-May of 2010, and at the present day of writing it is exactly mid-may 2012, it's interesting to see how those first few weeks at Five Guys went and how the next couple of years panned out. As with so many other areas in my life, I continue to be challenged and reminded that anything can happen, when you do the right things long enough and keep an opportunistic attitude. Little did I know that things were about to transpire that I would never have expected and possibly not have chosen had the opportunities not been thrusted upon me.

Eyes of Remembrance - Part 1

Spiritual lessons and mountains conquered are appreciated and measured by the work and distance traveled to achieve such victory. For most conquering heroes, the battle to victory is sometimes a long, tiresome, and painful one. The rewards of endurance are very sweet and worth every moment of struggle. Only in victory do we truly appreciate the battle. Therein lies my motivation—to begin to appreciate more the battles I'm in, and in most cases started, therefore finding victory’s glory altogether consuming and most exquisite.

In 2004 I made a career decision which I hoped would track my path for many, many years. Little did I know the various ways in which that choice would challenge me and create great opportunities for growth I had yet to experience.

One of my best friend's dad owns a manufacturing company which has operated successfully for over 35 years. They were interested in expanding their business when they approached me in the fall of 2004 about moving to Montana and opening the new facility. I was a struggling college student at the time. I was a good student but some financial burdens in relation to a divorce were forcing me to work more and study less.

I knew the family well, and trusted that the opportunity would present an invaluable opportunity for growth and experience, not to mention a much greater financial compensation than I was making as I worked and tried to stay in school. I was not disappointed in any account.

Over the next 4 years I was stretched, humbled, strengthened, supported, and guided into the management responsibilities which became mine. I learned mechanical skills I never thought I'd learn, interpersonal communication skills which proved valuable on many levels, and experienced the joy, sadness, success, and struggles of individuals who worked with and for me.

I gained many new friends, experienced personal triumphs, and made many monumental mistakes. All of which lend to the man I'm becoming to this day.

Many times I found myself right in the midst of very difficult and critical personal situations where my employees were in great need. From stepping into domestic abuse circumstances, very serious health emergencies, and even moments with law enforcement. I got to see and develop amazing relationships, and expend energy in ways I would never have imagined. Looking back now I'm very grateful for those difficult yet rewarding moments of truth.

Moments of teaching and leading others didn't come without the need to be taught and lead myself. My friend and I worked tireless hours, sometimes on machine repairs, employee concerns, and developing a system of business which could enhance the production and efficiency of the company. Together, I do believe, we grew and developed each other closer to greatness. Justin taught me many things concerning leadership, mechanics, problem solving, and personal relationships. His spiritual insights and experience as a father and husband have rendered an invaluable resource of knowledge and support, especially in recent years.

He, along with his father and uncle, provided countless opportunities to learn, grow, and achieve. I am deeply indebted to them for their patience and persistence in developing my capacity. I still lack many necessary qualities to succeed in all areas I wish to, but I'm much closer to my best self because of those great leaders who entrusted me with their business for a time.

Now, after a few difficult and stressful months towards the end of 2008, I'm back in the area of my youth. 2009 has landed me in Rexburg, Idaho. Not at all where I expected, not doing what I expected, and certainly not experiencing the things I expected at this stage in life either. I'm learning, unmistakably, that in many instances there are literally countless options for which the outcomes of my choices can lead to positive opportunities.

Once again I am working with a good friend whose optimism and trust has and will most certainly offer many opportunities for growth and increased capacity. Ryan Pickett has been a good friend since high school. We played soccer together in school and I was lucky enough to be his roommate our first year at Ricks College. He's a good guy with a big heart and very high ambitions. His goals and capacity for accomplishing those goals are encouraging me to reach higher myself and motivating us both to succeed.

He has entrusted me with the responsibility of being a large part of the expansion of his business. Once again I find myself in similar situations as a growing leader in a growing business. Many of the lessons and experiences of Montana have and will be called upon to better my capacity here now. I'm excited for the new challenge of running a restaurant, creating and developing systems and procedures which now have the need to be duplicated without the slightest degree of variation.

The opportunity and challenge is once again great, and my sights are set on big things and a prosperous and victorious future....TO BE CONTINUED