Last week I had the opportunity to hear Stedman Graham speak. If you are asking yourself, “Who is Stedman Graham?” click here. OK, for the 22 million of you who know who he is, let’s move on.

So, Stedman, he was talking to students at Full Sail University, the school where I work. He gave a speech based on his book, “You Can Make It Happen: A Nine-Step Plan for Succes.” The lecture is interactive and engages the students for two hours. There’s a lot that he discusses that will help these students get a jump in their careers, but I think where he really helps is by planning your life.

I’ve had time to let the talk sink in, and here’s what I recall most vividly:

• Everyone has the same 24 hours in the day. What did you do with yours?
• You are important and can do anything.
• Too many people just do the same thing day in and day out. One day after the next. It all blends together after awhile. Don’t let life slip by you.
• Don’t let people box you in — this is where he mentions Oprah. People try to box him in by his relationship and not by who he is.
• You either live by love or live by fear.

How do you live?

Related:

• Stedman Graham Joins Full Sail University.
• Interview with Graham on MyFox Orlando.com.
• The Orlando Sentinel’s Hal Boedeker’s take on the class

Photo courtesy stock.xchng by artist benkersey.

Between sips of coffee and putting my make-up on, I caught a segment on TV this morning with Linda Evans talking about her “Dynasty” days and what she’s done since those times in Hollywood. She’s made mistakes (plastic surgery), and moved out of Hollywood. Sounds like she’s moved on from her days as a famous TV star. She lives in Washington state in a sprawling setting and is content being by herself in life. She speaks briefly about her long-term relationship with musician Yanni and how she’s come to be OK without him.

What I enjoyed about the interview isn’t all that she spoke about the TV show she was on — I never watched it — but what she has come to believe in life. She loves people and loves cooking. You could hear the passion in her voice. “Forget acting,” she says about her own life.

She leaves us with some empowering words:

Dream big.

There is nothing you can’t have.

There is nothing you can’t do.”

– Linda Evans

“Good Morning America”

September 14, 2009

Watch the entire clip on ABCnews.com.

After watching Ted Kennedy, Jr. give his father’s eulogy, I’m reminded how important it is to teach our children everything we can.

Ted, Jr. emotionally spoke of when he lost his leg at the age of 12 and his father, Ted Kennedy, was there to inspire him to get up a hill he was having a hard time climbing. His father said the words that I long for every parent to tell his/her child,

“I know you can do it. There’s nothing you can’t do.”

These are words that every single child in the world needs to hear. They are powerful and insightful words, and mean the world to children. As parents, it’s our job to teach our kids so many things … how to tie their shoes, how to treat others, how to do well in school, how to be provide for themselves. All important things. But it’s the intangible lessons … the gifts of inspiration that I find so important.

Ted, Jr. goes on to talk about how his father also said, “You can do anything.” Other lessons … work hard … be prepared … persevere.

Great lessons for any kid.

Watch the full eulogy here:

Read the text version here.

Lately it seems every street corner has someone holding a sign. You know what I’m talking about. People are paid to hold signs for stores that want more notice.

• There’s the guy dressed in a gold lame suit, with a sparkly gold hat and gold shoes, holding a sign that says (guess what?) “gold.” He’s waving that sign and pushing the gold.
• There’s the guy in the bright yellow banana suit promoting the local smoothie shop. Jumping, dancing and moving to his music.
• The pet store has someone wearing a brow, furry dog costume, promoting “Nut N But Puppies.” The dog dances around and waves. I usually honk the horn in support.
• The apartment complex sign holder is spinning that sign like Tom Cruise tossed liquour bottles around in the movie, “Cocktail.”
• Then, there’s the sub guy. The one who you can tell doesn’t want to be there. Sure, it’s hot as Hell out there, but he’s got his ear buds in and he’s just standing on the roadside holding that pathetic sign. Really makes me want to go run in a get a sub from the place where the owner makes his employees begrudgingly hold signs.

If you have a job make the most of it.

I was watching “Parking Wars” the other night. It shows how people get parking tickets in big cities and what happens when they have to go pay for the ticket. Pretty interesting voyeurism here. In an episode the other night, there was this woman, the meter reader, who was giving people tickets left and right — it was her job. Every time she saw a violation she had to plant a ticket on the windshield of that car. Man, did she make some people mad. They yell at her, point fingers and say it’s “blood on her hands.”

She explained that it’s her job. And, what a bad job it is, she continues. It provides insurance and food for my kids. Yeah, really bad job, she says.

She’s right.

We all need to make the most of our jobs. You may not be happy with your job today or even this month, but what is it providing for you? If you really don’t like it, get a new job. If you say, just consider this:

Do you want to be seen as the guy in the banana suit or the one holding the sub sign?

I just finished reading, “How Starbucks Saved My Life,” and find it to be a compelling account of transition in American society today. Michael Gates Gill tells the story of how he was abruptly fired from his corporate, six-figure job in Manhattan. In his fifties, he has to start over, not knowing what it’s like to not have money. He writes about how he comes to terms with the firing and turns his life around with the help of a young manager from Starbucks.

It definitely needs to be a must-read for any job seeker, or person who would like to find a new job, as it paints the picture that there might be something better out there for you.

For me, the book personifies how so many large corporations treat employees. We often are not treated as Mothers, Fathers or people with families. We are expected to leave that life behind when we are in the office. To always be “working.” It’s hard to find a company that really cares about you as a person and that can bend to meet your needs when family situations arise. Compassionate workplaces do exist, you just have to find them.

I’ve worked for large and small corporations and have seen my share of problems. One of my first jobs didn’t offer maternity benefits, which meant that if I had a baby (and took leave) my job was not guaranteed. Furthermore, our health insurance plan didn’t cover babies, so I would have had to shell out the money (100%) for every doctor visit and hospital stay. We fell into the “under 50 employee category” so they weren’t required to offer the benefit. Needless to say, I didn’t have a child while working there and left when I found a better opportunity.

“How Starbucks Saved My Life” is an example of how one takes a lay off and turns it into something positive.  With so many people still being laid off from their jobs — many who believe their job was their life — this book is a must read. Don’t think that if you loose your job, it’s the end for you. You never know, something could turn around for you and you may enjoy it even more than you did the job you went to every day.

Here’s the book description from Amazon:

In his fifties, Michael Gates Gill had it all: a mansion in the suburbs, a wife and loving children, a six-figure salary, and an Ivy League education. But in a few short years, he lost his job, got divorced, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. With no money or health insurance, he was forced to get a job at Starbucks. Having gone from power lunches to scrubbing toilets, from being served to serving, Michael was a true fish out of water.

But fate brings an unexpected teacher into his life who opens his eyes to what living well really looks like. The two seem to have nothing in common: She is a young African American, the daughter of a drug addict; he is used to being the boss but reports to her now. For the first time in his life he experiences being a member of a minority trying hard to survive in a challenging new job. He learns the value of hard work and humility, as well as what it truly means to respect another person.

Behind the scenes at one of America’s most intriguing businesses, an inspiring friendship is born, a family begins to heal, and, thanks to his unlikely mentor, Michael Gill at last experiences a sense of self-worth and happiness he has never known before.