Just a few years ago, I sat in an auditorium at the Orlando World Marriott Center and witnessed one of the most profound speeches the world has ever heard.  The orator was a gentleman named Stephon Ferguson. He is a Martin Luther King Jr. impersonator, and in this bright auditorium, Stephon stepped up to the podium as if he was on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Instantly he captivated the room, and in that next six minutes, it was if we were transported to 1963. I was moved to tears.

The words of a great leader can inspire us to a renewed vision. When you think about it, MLK’s speech is the perfect example. Take a moment to reflect on what he eloquently shared. The words are eternal.

“Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that...

I will never forget the day.  My freshmen year of college, one of my required classes was English Literature.  Honestly, I was less than thrilled.  English Lit was not on my bucket list.

It was a cold afternoon in Ohio and I hustled from my dorm to beat the train going through the campus.  I arrived early enough to find a good seat at the "back" of the room.  (Yes, that's right, in those days I was a back seater student. The last thing I wanted was to get stuck in the front :-) 

The professor walked in a few minutes late, cooly strolling in wearing a tweed jacket  looking a lot like Jack Black would today. 

In a passionate voice he introduced himself glancing at his new students in the room.  "Welcome everyone! I am your Professor, Dr. Davis. But rather than thinking of me as yet another teacher, think of me as a GUIDE on your journey." 

I looked around the room to see...

Alright!  I could hardly wait to share this one.  We are on to our next amazing book on our segment of "Books to Lead" on the Breaking Average Podcast. This past week Rick and I dive into a book that is fresh and relevant, and were' sure that you'll want to grab. It's the The Driven Vision Leader by Michael Hyatt. 

We share our favorite insights, and how it can be used to strategize, visualize, and help you and your team. The subtitle for the book says everything in what it offers, "10 Questions to Focus Your Efforts, Energize Your Team, and Scale Your Business." Once again, we know you're going to love this podcast and going to love Michael's book.  

Please let us know how much you enjoy this book our podcast by sharing a comment below. 

If you want even MORE on this book, check out my blog review a few months back that unpacks more bits.  This is info...

I am super excited to re-share a guest blog from my best friend in the world -- my wife Barbara, who published her first book this past year.  I know you'll enjoy this piece as much as I did.  It's especially appropriate for this time of year as you set plans for 2021.

A few years ago I traded my mile-long list of resolutions for one word. And from that one word, I created goals aligned with it. The key was that "word" had to inspire me and make me come alive by just thinking about it.

I went from feeling guilty for not keeping my resolutions to following through my goals while encouraging myself, even when I occasionally got off track.

I found by sharing and putting it 'out there', it created intention and almost instant movement. I lived into the feeling of it. I put it on my vision board, phone, mirror and in my car. I also found a local artist/potter that put my word on a coffee cup. (see pic below =)

Personalized mugs made by Amy Kovats...