Make It Happen.

 

 The past 60 years of my life has been a magnificent journey. I have traveled all over the world, met fascinating people and have been involved in a business that has not only expanded my mind but the mind of millions of others. Let me tell you how it all happened.

In the mid 1960’s, I was running a sales meeting, playing Earl Nightingale’s Strangest Secret recording. I had been doing this every morning for a month. At the end of it, I commented, “I’d really like to meet him.” One of the salespeople who was there said, “No you wouldn’t; because if you really wanted to meet him, you’d go and meet him.” Instantly I knew he was right. I made a snap decision right then and there that no matter how difficult it might be…I was going to meet Earl Nightingale.

To make a long story short, within a couple of weeks I was at 333 North Michigan Street in Chicago, Illinois sitting in Earl Nightingale’s office. That meeting impacted my life to such a degree that I would have difficulty detailing all the things that happened as a result.

At first, I felt intimidated sitting in his presence but very quickly Earl made me feel comfortable. The two of us had one of the most meaningful conversations I had ever had. When I was about to leave the meeting. I said “Earl, what’s the big deal…what’s the secret to life?” He smiled and said, “There is no secret Bob, it’s a simple matter of sitting down and deciding what you want to do with your life and then do it. The problem with most people is they never decide what they do want to do, and if and when they do…they think of why they are not able to do it.”

I felt at that moment a bolt of enthusiasm run through my entire being because I knew exactly what I would love to do. I wanted to do what Earl was doing and I wanted to do it with him. I knew as I walked away from his office that I would be going back there.