On Father’s Day I was taking my children to play at a water park. In route, I was listening to the radio when a Michael Jackson song played. I listened briefly as I remembered an event from high school where the song was played. The event (and even the song) brought back happy memories. Though not really a Michael Jackson fan, I must admit the man could crank out the tunes and could shame any winner of Dancing with the Stars. He no doubt created many memories for those who loved his music and attempted to mimic his dance moves. 

When I heard the news of his death today, I was saddened - saddened for what his life had become and how it could have turned out differently. His greatest contributions were helping to pave the way for the celebrity philanthropic movement with his “We Are the World” and “Heal the World” hits. “We Are the World” reportedly raised over $60 million for children in Africa. Reading about his death, was a sad reminder of what could have been. I wonder what more Michael Jackson could have done had he focused more on using his talents to make a difference. What a bigger and greater legacy he could have created had he lived another 50 more years. Fifty is too young to die for the King of Pop, or for that matter, for a pauper who was helped by his incredible talent. He will be greatly missed.

Inspirational speaker Tim Richardson speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, healthcare, and financial services. He is founder of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

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I’m not a golf fan but I am a sports fan and I am a BIG fan of people who fight against all the odds and succeed. DJ Greggory is one of those people and an inspiration to both able bodied and physically challenged athletes. He’s one of my new hero’s too. Born with Cerebral Palsy, his parents were told he would never walk. Yet walk he did - 900 miles in one year and he did it because he was passionate about golf. I think passion and determination are two of the most enduring qualities for success in life. DJ has both in big doses. Watch this clip entitled Walk On maybe it will inspire you to do something that you might have never imagined. Walk on…

Inspirational speaker Tim Richardson speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, healthcare, and financial services. He is founder of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

Twitter with Tim or get LinkedIn

Having just celebrated a birthday, I have been thinking about milestones. Though it wasn’t a milestone birthday, for some reason this birthday got me thinking - thinking about getting older, thinking about the past, and just generally contemplating the stage of life I am in.  It seems the mirror isn’t as kind as it used to be. I see things in the mirror that I didn’t see in recent years. Until recently, I thought of myself as “young and hip” (though I am quite sure that the true young and hip wouldn’t think of me as either young or hip!).  In the weeks leading up to my birthday, I began to wonder about milestones and thinking a little about the aging process than I usually do.

To celebrate my birthday (and to prove my youth and hip-ness), I went camping and mountain biking with my son. After a few rainy days, I was excited to get on the trails when the sun broke through late Friday afternoon. In my haste to get biking, we took off on the longest trail possible. For some reason, I had thought the ride we were taking was the shortest and I had told my son that.  At every half mile, there was a mile marker indicating the distance we had ridden. After a few rigorous uphill sections, he began asking me to let him know when we got to a mile marker. The further we rode, the more frequently he asked about the mile markers. Finally, I told him that he would enjoy the ride so much more if he worried less about the mile markers. I think that is true about life too.  I think I’ll stop thinking about milestones and start enjoying the journey more.