“People have no idea how good they have it,” my cab driver said. I had asked him one question and somehow that turned into a sermon. I make it a point when I travel to engage my cab driver, shuttle bus driver or whoever I first encounter when I arrive at my destination. Inevitably, I get a quote, a useful tidbit, or insight into what is happening in the local area. Rarely do I get a speech, but I feel like I did today.

My driver’s name was Thierno Hamet Babb Ba and he was from the Islamic Republic of  Mauritania, a small country in West Africa.  He shared stories with me of hatred, prejudice and even slavery. What Thierno and his family and friends have experienced sure makes any troubles most of us complain about seem insignificant. If you have ever complained about not having enough money, driving a clunker, or not being able to afford having a bigger house, imagine living on $1.25 as 20% of Mauritania’s population does. To put that in perspective:

- A visit to  Starbucks would cost you about four day’s wages

- Admission to a movie would cost you eight day’s wages

- A $50 dinner out would cost you forty day’s wages

- A new I-pad would cost you 400 day’s wages

Most Americans and others living in democratic countries are so RICH by the world’s standards. Yet many of us complain about not having enough.  Thierno’s passion for his freedom was emphatic. It’s a privilege that is often overlooked. Freedom allows us both the opportunity to become rich monetarily, as well as in the way we live our lives.  Freedom allowed him to share openly with me about the RICH life he lives in the U.S. and to give me some advice to pass on to others.  I asked him what advice he would give others coming to the U.S. from other countries.

1. Anyone can make it.

2. Whatever you want to be, you can be or do.

3. Take every opportunity you get and make the most of it.

4. Work hard.

5. Don’t blame other people.

There are probably thousands of stories similar that cab drivers, lawn maintenance workers, hotel staff and others could share.  I would encourage you to engage someone in conversation at your next opportunity. You might just get an inspirational speech on living a RICH life.

A few days ago, I posed this quote on Twitter and Facebook:

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain!”

Shortly after, I received a note from a post college roommate of mine who is now a doctor. He is serving for one year in Iraq with the national guard.  His comments made me appreciate three things:

1) My shower and access to clean water

2) People like him who are serving in our armed forces

3) How technology can re-connect people.  Here’s his note to me:

Last night we had a rare thunderstorm in Iraq.  It was raining hard and I had just finished working out on a cross trainer in the STP building.  I was drenched in sweat and needed a shower.  But because our showers are a 1/4 mile away I knew that i would have to walk back through the mud and the pouring rain after the shower and get wet and maybe even more dirty.  So my roommate, Bert, said: ‘Well, you could just take a shower in the rain’.  So I kept my gym shorts on and stood on the ramp outside of our back door with a bottle of shampoo and showered in the rain.

While it was a cold shower to be sure, it got the job done and I didn’t have to walk back through the mud covered camp.   I could have commented ‘or shower in the rain’ to your post, but then I didn’t want you to think that I was making a glib statement about your post.   Anyway, I thought I would share my funny story with you.  But whether dancing or showering, one way or another I did something creative instead of ‘waiting for the storm to pass’.   And yeah, sometimes we have to be a little crazy over here to keep our sanity.

I’d be interested to hear any RICH stories any one has experienced as a result of reconnecting with a friend due to Facebook, Twitter, etc. Please thank a soldier today…

Live RICH!

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies. He is founder of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go towww.TimRichardson.com

Nestled in the mountains of Northern, New Hampshire  in Dixville Notch is a nostalgic, scenic and wonderful resort called Balsam Grand Hotel. Being here has been like stepping back in time. The resort ’s history dates back to before the Civil War and was started because travelers between Quebec and Portland, ME were intrigued by the beauty of a farm that overlooked the notch through the mountains. The staff I encountered exuded customer service and a passion for their historic hotel. The food was exquisite both in taste and presentation.  The surroundings were as beautiful as any I have encountered in my extensive travel to all but one of the fifty states. One of the many things I really liked about this resort is that the rooms have no TV’s. One ten year veteran employee told me that he had observed many families connecting and relating in ways they might not do at home because there wasn’t the distraction of the tube. Not every guest shared my excitement over TV-less rooms but the same employee told me that for everyone who complains about no TV’s, two or three say they hope the resort never gets them.

In my three days at the resort I, too, had wonderful conversations and made connections with people that extended beyond my keynote presentation to the New England Telecommunications Association.

- I spoke at length with a few resort employees about their culture and the  ”Balsam way”.  I learned about the history of the Balsams and how the first votes are cast in presidential primaries. I visited the room at the resort called the Ballot Room which displays many photographs of candidates dating back nearly fifty years.

- On two different nights at dinner, I had stimulating conversations with a  politician from Maine and a CEO of a telecommunications company. Over dinner, the CEO told me he was both inspired and frustrated because of my speech. He was inspired because he wanted to do more to make a difference both personally and professionally, but he was frustrated because he came to hear me speak in order to  find answers. We brainstormed some ideas over dinner and agreed to have a follow-up conversation again in a few weeks.  He also helped me re-think some aspects of my speech to make it more effective to a “nuts and bolts operations guy”. Though we were different in many ways, our interests in helping others connected us. 

- After my speech on Monday, I had an incredible mountain bike ride through the woods of the resort. When I returned to the bike shop, I had a great conversation with the shop employee. I asked him how long he worked at the resort. He replied, “To call what I do work would be an insult to those that really work. I’ve played here for about six years.”  He told me that he lived with his wife and young son about 2 miles away and rode his bike to work until it snowed then he cross country skied. “I may not be rich, but I wake up every day with a smile on my face.“ 

As I was writing this blog post, the sales and marketing director walked by the table where I was working. Like the other employees I encountered, he was passionate about this place and the traditions that have existed for many years. I had overheard him tell someone that the resort was about as likely to change as the English Common Book of Prayer.  For those who visit this historic resort steeped in tradition, that may very well be a good thing.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies. He is founder of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go towww.TimRichardson.com

Today I joined the Mile High Club (no, not THAT Mile High Club!). I am no longer a virgin internet user at 35,000 feet as I am writing this on my way home from Denver on the plane. 

On my flight to and from Denver, I experienced significant travel delays. On the flight home, all passengers boarded and then deplaned due to weather in Atlanta. I watched people behave badly acting like children as the news unfolded. Some people sighed, many complained, some phoned friends and family with all sorts of comments like “Can you believe this?” or “It always happens to me!”. Of course there were the few who chose to take it out on the airlines (as if they could change the weather). As I stood in line to rebook my flight, I had a conversation with another passenger  - a man who, like me, wasn’t going to make it all the way home tonight to see his wife and children. I found out he had been gone for three weeks. He was an attorney who was coming back from a retreat where he had learned how to be a better court room lawyer. He told me that attorneys are known to be confrontational in the courtroom and sometimes even antagonistic. The  judge and jury don’t like this he explained to me. I asked him what the biggest take away he gained from his several thousand dollar retreat. He told me that his biggest lesson was the importance of being real. He said that attorneys who used their normal style and personality were much more effective in the courtroom. As I thought about it, I almost couldn’t believe it - 3 weeks and thousands of dollars to learn a lesson about being real. Hmm… perhaps there’s a life lesson for you and me too. Trying to be someone or act like someone you aren’t isn’t natural. In fact it’s stressful and stands in the way of living a rich life. Be who you are. Be real. Live rich.  

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

I love making cool connections with people. Whether it’s the old fashion way of engaging someone in a live conversation or using social media, it’s fun to see the results of the connecting. Two examples:

1) About a year ago, I was sitting on a plane headed off for a speaking engagement. I happened to hear a guy sitting right across from me talking about FSU (where I went to grad school). After he ended his conversation, I asked him if he attended FSU which lead us to a great conversation on the flight. During our brief time together, Dr. Fritz Polite and I exchanged cards and agreed we needed to connect again. Last week, Doc “P” as he became to me, invited me to give my signature keynote speech “Living Rich: Giving, Working, and Leading for a Better Tomorrow” at the University of Tennessee where he is a professor. When I put a note on Twitter that I was speaking in a Sports Management class, Dr. Chrystal D. Porter, at Endicott College tracked me down. I later found out she also went to FSU (with Doc “P” as I now call him).  Somehow I think I’ll remain connected with two new friends for awhile.

2) Several months ago, I responded to a LinkedIn request from a lady named Lisa Cummings. Lisa is the founder of the International Assocation of MBA’s. She was looking for interviewees for her blog so I sent her an email. When she read my blog and Richest People in America website, she became interested in my views on becoming RICH. She then requested an interview which was recently posted on how MBA’s can become RICH. From that interview, I have met some interesting MBA’s who are using their skills to make the world a better place. I also have come to learn about MBA’s Without Borders that helps entrepreneurs in developing countries find MBA’s to help them with their businesses. I also found out about the Goodness500 which tracks the good deeds of big companies. Both of these “discoveries” came as a result of connecting with Lisa.  Incidentally, I introduced Lisa to Doc “P” so it’s come full circle.  So in addition to keeping your ears open on a plane, I recommend you Twitter to get LinkedIn. Who knows where it will lead you.

Twitter with Tim or get LinkedIn

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

Most every year in this decade, I begin each year with a theme. I like to use that theme to guide the entire year rather than make a list of impossible resolutions that sometimes actually backfire (too many resolutions, too unrealistic, and TOO varied). After much contemplation, I have decided that my theme for my 2009 is LEARN. I have been causally twirling it around in my head since the last few weeks and more intently this weekend. Using the word LEARN as an acrostic, I’d like to invite you to resolve to learn along with me this year: 1) Love - Be more loving with family, friends and in your faith life. Exploring the depths of each of these relationships areas more fully will be the highest form of learning. Love life, love living, love fully. 2) Experience - This year, create new experiences that stretch your thinking, expand your horizons and cause you to look at the world with new lens. Attend more lectures, listen to pod casts that are intellectually stimulating, and do things that create lasting memories and impressions. 3) Alter - Doing things differently will help shape a new perspective. Read magazine and journal articles that you have never read. Follow a popular blog for a few weeks that has diametrical views to your own. Read a book or listen to music or go a performance that is completely outside your interest. 4) Renew - Commit to a hobby, interest, or activity that you once found enjoyable and learn something new about it. Take piano lessons, write poetry, learn to snowboard, visit a long lost friend. Start writing letters to elderly relatives. Ask them questions about life, happiness, faith, family, the future, their past, their heros… 5) Navigate - Commit to using one new technology productively this year that will help you in your business or personal life. Start a blog. Upload videos to Youtube. Take a computer class. I invite you to make 2009 a year to really learn. If you commit to learn more in 2009, as I hope to, do it with vigor. John Wesley, the founder of the United Methodist Church was a noted speaker in his day. He would amass large audiences of people because of the enthusiasm in his preaching. He once said, “I go out and set my self on fire and people come out to watch me burn.” Burn, baby, burn… and it will be a year worth watching. Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who 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

This fall, I was interviewed on the TV talk show Living the Life.  I was just informed that the show in which I was a guest will be broadcast again on Monday December 14th.  Look for it on ABC Family.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who 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

I don’t think I have ever heard of Johnstown, PA, the Tribune Democrat or Andy Lasky until today. I recieved a Google alert which led me to an article he wrote in the Democrat today. If  you have a love/hate relationship with TV (as I do), question the quality of what is on TV, or are constantly switching channels when children are in the room, it might be worth reading Andy’s article.  You might have a different viewpoint than Andy but you might also enjoy his description of his introduction to Ted Turner (he told Ted that TV ruined his marriage). With good judgement and limitations, I think TV can enhance life, without those things, I think it’s a barrier to Living Rich.

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

A few weeks ago, I was intereviewed on the nationally televised talk show Living the Life. The show aired today so I have provided a link for anyone who would like to watch: Keynote speaker Tim Richardson’s interview (the segment I am on starts at time code 9:20 or you can watch the segment on how to get organized first). One of the things I talked about was what it means to be RICH (since Forbes magazine came out with their 27th annual list of the 400 Richest People in America this week). I commented on that as well as my list of the REAL Richest People in America. 

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

After years of thinking about it, I finally converted - to a Mac. Understand, I have been a LONG time IBM man (I worked for them out of college during the early years of the PC). I even owned an IBM PC Jr (which make an excellent conversation if you want to talk with yourself). When I got my MacBook, my son was entranced. He was as interested in the Ipod Touch Screen as much as anything and HE can’t stop talking about it. As I thought of his attraction to the Ipod, it reminded me of a conversation I had last week with a college professor who is considering changes careers. He told me that he really misses the interaction with students. “Why is there no interaction”, I asked.  He told me there were two reasons: 1) because most classes “meet” online and 2) When the students are in class they are sending text messages to their friends. He told me it’s a different world. He went on to say that tomorrow’s business leaders would be extremely lacking. Interestinly, the next day, I read an article in USA Today titled Plugin in, Tuning Out by journalism professor Don Campbell. It’s worth a read and worth rethinking how much exposure we give our kids to technology.

I’d much rather deny my kids the Ipod Touch now then to lose touch today.

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