There are no true solo acts. If someone tells you they got where they are all by themselves, they're lying. Don't believe them, and don't buy what they're selling. None of us get where we're going alone. There are certainly times of solitude and loneliness on the entrepreneurial, creative, artistic, professional, and personal pathways, but we're not really all by ourselves. There is a crowd of people cheering you on, opening doors, and working behind the scenes. The quicker that you recognize this the more motivated you'll be to keep fighting to make all of your dreams come true.
This fantastic new blog design and set up came via the talented hands of Matt Cheuvront, who knows more about online marketing than I ever will. He - and the rest of the crew at Proof - make helping companies and nonprofits brand themselves fun and worthwhile.
I started Cool People Care with Stephen Moseley. New Day Revolution happened because Adam made an introduction and Jim took a chance on me as an author. My speaking gigs don't fall out of the sky. There has always been someone who suggested my name.
At Cool People Care, Joan makes sure the shirts and posters and books get where they need to go. Nancy makes sure our nonprofit partners use our platform well to tell their story and champion their cause.
And, 50 Things Your Life Doesn't Need, which will be on store shelves in less than a week, happened because of the hard work of lots of people. I typed the words, but taking those words from my computer and putting them into a form that you can hold in your hand required the talented work of many others. In fact, here's an excerpt of my acknowledgments page:
No book is ever written alone. Even though the author’s name graces the cover and the accolades for the book are his or hers, he or she could not have written it without the generous help of others. This book is proof that no writer goes about his or her craft in a vacuum.
Thanks to my parents, I have been able to pursue my passion of telling stories that need telling in order to motivate others to change the things that need changing. Their love and support of my craft began before I said my first sentence (“Tie shoes.”) and will undoubtedly continue until I stop talking.
Thanks to my wife and daughter, I have felt more love and support than one man deserves. That feeling has been a rock in my personal storms of uncertainly while writing this book. I do nothing in my life without the two of them in mind, whether it’s changing jobs, writing a book, or indulging a new passion. Being a husband and father are my foremost identities and being great at both of them is my life’s highest ambition.
Thanks to Ben Grier, this book has a title, became properly organized, and was developed with a clear purpose in mind. He read it more than he should have, not because he felt obligated, but because he is an enduring friend.
Thanks to Angie Gore, my ideas became a book. Her support throughout the project has allowed me to focus on developing the core ideas, which will hopefully inspire people to begin to live life with passion, unencumbered by everything they don’t need.
Thanks to the team at Turner Publishing, this resource will be a reality. From editing to marketing to production, the team is a professional organization that aims to produce books that enable people to live better lives.
Thanks to countless others for their love and support throughout this process, I was able to get where I am today. From founding a company intent on saving the world, to producing apparel and merchandise that makes a difference for communities across the US, I have been honored to be teammates with some of the most passionate people on the planet. You are my inspiration, and proof that anyone can find their passion and live a life full of it.
Tomorrow, say thanks to the people who get you where you're going. You're not doing it alone. This is a refreshing reminder. But with it, comes the responsibility of gratitude.