*Note: This piece was written in the spring of 2016

As I type this, I’m 30K feet in the air!

About 45 min’s in, to what will be a 27 hour flight (for real’s!)…

Preparing to speak at my first International Youth Conference in…

(wait for it)…

Malaysia…. (for real’s again!)

Life is funny.

Not good. Not bad. Just funny.

For those who are unaware of my story…

A while back I left my full-time job in order to build my personal brand, and start my speaking career.

3 kids.
Mortgage.
Skeptical (yet very supportive) wife.

2 weeks ago we** recorded our biggest “win” to date when we received the news that I was chosen to Keynote the International ReachOut Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Flight… covered.
Transportation…covered
Meals…covered.
Stipend…generous 🙂

What’s funny is that less than 6 months ago…I sat looking at a blank computer screen.

Tears streaming down my face…
Ready to give up…
Feeling very very defeated…

Questioning…EVERYTHING.

Have you ever been at that point?

That point where… that “really good idea” that you “swear is going to work” starts to feel like a tremendous mistake?

6 months ago, that’s exactly where I was at…

And then things started to change…

  • I received an e-mail from a small school who wanted to book me for our A Year of Character (AYOC) program
  • An Elementary School had me come out to lead our Happy Caveman workshop at their monthly staff meeting.
  • I presented at Character Conference and had a woman stand up in front of the entire group (60+ people) and say

“I’ve been attending these for over 25 years.
This was the single, most impactful breakout
I’ve witnessed.  I suggest that  EVERYONE
in here fill out an evaluation so that we
can bring this guy back next year as our keynote
speaker”

And now this…our first International Speaking Gig!

  • 1000 + college students
  • Press conferences
  • A meeting with the Prime Minister

Insane!

What will come next?
I don’t know.

Will there be ups and downs and wins and losses?
No doubt.

Will Scotty and I end up tearing each other’s hair out in a full out brawl because he’s pissed off at me that I lost the battery for the camera…again!
It’s very possible.

However, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that we will continue to press on; to push forward; to fight the good fight.

Because at the end of the day….

  • Creating a spark in the soul of a student
  • Reenergizing Educators to do the amazing work they were called to do
  • Challenging people to give a voice to the greatness that lives inside of them

is, at the end of the day, just that…good.

I raise my styrofoam coffee, and Hobbit sized bag of over salted pretzels in the air to all of you!

See ya’ on the flip side!
Joe