I break the silence…. I’m back! My apologies for being tardy in posting here.  It’s been an absolutely roller coaster in life; but a ton of fun nonetheless.

Awhile back Act of Valor took to the screens and like all things JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command) I take it in.  I’m a really big supporter of our Special Operations forces.  The movie was somewhat Hollywood but it hit on a few things that had an impact on me.

A poem written by Native American Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, it goes:

 

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.

 

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.

 

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.

 

Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools
and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”

Let’s just say, can I get an amen? What a touching piece…

Finally, Keith Urban topped it off with a song written for the movie:

Hollywood is obsessed with the glamour of the special operator, you know, the one who carries a full battle-rattle vest of special tools, weapons, armor, and gadgets – the man who jumps off moving trains, blows up vehicles, and saves the day…that guy. If Hollywood can be obsessed with him, which doesn’t really exist, I think I can be obsessed with the real guys. Hidden in the back corner of Barnes & Noble is a shelf with a few books written about them, a few of the books written by the men who actually were there. In the Army, they refer to themselves as the quiet professionals. I can’t tell you how much I respect this model of thinking. You go through years of the worlds most intense training – learn skills that few people can even think of doing, and go save the world on missions that nobody will even admit took place unless they are a failure. Why? Why would someone give so much and risk it all for little to no credit – no recognition and no fame? This trait, and this trait alone I find to be so incredible.

There are quiet professions all around us. I’m not just talking about the commando (although they are a perfect example to make my point). I am talking about the small business leader – the infantry soldier, the school teacher, the mentor, the doctor, the one who chooses to take on more in life and does it for little or no recognition. They see that their life exists to help others, leave a legacy, and make their journey mean something.

I wake up everyday and beat myself up about getting better – being better. My business partner and I have spent days, weeks, even months training trying to fix our broken selves, to improve who we are, and learn to do it better. You would think that the road less traveled that is significantly more challenging would be the undesirable choice. But so many of my role models chose that road – they are on it willingly and as far as I know, very few people even know they have chosen it. I can’t tell you what about them chooses this, but I can tell you I respect them.

I just hope to be like them – to mean more to life than what we are given, to leave more than when we started. It’s a movement I hope to see more in our culture. It’s just so cool to see people give so much and work so hard for so little. My brother Darrin will be going to Ranger school in about a month and I can’t tell you how much I respect him – his lessons don’t come easy, there were a million other paths he could have chosen but he didn’t.

So, here’s to the quiet professional.

Wow, what a holiday season!   I’m fresh off another wonderful vacation provided by one of my favorite companies, Royal Caribbean.  I don’t get away often but was able to organize a great vacation with friends and family and in doing so, met some amazing people.

I love cruising because you literally know your needs are met – to a “T”.  You have 5 star dining for free every evening, multiple theatrical performances that rival Broadway tours, and of course the island destinations.

I met a few of our fellow cruisers that really infused some excitement and intrigue.  I met one girl who literally changed my entire perspective on the world and people – she was one in a million.  It’s so humbling how some people can magically appear in your life, at no effort of your own, and just impress you on every level.

I was joined on the open seas by my brother Darrin (West Point Graduate and US Army Infantry Officer), Nathan Hart (my business partner and long time friend), and Shane Lembke (my partner at Lighting Advisors and long time friend).

It was a week to remember.  I am now in Denver, Colorado and will enjoy a few more weeks on the road before returning to San Diego.

Regardless of where you are in life or what challenges you face, I fully recommend a therapy session from our good folks at Royal Caribbean.  You never know who you’ll meet.

Today is Veteran’s Day – one of my top favorite holiday’s of the year. It is a great opportunity to slow down our busy lives and thank those who fought for the freedom we enjoy. Too many people can’t relate to the horror they went through, the pain, struggle, and emotions of war. However all of us should tell them thank you and spend time remembering those who gave their lives. THANK YOU to all those who fight for our country and have served in our military to give us what we have today!

I must admit I have a unique fascination with the United States Special Forces. Since I spend so much time working with business mindsets and leadership skills, I admire and respect their approach to mental mastery and perfection. I am humbled at what these soldiers do for our country; and in most cases what they do without recognition. The secret missions that ODA teams, DELTA operators, SEALS, and Rangers perform are highly secretive and very dangerous. In fact, if one of them ends up loosing their life during one of these missions, it’s rare that they will ever be mentioned for the mission they gave their life for. I admire these people. Today, I’d like to show you one of my favorite videos online. It’s a special done by National Geographic that shows what life is like inside the Green Beret’s deployed in Afghanistan. Enjoy!

On this Veteran’s Day, I hope you can thank each and every one of those who have served and continue to think of those serving today. God bless them.

I got to visit DC this weekend with my hero brother from West Point! He’s on exchange at Navy Annapolis and man did we have a blast. We ate ourselves stupid, did hikes in Marylands beautiful Spring and of course I fit in a few key meetings!

What a fun weekend!

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Every year I attend Winter Music Conference (WMC) and Ultra Music Festival in Miami. This year was incredible – the weather in Miami was in the 80′s and I got to actually relax. I was a panelist at the two previous conferences; this year I decided I was going to go and have some fun.

Over 50,000 people attend Ultra Music Festival. I enjoyed seeing ATB, David Guetta, Above and Beyond, and so many more International dance music DJs.

Check out the picture gallery below. Miami is a very exciting place to visit, drastically different from the beach towns of San Diego. If you get a chance, go visit!

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Well it’s time once again to make the trek out of beautiful San Diego and into snowy Denver. After being stuck in the DC blizzard a few weeks ago it can’t be that bad, right? For those of you who don’t know… I used to live in Denver – I have many memories there. One of my favorites is the Miracle Party Foundation. I will be meeting with it’s founder, Stacy Moriarty to see how this year’s event is coming along. I will also get the incredible opportunity to spend some time with Amanda at The Denver Children’s Hospital.

Colorado is also one of three leading states in starting a statewide Childhood Cancer Coalition. For the first time in Colorado history, the top childhood cancer charities come together once a month to discuss how they can work together to have the most impact while contributing towards national efforts. The two ladies that founded the Pediatric Task Force (C4 – Colorado Childhood Cancer Coalition) are phenomenal. You will be hearing more about this as myself and another national leader are in a discovery process with the other states and national foundations.

For those of you who live in Denver – hit me up! I’ll be there this weekend through next week. Let’s hope that it’s sunny and not East Coast Washington DC blizzard all over again!

~ J

During the day I work as the CEO of SMG, and Vodik Corporation. Both jobs give me the gift to see abnormal things most people overlook. I see efficiencies in business management and corporate communication, specifically when involving today’s technology.

I was in Orlando Florida with a client. We decided to have dinner at Applebee’s. When we sat down we were told to press a button on this little computer box mounted at the end of the table to page our waitress if we needed anything. This was new; I hadn’t seen anything like it at any other restaurant. While we sat and browsed the menu, the LCD screen displayed a variety of food graphics and promotions. I thought to myself, “What a great idea” but immediately my positive thoughts were turned to doubt when thinking about how many restaurant owners would dismiss the technology and label it ‘too-expensive’ or ‘a luxury’ while failing to see it’s long-term value.

This nifty computer box tracked the waitress’s response times and noted how many times we requested attention. By the end of the dinner, I realized we had barely even used it and we had the best service I could remember. I can only imagine our waitress’s thoughts while knowing she was being scored and most likely rewarded by keeping her service quality high. And as you can guess, her tip was well deserved. Once again, technology helped a small restaurant see huge returns from a positive vibe, excellent service, and a return customer. I believe its money well spent. Great job Applebee’s, Lake Mary, FL!

http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/15/applebees-table-devices/