As Carrie and I were traveling to Ruston for Thanksgiving, I popped in Coach Carter – a Samuel Jackson based-on-a-true-life story movie about high school basketball in Richmond, CA. I won’t spoil the movie – just say that, if you haven’t, you should see it – you’ll like it.

There was several parts in the movie where Coach Carter kept asking his players, “What’s your deepest fear?!” Finally, several scenes later, one of the players answered him with the following:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

I thought about the quote as we were driving along – what a powerful statement!

Carrie thought that she had heard it before and later found the entire quote:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love

It took me about two seconds to add that book to my Amazon wishlist.

Filed under: Personal
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I get a lot of magazines in the mail – too many probably – but one that I always find the time to read is Business 2.0. This magazine is well layed-out, has a lot of great articles, and I always learn something from reading it – probably the most important feature of a good magazine, that it teaches you something.

I ran across an article today titled My Golden Rule, which asks many successful businessmen – such as Warren Buffett, Mark Cuban, and George Steinbrenner – to define their golden rule. Here are a few that stuck out to me…

If you think you can’t, you’re right.

Carol Bartz, CEO, Autodesk

A simple statement, but a powerful concept! Too many times we are stopped by our own thinking – that we can’t do something – so we don’t even try. Part of life is knowing that you can do it! It’s like an official once said about stepping out on the basketball court before a game – the first thing that you should say to yourself is, “I got this!”

Don’t be interesting – be interested.

Jim Collins, consultant; author, Built to Last and Good to Great

This comment reminds me of the approach recommended by John Maxwell and Dale Carnegie when it comes to relationships. Carnegie’s quote is “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” – much the same idea. I really like this concept and try to apply it – and it’s something that must be done with your heart – you can’t fake interest in others, you have to really be interested in them!

Make deals with people, not paper.

Penn Jillette, magician, author, and producer

This comment, by the talking half of the Penn and Teller duo, really speaks to me right now because of my business and forthcoming merger in the works. Personally, I hate all the lawyerese and paperwork – I’d much rather do business with good people!! I am the most uncomfortable when reading over legal documents and such that I have to sign – probably because of the lawsuit that my company went through a few years ago. However, I’m most comfortable when I know that I am dealing with a good person – someone that will honor his word and will not do anything underhanded.

The people that you deal with are much more important than the deals that you make with them.

Filed under: Business
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We had a great visit with my family over Thanksgiving at Mamoo’s. Lots of family there on Thursday afternoon when we arrived. So many that they were seated at the dining table, the table on the porch, in the “shed”, at the kitchen bar, in the living room on the couches, random chairs, and on the floor – just about in every space imaginable!

My sister Richele had tasked me with taking some family photos for her. I told her that I wasn’t guaranteeing any results, but I would be happy to. Some of them turned out pretty well!

This was the first time I had ever taken poses shots of anyone, so I was pretty happy with the results – although I’m sure that there are many ways that they could be improved!

The one to the left is one of my favorites – what a cute family!

Click here to view the rest of the photos. Enjoy!

Filed under: Personal
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It’s hard to believe that the month is almost over! Basketball season really flies by because it is always so busy. Yesterday I worked half a day, then drove to San Antonio to a game, driving back last night. It was fun because I got to ride over with a good friend of mine, giving us some time to catch up.

Today I took a high school game at 2pm (early starts this week because of the Thanksgiving holiday) and tomorrow I fly to Austin for a game at Texas State, then staying with my sister there, then driving up to Mamoo’s on Thursday and meeting Carrie part of the way there.

So far this month has been pretty exciting! From an officiating standpoint I am having a good season and already learning new things. From a business standpoint I am really excited about what the coming year is going to bring. I can’t quite share all the details yet, but this could be a really huge deal!! It’s fun to see your business grow and hopefully become something bigger than you ever imagined!

Well, I’m off to get ready for my game - I was compelled to post something by Carrie as I have been in a bit of a blog drought lately!

Filed under: Personal
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Had a great business dinner and about to head to bed, looking forward to a good day tomorrow.

I entered a couple of poker tournaments – a freeroll and a $10 tourney. Played for less than an hour and should have doubled up on the following hands, but instead busted out!

Freeroll: I have and raise – two callers to a flop of . I bet, one caller. All the money goes in on the turn of . He turns over and rivers a for the winning boat over my straight.

$10 tourney: I had and limp in after 3 other callers. Five people going into the flop and it comes . I bet pot (300) and get one caller. Turn is a blank and all the money goes in. He turns over and rivers a for a winning boat over my two pair.

Ugh – I quit!

Filed under: Poker
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