Meeting People that Make a Difference

I just got in last night from another business trip. My business trips are always fun because I get to see the people I went through training with and hang out with people on my team. Another reason I love our meetings is because I know we can always expect to hear some amazing speakers. This time we got a visit from....

...if you can't tell from the horrible picture from my cheap camera, that is Emmitt Smith! I know he was an amazing football player for the Dallas Cowboys and I respect that, but after hearing him talk, he gained bonus points. He is such a humble person and seemed so down to earth.

On the left is our VP of Sales for the Southeast Area. He never seems to disappoint with the speakers he brings in. Frank asked Emmitt several questions and then Emmitt took questions from the audience. He was so funny and nothing was off limits.

I must admit that sitting at the front of the group is not always my favorite place for meetings, but as a team, that is where we always end up. I am thankful now that we were sitting 3rd row because my poor camera that I take on my work trips might not have been any good if not. I know these pics are not the best, but it is the best I could get.

Emmitt Smith (#22) said several things that were note worthy, so here they are...

-If you don't know, Emmitt Smith went from rags to riches...literally. When asked how he did it he replied that he always had a "Bigger vision than the current situation."

-"The day you become satisfied is the day you stop growing."

-Set goals AND WRITE THEM DOWN!

-Discipline - He said when he was playing for the Dallas Cowboys he always strived to be the best. He said he would get up at 5am and workout. That's fine, anyone can do that. BUT he also said he went to bed every night by 9pm. He said THAT was the hard part and what his competition didn't want to do.

-His level of training prepared him to take on greater challenges to get to the next level. He talked about the different training he would do. At one point, he would practice with the team and then stay after and push a golf cart (with someone sitting in it) back and forth from end zone to end zone.

-Integrity-Emmitt said it was always an important thing to his mother that he finish his college degree even though he had already 'made it big.' He told his mom he WOULD finish his schooling, and that is what he did.

-Someone in the audience asked him how he would raise his kids to not take their lifestyle for granted since he came from nothing. He said he has told them all that when they turn 18 they will have to make their OWN money. He was laughing because one of his daughters (I think he said she was 12) has been telling her friends that "her daddy is going to make her get a job and make her own money when she turns 18!!

In the pic below, there are many important people in this pic. Frank, VP of Sales, Emmitt Smith, Andy, Frank's boss, and Jurek, Pres of my company.

Another person I got to see that is making a difference is Tanna. Iknew she lived in the Dallas area and I would be there for meetings, so we communicated through emails and decided to meet up at the airport. We only got to hang out for about 30 minutes, but it was so worth it.

Tanna is the one that started The Challenge that I have been a part of since back in April. She was a huge answer to prayers at the perfect time when I needed to make some changes in my life. Here we are at the airport....(I stole her pic)

Since April 20th (my birthday), I have lost 22 pounds and MANY inches. We are now in the 3rd challenge and while the pounds aren't falling as quickly, the inches are.

Below is a picture I took a few weeks ago. The pants I have on in the picture are some that I bought the week of my birthday to wear when I returned to work from maternity leave. They actually fit me perfectly when I first went back to work.

It is fun to look at this picture and see the progress that I have made so far. I am still hoping to see more progress in the future.