Life is either Ironic or Determined, I’m not sure exactly which. My mother is a librarian and I hate to read. I’ve never written for pleasure beyond a handful of songs for my guitar. I only attended college because I wanted to keep golfing each day and they would let me do it for free. I got a business degree because I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life. And after years in the business world with various promotions and successes, I realized my passion in life is helping people. Often times while being a sarcastic ass to them but all the while focusing on their goals and trying to lighten the mood.
During college I took an internship position at the Sunflower Group and was eventually hired on. Where I over the years was afforded ample opportunities, entered management, and realized how much joy I got from passing on my life’s learnings and failures. It’s where I learned to revisit my failures for the benefit of others instead of hiding them from the world and hoping no one ever knew they happened.
As a vigorous non-reader, and non-writer… this book is an eclectic mix of:
- How I learned to handle stress and step back and focus on what is causing it vs. feeling overwhelmed.
- The things I wish school had taught me.
- The true stories most of you won’t believe.
- The advice I’ve given friends, family, and co-workers that turned out to be solid.
- How my real life experiences shaped me.
I’ve been blessed with more talents than I deserve, more opportunities than anyone could ask for, surrounded by more impactful people than I’d think possible, and given more chances in life than anyone could ask for. I’ve struck a tree while airborne at 55mph, fallen through the ice of a pond in the dead of the winter miles from town, started off NJCAA Nationals with birdie/birdie/hole-in-one as a freshman, caught a wild pheasant bare handed, shot a 35+ mph moving target at 428 yards in 25mph wind, emergency sutured animals, carved ducks by hand, welded grills from scratch, finished basements myself, managed $80,000,000 in annual expenditures, managed people, and failed at some point in every facet of my life.
I start first with a boat load of thanks. To my best friend Jay Simons for listening to me ramble and editing this book. To my Father for always spending the vast amount of time I requested & my Mother for her endless support and my Sister. To Byron Walker for his patience, Clarence Helm for his salt of the earth teachings, and to the Garberg’s & Sunflower for giving me the opportunity to solve and grow. To all of the Helm & Simons family too many to name. Finally, to The Wife & Kids, for putting up with me and loving me no matter what even if when I “Clark it up”.
