GRANDMA'S GIFT


It was a perfect Sunday summer afternoon for a barbecue to honor a young man who had worked so hard to achieve his dreams. The sun was shining and the temperature hovered around seventy-five degrees. Friends and family were gathered together, some of whom had not seen each other for years. Kids played in and around the swimming pool and the smell of burgers wafted through the backyard. Perfect.

Marcus Drake had a lot to be thankful for. His parents, Bill and Margaret Drake, were classic middle-class, middle-America folks who'd worked hard to give their children a good life. Bill was an insurance salesman and Margaret had been a homemaker, staying home to take care of Marcus and his brother, Jack, who was two years younger. Margaret was part cook, part cleaning lady, part nurse, and part taxi driver to the two boys who were the love of her life. Bill was there for most of the boys' games and school events and did his best to get home for dinner with Margaret and the boys every night. The Drakes had the classic Ozzie and Harriet existence.

The barbecue was to celebrate Marcus's graduation from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management and everyone was thrilled to be there. Few of the Drakes had gone to college, let alone business school. No, the Drakes were a simple family.

Marcus, however, wanted a different kind of life. He always had, in fact. In high school Marcus had been a three-sport athlete, lettering in football, basketball, and baseball, and had usually made all-league. But he wasn't good enough to get a full ride to a major college, so he decided to focus on school rather than sports in college.

Marcus grew up watching TV shows that showed the lifestyles of business moguls and for as long as he could remember had wanted to become one himself. He had read Forbes and Fortune since his early teens. He was a natural entrepreneur, first launching a blackberry-picking and distribution operation, then building a lawn-mowing company--not to mention his forays into the proverbial hodgepodge of door-to-door sales. In each of these ventures, Marcus was the business "owner" who got other kids to do the work. No doubt about it, he'd wanted to run a business his whole life.
He did well in college, majoring in business and graduating with a 3.5 GPA. He played intramural sports to keep his athletic skills sharp and to keep the weight off from too much pizza and studying. After college he worked for a large corporation for three years and eventually applied to Northwestern, where he graduated with honors. Marcus felt like he was set for life. From here on in, things were only going to get better.

Most people would consider Marcus brash. Everyone who met him certainly liked him, but let's just say no one would accuse him of being short on ego. He had big dreams, knew where he wanted to go, and did everything he could to get there. He knew he had a lot going for him: He was smart, funny, and optimistic about the future. Today was a day to sit back and enjoy, along with his friends and family, where all his hard work had brought him--to a stellar platform from which to launch the next stage of his life.

As Marcus sat and pondered his future, a hand slapped him on the shoulder and a voice boomed, "So, what's next, Bigshot?" The hand belonged to Marcus's Uncle Fred, an insurance salesman like his brother, Marcus's dad.

"Not much, Uncle Fred. Maybe start and sell a few companies, get rich, buy a nice little island in the Caribbean, and then, oh, you know, take over the world. What do you think?"

Uncle Fred laughed that big booming laugh and tilted his head back. "If anyone could do, it would be...

 

"Effortlessly master the most powerful and profitable of art forms. Drink deeply of the wisdom of this influential book."

 

"A fantastic little book that reminds us of the importance of integrity and attitude in leadership. A fresh and fun look at the subject of influence."

 

"The Art of Influence is a must-read for anyone desiring the wisdom to influence others."

 

"The Art of Influence . . . reminds us of the bedrock fundamentals of not only influence, but of a life well lived."

 

CHRIS WIDENER is the founder and president of Made for Success, one of the world's leading personal-development companies. A sought-after speaker, he is also a coach to CEOs, sales professionals, and top political figures. Chris is a columnist for Success magazine and co-hosts the show True Performance with Zig Ziglar. Chris and his family live in Issaquah,...

The Art of Influence by Chris Widener
Continue Browsing		View Wish List