Part of my job as an Athletic Director and Head Football Coach is to raise money. It takes money to have a successful organization. In my book Culture Creators I give secrets to fundraising. If your business, church, team or organization is POOR you are possibly:

Passing

Over

Opportunities

Regularly

There are several ways to make money, but we often pass by potential money making opportunities.

In the mid 1990's attorney Sam Perlmutter presented an electronic grill to WWF/WWE wrestling champion Hulk Hogan who passed over the opportunity to put his name on the grill. Perlmutter then offered the opportunity to former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.

Foreman took a few months to decide, but he eventually said yes. He made over $200 million dollars as a result, which is more than he ever made in boxing. George went from being a large figure in the ring to making large figures out of the ring.

The largest figure to play in the NBA is Shaquille O’Neal. Like Foreman he made more money in his second career as a business man than he did in his first as a professional athlete. During his NBA career he made $292 million dollars, however his business deals has his current net worth over $400 million. He is widely regarded as one of the best basketball entrepreneurs. However he passed on an excellent opportunity early in his business career.

Starbucks president Howard Schultz offered Shaq several Starbuck franchises, but he turned it down. Today Shaquille O’Neal says turning down that opportunity is his biggest regret. He is a great communicator and a great broadcaster, but he missed out on a great opportunity.

Many people foster POOR relationships due to POOR communication. If we regularly pass over opportunities to network, be kind, respectful, empathetic or considerate it can result in POOR relationships leading to unhappiness, depression and anxiety.

There is always an opportunity to smile, be kind and make someone feel special. Good news makes us smile, while bad news makes us frown.

What I dislike the most about being an ordained minister is receiving bad news. Two weeks ago I received a call that one of our coaches had a family member commit suicide.

I received the same call again this past week from another friend with the same news. Days prior a colleague ask me to pray for their sibling who was struggling with depression.

I used to think depression was a joke. How can someone be so upset that they want to take their own life? I can hear my grandmother saying "just keep on living baby." Meaning the longer you live the more you will experience and understand.

Several members of my family have struggled with mental illnesses, depression and anxiety. I may be the most outgoing and positive person I know. I also haven't met many people who have a higher self-esteem than I do, however I have experienced undiagnosed bouts of depression and anxiety.

I believe one remedy to this awful disease is having a reason to wake up, a cause to conquer and a belief in something greater.

I encourage you to not pass over opportunities to make others feel special. Instead of being tough, or hard or unpleasant; try the opposite.

Instead of:

Passing Over Opportunities Regularly (P.O.O.R.) let us live R.I.C.H.:

Regularly

Inspire

Creating

Happiness

I want to be R.I.C.H.

Not necessarily rich in the traditional since (although that would be nice), but R.I.C.H. Regularly Inspire Creating Happiness.

Several rich and famous people have died of depression including Robin Williams, Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Junior Seau, Ernest Hemingway, Don Cornelius and Dana Plato.

A R.I.C.H. life is a life that helps, uplifts and encourages.Let’s live a R.I.C.H. life together!