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As I write this article, I am sitting in a chair next to my father, as he lies in the intensive care unit in the hospital. It’s been less than two weeks since he was diagnosed with the most severe form of Leukemia.
The outpouring from well-wishers and the notes he has received have been extraordinary. My mother just showed me his email inbox. There must be 100 notes from people whose lives he’s impacted. I’m in awe of all the individuals that see him as a mentor or father figure. How could he have made such a dramatic impact in the lives of so many?…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in give of yourself, win people over.
This weekend I flew my family to Providence to say what may be our final good-bye to my hero, the man I love and respect most in the world, my father. At age 82, he has recently been diagnosed with the most severe form of Leukemia. His doctors are telling him that he has very little time left. What’s amazing is that he looks great and aside from a shortness of breath and getting tired more frequently, you wouldn’t know he is sick. It gave me a chance to listen to him and gain an understanding of his wishes: for our family, my mother, and his affairs.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in appreciation, how you will be remembered, legacy, Plan your life.
Ever notice that the most generous people seem to maintain their abundant lifestyle long term? My friend Tim is one of those people. Tim is the life of any party he attends. We were at a corporate event in New Orleans and found ourselves at a pizza place at midnight. There were a dozen people in line, eight of whom we had never met before. Tim bought slices for everyone and made a bunch of new friends in the process. My brother Marc is also inherently generous. Even before he had much money he’d pick up tabs, not just for me, but for everyone around him.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in abundance, give of yourself, success.
My father is now 82 years old. We affectionately suggest that he is held together with chicken wire. He had his first heart attack at age 35 and was amongst the earliest people to have open-heart surgery. Despite overwhelming odds, he survived. 15 years later he had another heart attack, followed by countless surgeries and procedures thereafter. At 78, he beat prostate cancer. For the last 50 years his medicine cabinet looked like a pharmacy. If hospitals had a frequent stay program he’d be platinum. My wife refers to him as the energizer bunny.
This past week brought yet another challenge.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in appreciation, Be present.
Recently I brought my family to a nice restaurant where we frequently dine. The food was wonderful as always, but the service on this particular night was atrocious. The waiter was condescending, he was nasty to my children, and he succeeded in putting a damper on what should have been a wonderful evening. On my way out I shared my experience with the manager. He confided in me that they had lost four servers over the past month and out of desperation, had made some bad decisions in bringing their replacements on board. It got me thinking about how critical it is to have the “right” people in a business.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in eliminate negativity, expectations drive behavior, hiring, interviewing, Management.
Have you ever noticed people who have a sense of inner calm. When you speak to them you become more relaxed. We are drawn to them because they make us feel good about ourselves. I have been blessed to have a handful of these people in my life (one of them is my youngest daughter). I made it a point to understand how they maintain their mindset.
Stay Positive
Calm people tend to focus on the good things around them. They refuse to get sucked into negativity. They understand that within every situation lies an opportunity. They are able to maintain their focus on that opportunity.…
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Posted by Joel Brookman in Positive Attitude, quiet your mind, reduce stress, Reframe, Stress Reduction.
