While traveling, I have had the opportunity to meet some of the world's movers and shakers. Some of them you may recognize and some you may not, but I guarantee that each of them have something significant to impart.  I’ve given you a little sneak peak into our conversations…so enjoy!

What I Learned From: Lee Iacocca

When I think about my conversations with Lee Iacocca, three words come to mind: passionate, kind, and overcoming.

I’ve had the privilege of conversing with Lee Iacocca on many occasions. What I’ve found at the heart of this mega CEO is a man who is very passionate. I guess that’s what it takes to oversee a company like Chrysler, which in the 80’s was struggling, and cause it to turn its setback into a comeback. This was done not only through his great leadership skills and voice, but also through his passion.

This same man also takes the time to instruct businessmen like myself about what it takes to get to the top and stay on top. Hey, he even did the same for Snoop Dog.

Passionate and kind, but also overcoming. “That’s what it takes,” he told me. “You gotta keep up the fight.” How true is that?

You have climbers and coasters in life. He chose to be a climber, even when coasting, at times, seemed easier.

For those of you who don’t know…

Lee Iacocca: Lido Anthony Iacocca, born October 15, 1924, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Iacocca retired as chairman and CEO of Chrysler Corporation at the end of 1992 after 46 years in the auto industry. He began his career at Ford Motor Company and rose from management trainee to president, becoming known as the "Father of the Mustang." Iacocca became president of Chrysler in 1978 and chairman and CEO a year later. He led the company from the brink of bankruptcy through the most dramatic comeback in American business history. A brilliant speaker, he received 8,000 speaking requests a year while at Chrysler and was the subject of a Time magazine cover story. Iacocca is the author of two best-selling books, Iacocca and Talking Straight. He is a true leader and an outspoken advocate of public policies designed to increase America's global competitiveness. Currently, Iacocca is acting chairman of Koo Koo Roo, a restaurant chain, and chairman and CEO of EV Global Motors, a firm which manufactures and markets electric bicycles around the world.

What I Learned From: Tiger Woods

One of the movers and shakers of movers and shakers is, of course, Tiger Woods.

I wouldn’t consider him a friend, but did get a chance to meet him. It is rumored that he sat in my meetings in San Jose many years back, and I had the privilege of sitting next to him at a Los Angeles Lakers game. Seated on the front row with Magic Johnson on my left and Tiger Woods on my right, I was sandwiched between two legends.

When I think of Tiger Woods, three words come to mind: driven, focused, and confident. I noticed that when person after person was vying for his attention, he was cordial, but stayed focused on his friends. At one point, they put him on the big screen, and I said to him, “That’s got to be a good feeling with everybody cheering for you.” I wanted to know what his response would be, what it felt like to be Tiger Woods. He replied, “It’s certainly a better feeling than being booed. I wouldn’t want to experience that.” And then he flashed his famous Tiger grin.

What can we learn from Tiger Woods? More than just a great golfer, he seems to be a very balanced guy—knocking down records, but enjoying the moment and enjoying the journey.

What I Learned From: Kanye West

When I think about my conversation with Kanye West, three words come to mind: driven, compassionate, and creative.

While around Kanye, you can't help but hear what's in his heart. The purpose that lies within him just starts flowing from his mouth. He was determined from a very early age to make a difference, which is not your normal inner-city story. He knew he had something to say, even in the rap game.

Kanye West is driven. I like his drive because it is taking others to the right destination. As I talked further with Kanye, I could also see that he is compassionate. According to him, a lot of that comes from his mother and the attributes he saw in her since he was a child. The more I talked to him, the more I saw that compassion was the key. It is the same key that you will find in many other people that have done well in life. You have to have drive, but you definitely better have compassion.

When you get around a creative person, you will find that the creativity can't help but spill over onto you. Kanye is full of ideas, full of projects and full of amazing wisdom for a young man his age. I like to believe that I am a little creative myself, but talking to him makes a person want to continue to tap into the God source and really get inspired.

What I Learned From Danny Bonaduce

"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”
- Jim Rohn

I have found in my travels that many people facing challenges want to put the blame on someone else rather than fix the problem. I agree with the quote above, that you must take 100% responsibility for your life. This means you must acknowledge that you create most of what happens to you and that you are the cause of most experiences that you have. This is what I found in Danny Bonaduce.

Danny started off in The Partridge Family with great success, only to be challenged later in life by, as he says, "bad choices.” One of the many things I like about Danny is that he is willing to admit that he made the bad choices. In my last conversation with him, Danny talked about forgiveness, about how God forgives. Just so you know, people may not always treat you the same way God will. They may shame you, blame you, and name you, but God does forgive.

While talking with Danny, there were three things he stressed: forgive, forget, and go forward.

First: Let God forgive you. Allow yourself to be forgiven. Second: Forget. Hey, we all make mistakes, but you have to put the past in the past. Lastly: Go forward. Life can be difficult when you are always looking through the rearview mirror.