It All Matters

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My Big “Why”

First, a special word of thanks to all my students. To everyone who ever invested their time and money to attend one of our events or watch one of our 12,000 eLearning videos, you have been my career inspiration. For all the times you screamed “10” and banged drumsticks together, thank you. For all the times you helped me convince a conference center or hotel that we should never be invited back because we were too loud, too intense, too enthusiastic and excited, I say thanks. I wrote, recorded, and spoke all over the world for you. I packed my bags, hugged my family good‐bye, ate airport food and slept in thousands of hotels for you. It was all worth it because all a teacher lives for, is that moment when the light comes on in someone's eyes and you know they will never be the same. I thank you all.

Special word of thanks to my parents, George and Shirley Cummings. I was blessed at birth to have amazing parents who gave me all I needed and much more. Thanks for all the love, support, and encouragement over the years. Thanks for telling me I could achieve any dream I had the courage to dream. Thanks for coming to so many of my speeches and special events. Thanks for teaching me that the secret to living is giving. I will always cherish the evening we shared when we rented the entire House of Blues in New Orleans and raised money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Your fingerprints were all over that special night. Most of all, thanks to you both ...