The Power of Understanding Yourself

Chapter 11 Punching Down the Expert Style Influence on Me

Wine is like many of the fine experiences in life which take time and experience to extract their full pleasure and meaning.

– Douglas Preston, Crimson Shore

Other people shape you. They shape you through mentoring and malice. They shape you by their behaviors and their beliefs. And they shape you through complement and contrast. As we understand more about Experts, here’s my story of an unlikely mentor.

In the spring of 2015, I lost my mind. It wasn’t the first time. In fact, I lose my mind quite frequently. There was that time in 1983 after I left a burgeoning career in broadcasting because I didn’t enjoy it. I was 22 years old and already a producer for the local CBS network’s television news show. In just under a year, I had moved from remote reporter to the head spot on the 10:00 p.m. newscast. Now, it was Terre Haute, Indiana, so I was a long way from threatening Dan Rather’s seat; but I was off to a fast start. But, I lost my mind, marched into the news director’s office and quit. When I told my dad what I did, it went like this:

“Dad, I quit my job yesterday.”

“Why the hell did you do that?” I am sure Dad had a vision of me moving back home flash in front of his eyes.

“I didn’t enjoy it.”

“Of course you didn’t enjoy it. It’s called work. That’s why they pay you. If you enjoyed it, you would have to pay them.” <Muttering> “‘Didn’t enjoy it,’ Christ. I didn’t enjoy the Depression, but I was damn glad when I had ...