It’s not uncommon to hear someone say “I’m sick of my job!”  For those of us whose job is not a job at all, it can be hard to relate to that particular sentiment. However, our current circumstances are products of the choices we’ve made in the past and if we were given the opportunity to make a few of them over again, I’m pretty sure the majority of us would take it.  

Well, more than 22 years ago, I made a choice.  I resigned from Young & Rubicam and traded in my high-marquee job as a 'MAD MAN' to satiate the restless entrepreneur that lied deep within my soul.  I had an unstoppable passion that fueled my “can do” attitude.  Some thought I was a cocky and over-confident kid. Others took note of my vision, plan and passion and decided to support it and even capitalize on it, rather than judge and criticize it.  After a decade or so of grinding it out in a difficult, yet mostly joyful way, I was beginning to live my dream of writing, producing and directing my own TV series, creating innovative products based on the series’ intellectual properties, nurturing extraordinary talent and building a viable consumer brand.  

As my success became more public and palpable, I felt myself becoming the envy of some friends, especially those who endured an arduous, day-to-day, business routine that was beginning to take a toll on them. I, on the other hand, began to feel liberated from the monotony of my former commuting days and was excited and inspired. I finally felt justified in my voluntary exit from Madison Avenue and I was able to silence the judgement and criticism, even from those used to firing at me from point-blank range. I was not only living the dream, I was helping others realize their dreams, as well.  However, as ironic as it may sound, with all these positive feelings and momentum, I never truly felt content. Why?  Probably because like most creatives, I believe that contentment is a sign of complacency. In fact, I feel that the creative mind is rarely content because it believes that contentment is the cancer of innovation.  And, to me, innovation is a form of problem-solving, so how can I be content when there are so many problems to solve in this world? 

I have met many people in my life, but I’ve noted only a few that seemed truly content.  I envied those few.  Some had more money than I, some less, so I don’t think it was a economic thing. Some of them worked, and some were retired, so it wasn't a retirement thing either.  There was something else at play here. I soon realized that it is was simply their attitude.  When my son was studying for his Bar Mitzvah nearly 4 years ago, I remember his lackluster enthusiasm for learning his torah portion. He inspired me to coin the phrase “Attitude affects action, action affects outcome.”

In business or in life, it all comes down to attitude.  However, our environment and circumstances have a significant impact on our ability to maintain a positive attitude. So, if you have to commute and you hate commuting, or if you’re going to a job that is simply not fulfilling, then it will be hard to maintain a healthy and productive attitude. If you’re overweight or unhealthy, you may have a hard time adjusting your attitude about yourself. If your family judges rather than supports you, it can suppress your vision and hamper your enthusiasm, negatively impacting the critical actions you need to take toward living life with passion.  Therefore, in order to live life with passion, you MUST either change your circumstances and do whatever it takes to put yourself in a position where your attitude could thrive and enable you to take the actions necessary for success (e.g. stop commuting or start liking it, lose weight or accept yourself, disengage with people that judge you too harshly (even if it’s family) or hear them differently).  You must change your mind and the way you think about your circumstances and the people that judge you - maybe even be grateful for them!!  Most of all, change the way you feel about yourself, because if you can, you can endure almost any adversity and triumph over the loudest of naysayers. Always remember “attitude affects action and action affects outcome.”  Take some action!

My father was a New York City cabdriver for over 40 years.  Back in those days, cabdrivers not only knew where they were going, but they’d give you a detailed, guided tour for no extra charge.  Their cars were big and roomy and few had the bullet proof partitions that imprison us like convicts being transported to the local penitentiary. Now these mobile holding cells actually implore us to watch The Taxi Cab Network to keep our mind off of how bad the cabby’s driving or how toxic the combination of body odor and artificial air freshener actually is. My father’s generation was the last of the true NY Cabbies.  These guys were family and they protected each other like fraternity brothers would. These were guys of honor too.  I remember my father would chase people down the street because they had given him too much money, or left something of real value in his car.   Despite the fact that he only earned money when he was picking up fares, he’d sometimes invest half his day helping a complete stranger who was broken down on the side of the road.  

I think back on those years and I realize that they’ve had a tremendous impact on me and the way I run my business and raise my children.  I too value helping people over earning. Despite the fact this practice has occasionally drained my wallet, it has consistently filled my soul.  

Unfortunately, my children are living in a different world than I did as a child.  The media’s voice is so omnipresent and powerful that it has literally altered the way we think and behave.  I believe this uber-connected society has actually begun to alter our brain chemistry and the way we relate to each other.  Advances in technology and the unparalleled growth of social media has connected us, but has also made us a more defensive, more paranoid nation. The irony here is that in many ways all this “connection” is making us become a more disconnected, stressed out and meaner society.  We actually have begun to rely on negative news to sustain our social media based ecosystem.  Shock, despair, tragedy, embarrassment, etc. have become the fuel that sustains our “viral” world.  

While I’m not a generally politically inclined person, and I do not associate with any particular political party, I find that our government has been a terrible role model for our business community and for our children. Our business leaders have also lost their way and “trust” and “confidence” have become elusive terms in the halls of America’s biggest companies and institutions.  In my father’s day a hand shake was a genuine commitment worth its weight in gold.  Today, a contract is not worth the recycled paper it’s written on.  Our politicians have lost focus on their respective roles to serve ALL the people, not just some of the people.  Instead, they operate like High School kids playing a petty game of “Can You Top This” or should I say “Can You Top This Stupidity!” The fact that thousands of people were stranded on a bridge because some immature ass had the power to snarl traffic for miles may seem insignificant to some, but to me, it’s indicative of a much larger problem. A warning sign that our nation’s integrity is diseased with greed, corruption, egos and pettiness.

Let’s face it, the American people are losing the very pride that has always kept the U.S.A. the king among nations.  Ambition, innovation and success are words that are slowly being stripped from our vocabulary.  Too many have lost their jobs and many more simply rely on the government to literally support them.  With all its flaws, America is still a country of great opportunity.  In 2008 my business was rocked when Wall Street and in particular Lehman Bros., came tumbling down ending any hope of completing the multimillion dollar transaction we spent hundred of thousands of dollars and over 15 months of due diligence hammering out with them.  The impact to us and the nation was catastrophic. The rulebook we all grew up with (buy stocks, invest in real estate, build businesses) seemed to no longer apply.  Yet, these rapid and uncontrollable changes in our economic system did not destroy my will to thrive, provide for my family or contribute greatly to our country and our world.

To me, the ailment still retarding our nation’s rebirth is simply a rampant lack of integrity. This country is riddled with fraudulent workers comp, disability and other deceitful insurance claims that continue to tax our system.  Our local and national political leaders lack judgement and are tempted by the self-serving opportunities that are a bi-product of their power. We, as a nation, need to reign in all those that lack integrity as they are the nation’s bacteria.  It is these sociopaths that embrace the “kill or be killed” philosophy that is slowly eroding at our nation’s physical and emotional infrastructure.  Unfortunately I have seen this in the halls of companies I have built myself.  My trust has been betrayed on more than one occasion and it’s a painful journey especially when your children are impacted by it and bear witness to it.  It shouldn’t need to be that way.  No company can survive without a unified vision and a philosophy of “excellence through integrity.”  No nation can either.  United we stand!!!

The fact is America is a fine product with a tarnished brand.  Its great history will save it, but I believe a President is packaging for our nation, our congress is the fine print on the box and our people must be the quality goods presented in that attractive box.  We need to rebrand, repackage and reformulate America.  We are Americans and as Americans we must stop acting as if we are somehow better than the rest of the world and recapture the core philosophies that helped build this great nation in the first place, “leading by example.”  

We must realign our legal system so that the bewildered “David’s” of the world can afford to stand toe-to-toe with the better funded “Goliaths.”  

We must put more moral emphasis in our handshakes and fewer legal clauses in our contracts.

We must put profits aside and promote hope instead of fear.  

We must highlight those that serve humanity and stop sensationalizing criminals, murderers, drug addicts and other low lives.  

We must remind ourselves that it is “WE the people,” not “I the people.”

America is a beautiful flower garden and each one of its citizens has the potential to bloom.  However, we must recognize that our integrity is the photosynthesis that will determine whether we will ever fully blossom with vibrant color or simply die on the vine.

G-d Bless America!