Dealing With "Idiots"

Sunday, December 13, 2009
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Chris Connell Inspiration and Personal Development

Inspiration and Personal Development
About Me:

Next Generation Personal Development Teacher and Maker of Inspiring Stuff

Live in LA

Grew up in South Georgia and then Tallahassee, FL (North Florida)

Age: Early Thirties

Got into personal and spiritual development when I was 22.

Love
of inspirational type programs/music since birth.

Have a background in Advertising/Marketing and Real Estate

Was once a competitive tennis player. Still love the sport.

Love exercise, college football, good coffee, sushi, writing, teaching, inspiring, and exploring.

You can reach me at chrisc@makethemostofthislife.com

Quick Background:

Yo. I’m Chris Connell. Welcome to my site.

Aight, so here’s the deal:

I grew in a singlewide trailer on a dirt road in rural south Georgia. Parents divorced early. It was basically just me and my mom, who had issues…

Long story short, I endured a lot. There was no one around to talk to, so very early I started asking the big questions: why am I here? (along with “why is this happening to me?”). So I think my search for meaning and purpose started early.

When I was 15 I left my mother to go to Tallahassee, FL to live with a cousin. Shortly after my mother was killed. Shortly after that I was out on my own. I spent the next 18 years in Tallahassee, but the next 5 or so we’re pretty turbulent.

I did well for a while but the trauma of my childhood started to catch up with me. I found drugs and alcohol at 17. Ironically, the same year I would receive the Horatio Alger National Scholarship for “Overcoming adversity and showing diligence and persistence in becoming a future leader of America”.

By the time I was 22 I found myself in trouble with the law…again, this time headed to prison. At the last minute I got a chance to do my time in a treatment center instead. Though I didn’t really want to be there, it was better than prison. And in the end, it probably saved my life. It was there that I got introduced to personal and spiritual development and I started believing maybe i could live a normal life. I got a vision of what I could become, and it was there that my jou
ey started…

Since that time I’ve spent over a decade on my jou
ey of personal and spiritual development. During that time I’ve worked with many people on their jou
ey as well.

I’ve overcome a lot. Character flaws, bad habits, emotional and psychological issues, poor health and fitness and all manner of other obstacle. I put myself through college in a limited access communications school at Florida State University, I worked my way into the Advertising industry, I became Director of Marketing for a Real Estate company and then I started my own real estate company. During that time I got into progressively healthier relationships, quit smoking, learned about health and fitness and generally became a person who is comfortable in his own skin.

During my process of trying to make the most of my life I started having to look again at the big picture, asking some of the big questions. I found that just any ole career didn’t make me happy, regardless of the prestige of the title or the paycheck.

I recognized that I needed to find something that was fulfilling, that this was a key component to creating a life I love to live. Finding Your Purpose that I am referring to, which I call “Your Unique Contribution”. I’ve got a lot of personal experience in this area including a few careers, a couple of cross country moves, and a lot of eyeball time on the ceiling…

Eventually I’ve whittled away at it more and more, and that’s what brings us here…One of the things I figured out along the way is that I love inspiring people to make the most of their life.

I also enjoy sharing my jou
ey with others. I’ve come a long way, but I’m still learning as I go. I still have my breakdowns in different areas. I know by now that’s all part of the jou
ey, but it makes it much more meaningful when I’m able to share it with others. Helps us both know we’re not alone, and allows us to help each other.

When you add a bunch of experience in overcoming obstacles, a love of inspiring and teaching personal development, and a desire to share my experiences with others a site like this is natural outcome. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave your comments liberally, I need them. And feel free to contact me anytime.

Oh, and if you’d like to work with me as a coach or have me as a speaker at your next event just email me at chrisc@makethemostofthislife.com
Sincerely,

Chris Connell