For the past 25 years goal achievement and personal development have been my passion. I have used goals to lift myself out of some very difficult circumstances surrounding my birth and childhood.

My mother was 15 years old when I was born. She was 1 of 15 children, the daughter of a small town garbageman. When she was pregnant with me her father shot 2 police officers, wounding one and killing the other. The officer he killed was 29 years old and had 5 small children. During my grandfather’s trial, in which the prosecutors were seeking the death penalty, my mother testified. She said that the reason her father had shot and killed the police officer was because the officer had raped her and the baby she was carrying (me) was the product of that rape. That testimony split the jury and they were unable to reach a verdict. At the second trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

My life didn’t get any easier from there. At the age of twenty-one, my mother married a man who was an alcoholic and extremely physically and emotionally abusive to me and my mother. Money was sparse, my mother was on welfare and my stepfather couldn’t keep a job. His horrible temper and excessive drinking would frequently land him in jail.

School years were equally difficult. Suffering from dyslexia and lack of a stable home life, I quickly fell behind. I found myself in special education classes and eventually repeated the fourth grade.

In ways too numerous to describe in this brief introduction, the obstacles we faced were overwhelming and frequent; so much so that at one point my mother attempted to take her own life.

As dire as my circumstances were, my current circumstances could not be any further from where I once was. Flashing forward to the present day, I am married to my best friend and wife of almost 25 years. Together we are raising three productive and accomplished sons. I have been the top producer worldwide for a top five commercial real estate firm with more than $1 billion in transactions. I have started over 10 businesses including one of the largest privately help pet resorts in the country. I have also built a chain of children’s learning centers along with 2 family fun centers. I own and manage over $25 million of commercial real estate. I am the author of the book ‘The Unlucky Sperm Club’ and the founder and CEO of IGOTSMARTER, a goal fulfillment business that helps its members achieve their goals through our program and app.

It is genuinely difficult for me to talk about my childhood misfortunes. It’s equally uncomfortable for me to share my successes. However, I do feel that it is my responsibility to help others reach their potential regardless of the situation in which they find themselves. My hope in sharing these very personal details of my life is that someone will relate to me. That in revealing both my humble, even grim, beginnings and illustrating the tremendous contrast of my successes and accomplishments, not to be boastful, but to truly demonstrate how goals and personal development can create a life of purpose and true happiness.

One of my favorite quotes is, “Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.”