Become Something

I'm just a country boy who grew up in a small town in Ohio and ended up making something of himself from nothing. By age thirty-seven, I was a millionaire several times over. Now, four years later, I've written this book to help others realize that they too can become something; they too can make something of themselves, even if they start out pretty messed up, like I did. Part inspirational memoir and part playbook to creating the success you dream of, Become Something: How an Enlisted Man Became a Self-Made Millionaire chronicles my journey from a completely clueless teenager who impulsively enlisted in the navy to the owner of an insurance agency employing 300 people. This transition wasn't easy. I know firsthand what it's like to fail after making a commitment. I know what it's like to be weak when I could have chosen strength. I know what it's like to be defeated when winning was my goal. I know what it's like to be completely alone when I desperately wanted someone to identify with. I know what it's like to be beaten down, I know what it's like to be counted out, and I know what it's like to be at ground zero. I don't want to feel any of that again, and I'm pretty sure you don't, either. I assure you: if you feel any of those things, you will welcome the realization that at any moment, no matter your circumstances, you can turn your life around. Become Something: How an Enlisted Man Became a Self-Made Millionaire also explores how the things that happen to you, whether good or bad, are simply opportunities to learn. You can embrace a whole new destiny at any given moment, and it's as simple as making the decision to do so. How do I know this? Because I did it. Today, I know who I am, what I want, and how to achieve it. Unfortunately, I learned almost everything the hard way. My goal in this book is to help you avoid some of the mistakes I made and to inspire you to do something with your life. When you see how out of control I was, how lacking I was in direction and discipline, and how I finally turned my life around, I think you'll be inspired. There is tremendous power in our decisions; we just have to know how to tap into the strength we have within us. This book tells a few stories, more or less in chronological order, and offers a few truths that shed light on how I did it. Life doesn't come with guarantees, but if the lessons I learned hold any merit, you might just find they can help you go from chaos to clarity, too.