89Learning, Deaton’s corporate training facility based in
Phoenix, Arizona. Although I began with Quma as its
marketing director—creating advertisements, video
scripts, and direct-mail pieces—I soon worked my way
up to the position of seminar presenter.
My first big thrill came when Deaton and I were both
invited to speak at a national convention of carpet-clean-
ing companies. It was the first time I had ever shared
the stage with him, and I was to go on first. He was in
the audience when I spoke, and I have to admit I had
worked harder than I’d ever worked in my life in prepa-
ration for this event.
The participants had heard Deaton before at previ-
ous conventions and loved him, but they’d never heard
me. After my presentation was over, they clapped en-
thusiastically and as Deaton passed me on his way to
the stage he was beaming with pride as he shook my
hand. (Unlike myself, Dennis Deaton has very little pro-
fessional jealousy of other speakers. He was happy for
my success. I have to admit that my favorite moment
occurred when, after he was introduced, someone in the
audience teasingly shouted out, “Dennis who?”)
Many people get confused and believe that living
their true life means getting lucky and finding a suit-
able job with an appreciative boss somewhere. What I
have come to realize is that you can live your true life
anywhere, in any job, with any boss.
First find out what makes you happy, and then start
doing it. If writing makes you happy, and you’re not
writing for a living, start up a company newsletter or
your own Web site. When I first realized that speaking
and teaching made me happy, I started a free weekly
workshop. I didn’t wait until something was offered to
me.
Find your soul purpose