He's going the distance!

Currently, I'm helping a fellow named Mike with the upcoming "Mystery Week"--a mystery-themed series of activities around Phinney Ridge/Greenwood, which all culminate to the Gumshoe 5K Walk. All proceeds benefit the Greenwood Senior Center. These events are set for August, if I remember correctly.

Check out http://www.mysteryweek.info/ for more, err...info. ha.

Anyway, to promote Mystery Week and the Gumshoe, Mike has recruited me to help film a "promo video/commercial". I won't go into details, but let's just say that involves your fellow neighbors being "conscripted" (hehehehe) to be actors in this commercial. Nothing paid, nothing fancy, nothing complex, just their acting abilities and roughly 2 minutes of their time.

We went all over the neighborhood--Ken's, Red Mill, Starbucks, Metropolis, and the Zoo. Mike was on fire, getting people who were otherwise busy and/or too shy to commit at least 2 minutes of their time as extras in this commercial. I was amazed at his persuasive ability. And in the end, all the actors had a wonderful time participating.

A little FYI: Mike is the husband of one of my coworkers here at the Phinney Center. He's in charge of coordinating Mystery Weeky/Gumshoe and he wants it to be a success. He's charismatic and has a commanding presence, but not bossy.

I am in awe of him. Simply because he knows exactly what he wants and he does what it takes to get it done. He once told me as we were approaching the fire station that in order to get things done one must have…well, since this is a public blog…let’s call it “GUTS”

You gotta have GUTS.


I'm internalizing these lessons, thinking about how it takes GUTS to accomplish the impossible. After all, all success takes some sort of risk, and taking risks requires a certain amount of bravery. And heart.

Mike is doing what he's doing not for self-aggrandizement, bravado or just so that he can make some funny promo videos. Rather, he's doing what he's doing because he knows that it all redounds to fundraising for a worthy cause--the Greenwood Senior Center (c/o PNA). I'm learning a lot from Mike and learning about being driven, about being proactive instead of reactive...or worse, passive. It resonates with me because it's an inspiration to get things done at my end, at my work here at the Phinney Center and the things I want to see happen for the benefit of the neighborhood.


-rex

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam*

* "either I shall find a way, or I shall make one"