Family
I come from a large family, the seventh of eight children. My mother was a college educated farm girl who traveled the world as a flight attendant before settling down to raise a family. My father was the consummate businessman – great at sales, great with numbers, a relationship guy with an entrepreneurial spirit. I had everything I needed growing up, but I learned at an early age that nothing would be handed to me. If I wanted something it was up to me to hustle, work, save and buy it for myself. This included my very first 10 speed bike, my first car and my college education.
My Learnings
From my father
I learned that the door is always OPEN - literally – we never locked the door, I never had a house key… as a result I learned the importance of relationships and making people feel welcome.
From my mother
I learned that the answer is always YES. I rarely heard the word NO as a kid. As a result, I spent a lot of time figuring out HOW to do something, rather than IF I should do something.
From my siblings
I learned that LIFE wasn’t fair. I learned to quickly accept the realities of life and to never let things outside of my control deter me from pursuing my goals.
From my extended family
I learned that no good deed goes unpunished. As a result I learned that by being willing to say yes when others might say no, I would be opening the door to a whole host of opportunities and experiences.
From my teachers and coaches
I was brought up to believe that WHERE there is a WILL, there is a WAY. As a result I learned that I just need to find The Way – no matter how many tries it would take, success was attainable.
From God and my church
I learned the importance of giving oneself wholly and completely to something I believed in, I learned that much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.
I believe I am called to use my experiences and talents to inspire and encourage others to reach their full potential.
– Coach PJ Weiland