Introduction for “Why not Me?”
I
The keys I’ve decided to share with you are not the only keys that are of value. There are many more; however, you will find those other keys as a natural result of using the ones I have provided in this book. I didn’t want to overload you with information, so I only shared these primary keys that will lead you to any of the further keys you may require or find useful.
In a way, this book is my autobiography. The lessons I am sharing are the same lessons I needed to learn to turn my own life around. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, nor did I have access to the understanding of my own abilities or resources. All I had was a burning feeling deep down that told me I was capable of far more than the evidence seemed to indicate. Resumes are used as evidence of your capabilities, and my resume wouldn’t have impressed anyone in my early years. Resumes can’t show what you are capable of or what your true purpose in life is. Somehow, I had a knowledge of myself that was beyond my resume, and it is this knowledge that gave me the strength to move forward and to grow.
Throughout grade school, I was always placed in the “special education” classes. I just didn’t fit in the school system, so they didn’t know what else to do with me. All of the tests they threw at me indicated that I was unusually bright, yet there I was with the “challenged” kids. In my early years, I was told that I was a “slow learner.” Once I accepted that misplaced label, I gave up at school. There didn’t seem to be a point in trying, so instead, I decided to scrape by with as little effort as possible. As a result of my decision to be a problem student, I failed both grade four and grade nine. I didn’t even graduate high school until I was twenty years old. This fact used to be way too embarrassing for me to admit. Today, instead of being embarrassed, I’m actually quite proud of myself for refusing to be a quitter and not dropping out of high school. It was very uncomfortable for me to be one of only two people out of 1,200 who were twenty years old in Grade Twelve. I just decided that being a twenty-year-old in high school wasn’t as embarrassing as being a drop out. That one simple decision was the fuel I needed to keep going.
To pull myself out of this hole of low self worth, I had to learn the lessons that are shared in this book. These tools, or keys, are fully transferable. Once acquired, you will be able to pass them onto those who ask you to share them. I hope that you are generous with this information, as it is needed badly by people from all walks of life. Just remember that you can only help people who are asking for help.
I am eternally thankful for the teachings of my friends and family. There are people in my life who were able to see my potential long before I could see it in myself, and there are
people who still cannot see it to this day. I’m grateful to the people on both sides of this fence, as they all have contributed to my success, either directly or indirectly. Everyone has lessons to teach if you have learned how to listen.
I have a handful of friends who stood by me at a time when I felt unworthy of the company of good people. I’m not sure I would have stood by the person who I used to be, but they did. Somehow, they were able to look past my resume and see my potential. It’s a truly gifted person who has this ability, and I am incredibly blessed to have them in my inner circle.
A very special “thank you” goes to my wife Jeannine who stuck by my side even when she probably shouldn’t have. Thank you, babe, for sticking it out through the rough parts.
Some of the keys I am sharing with you will assist you to see past other people’s resumes as well as your own. With this X-ray vision, you will be able to see through the negative shell that many have to the positive core that is trying to burst out of most of us.
This book has been arranged to provide a cumulative impact. Each key is intended to set the foundation to learn the next keys to follow. I have endeavored to make this book far more than just a text of valuable information; I wish for you to absorb the positive lessons in this book in a meaningful and useful way. My intention is not just to sell millions of copies of this book, but to create the largest positive impact I can.
Mark Meincke
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Another key feature of this book is that it is designed to also be used as a quick reference guide. I’ve often tried to review a particular lesson from a book, but I couldn’t remember in which chapter it was buried. To alleviate this frustration, I’ve broken this book down into a unique format of individual keys. Each key contains information that has been placed in
The extensive use of quotes in this book is intended to provide greater depth of understanding for each key. By providing quotes, I’m providing alternate ways to phrase a particular thought. By seeing a concept through many different sets of eyes, you are more likely to find a style that works for you and thus maximize the depth of your understanding of that concept.
I wish you well, and thank you for allowing me to join you for the next few steps of your journey toward releasing your potential.
