I’ve always been inspired by Frank Sinatra’s famous song That’s Life, where he sings about having been “a puppet, a pauper, a poet, a pirate, a pawn, and a king.” It makes me reflect on all the roles I’ve been in my own life—and wonder about the lives of my friends and colleagues, too.
- Starting at age 10, I was a garden seed salesman in my neighborhood, saving up points for an air rifle
- A newspaper boy who delivered papers to the zookeeper in the dark of winter, listening to lions roar
- A caddy for a future pro—and for many who looked and acted like Rodney Dangerfield
- A driver of a vintage army truck at a camp in Brighton (before Brighton was Brighton)
- A playground supervisor near 8 Mile Rd. during the Detroit riots of 1967
- A substitute teacher in my old elementary school
- A truck driver for Vernors Ginger Ale
- A teaching assistant at both the University of Michigan and Harvard
- A child psychologist at Hawthorn Center in Northville
- A family therapist
- An author
- President of a research and training program
- A clinical psychologist
- An organizational psychologist
- An executive coach
- A faculty member at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
- A faculty member at the Center for Entrepreneurship, School of Engineering
- A consultant to the governments of Rwanda and Afghanistan
- The founder of LeadersConnect
So far, I’ve never been a puppet, pauper, pirate, or king—but I did write a book of poetry about my conversations with my old dog, Lucy.
Whenever you’re feeling discouraged, take a moment to reflect on everything you’ve been. As the song goes:
“That’s life, that’s what all the people say
Riding high in April, shot down in May
But I know I’m gonna change that tune
When I’m back on top, back on top in June”
I’d love to hear your story. Soon, I’ll be sharing a list of all the jobs and roles members of our LeadersConnect community have had. I invite you to send in yours—what have you been?