Interestingly, "Get Inspired" begins with a "G." Recently, I came across a 1940's movie, "God is my co-Pilot."  God is my co-pilot?  God has always been in my life except for a brief period during college. For many years, I've been relatively successful, but I didn't set goals and I had no mentor. I had God, but only as my co-pilot.

 

Then in 2000, my wife and I had an opportunity to go to Italy on a tour.  After the tour, we drove to my grandfather's hometown.  I had planned to be there on Sunday, my birthday.  Well, I didn't make it.  I was delayed multiple times. Then, after I arrived in Sicily, I re-entered the autostrada (Italy's freeway).  I was rushing along when somehow, unbeknownst to me, I exited the autostrada and headed towards a curve.  Yep! I crashed into the embankment wall - thankfully uninjured.  By the time we reached Palermo, it was night time and too late to reach our destination.  We decided to eat but we found only one pizza parlor open.  Reluctantly, we entered because they seemed to be having a party.  Sure enough, it was a birthday party but they asked us to join them. At least I was able to celebrate my birthday with fellow Sicilians.  The next morning, we were again delayed. Finally, I arrived at my grandfather's hometown of Santo Stefano Quisquina.  We stopped at a service station on a hillside overlooking the town. 

Let me go back to my childhood for a moment.  My parents and I listened to Perry Como every Christmas as I was growing up, and to me, Perry Como, singing Ave Maria, was the beginning of Christmas. Now, returning to my grandfather's hometown....I decided to step out of the car to call our host. This was an ordinary Monday morning. The moment we stepped out of the car, the church bells were chiming Ave Maria. If I arrived one minute later, I would have missed it. If I had arrived anytime sooner, the church chimes would have gone unnoticed.  If ever I was inspired, I was inspired at that very moment.

 

You may call it destiny, fate, or The Secret's Universal Law of Attraction.  I call it God's guidance.  From that moment on, God and I switched seats.  He is now my pilot and I am his co-pilot.  Since that inspirational moment, the flight my pilot has flown is leading, I believe, to reaching the destiny he has for me. He has the flight plan and he knows where he wants to take me.   Now, it's taken longer than I hoped, but God's time is his time - not ours. 

 

Since that moment in 2000, I began to set goals, something I had not done before. Many of them didn't work out, but some did. You see, sometimes I struggled to sit in the pilot's seat and so the goals were my own goals. Then I began to focus on those goals that were acceptable to my pilot and doors of opportunity began to appear.  Most importantly, I started to open these doors. Now, I had set goals and I had the passion to follow wherever my pilot led me. 

 

The first door to open was an opportunity to teach at Cypress College. Something I always wanted to do since high school, but I never stepped out of my limited comfort zone. I chose to speak on communication skills rather than my "expertise" in chemistry and computer science, because I could affect more people.  I then had the opportunity to be a host on a major talk radio station in Southern California.  To date, I haven't succeeded, because I never reached the 9 minutes of sponsorships I needed.  But the work I did to market the talk show was beneficial for me.  I was even more focused. 

 

After I began teaching, I started writing a book on transcending one's fear of speaking in pubic. I haven't finished this book - yet, but then I opened another door of opportunity. Four of us formed a Mastermind group and we became accountable to each other. First, we worked on our branding.  One member suggested for me, "The Godfather of Public Speaking."  Though it wasn't quite right, it lead to my current branding, "The Godfather of Effective Communications."  Then I was challenged to write another book.  The completion date was August 31, 2007, however, four months later, I'm glad to say, I have a book, the 31 Tips to becoming an Effective Presenter. 

 

During this time, I had submitted the manuscript to a publisher.  After not hearing from them for three months, I decided to self publish the book. Within days of having the book submitted for printing, my book was accepted and I signed the agreement to have my book published by a Christian-based publisher. Even before I had my first copies printed, I've received an order for 250 copies.

 

Inspired? Ever since that Monday morning in Sicily.  Regrets? Not really.  Sure it would be nice to have done this 20 or 30 years ago, but then again, I wouldn't be the person I am today, if I could change my life.  Have I had setbacks?  Certainly, particularly if I attempt to change seats with my pilot.

 

Frank S. Adamo is known to his friends and fellow Toastmasters as Francesco, the Godfather of Effective Communications.  He is a communications and certified career coach, international trainer, instructor, author and speaker. His 31 Tips to becoming an Effective Presenter is available through his Web site at www.fsadamo.com .  He can be reached at frank@fsadamo.com or 714-408-9287.