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Blog Entry: #81

True Leadership - My Unbelievable Tale With Joe Farcht
by Joe DePalma

As I open my thoughts and feelings to the world with this blog I feel the need to let you know that my intentions are pure. I'm going to shoot from the hip and draw upon my passion for self improvement in a way that will inspire, entertain, and encourage every reader no matter their age, race, sex, or faith, to look deeper and to unlock meaning even in the most routine situations.

This story starts in Los Angles, California in November of 2007. I was attending “Mark Victor Hansen's: Mega Speakers Empire Seminar” as a representative of SelfGrowth.com which is a company I've been working with since 2003. We were sponsors of the event and preformed a break-out session (mini seminar) during the weekend. As it happens at many weekend seminars I met a lot of interesting, exciting, and very motivated people. This was no different at the Mega Speaking Event.

Yet, for me one person who I met seemed to make a bigger impact than I had anticipated. He was a vibrant steely gray haired man in his mid to late 50's named Joe Farcht. I talked to Joe many times over the weekend about his leadership business, his speaking, his books, his many degrees, his personal coaching, and his online presences.

When I spoke to Joe I said to myself that “this guy is the real deal.” Then, he did something that many experienced and over extended people don't usually do; he asked what I was up to and how he could help. So, I told him all about ReadySetRise.com, my positive music, and my speaking. He didn't miss a word of it. He cared and asked questions and wasn't the slightest bit hesitant to offer help even though he wouldn't profit financially in the least. As the weekend rolled to a close he would stop by our table and remind me to contact him with links to my music and website. He even gave me a free copy of his latest book. I assured him I'll be in contact very soon and wished him luck and told him that it was a pleasure to have met him.

A few days after the seminar I was sitting in my office staring at the pile of business cards I had collected over the weekend. My goal was to contact everyone who I had encountered at the seminar with a personal email and then wait for the responses. Before I knew it I was flooded with replies! There were dozens of them from people I had only spoken to for a second and others whom I had got to know a little better. And yes, Joe's reply came back right on time as excepted. I wanted to carefully read and write a lengthy reply to his email, but I had dozens of others that needed replies as well. So I chose to hold Joe's message on the side while I replied as quickly as I could to everyone else. Then, I would take more time to read and write back to Joe. I was saving the best for last in a matter of speaking.

For four days Joe's email sat unread in my inbox. Then, as I was sitting at my desk at the selfgrowth.com office my heart sunk as the following instant message popped onto my screen, “Did you hear? Joe Farcht died last night. Heart attack.” Just like that, Joe was gone.

Hours later I sat alone in my home office in front of my computer staring at Joe's unopened email in my inbox. I have to admit, I didn't feel very good about myself at that time. After a few minutes I clicked “open.” It was very eerie reading Joe's words from only a few days ago when he was alive and enthusiastic. His message was encouraging and full of hope. But there was one part of the email that really stuck with me. Joe wrote something that I'll never forget. He offered to help me with what I was doing in a few months when his schedule cleared. He wrote, “I have priorities that will consume my time into the middle of next year….” He had plans. He had projects. He had a full to-do list. But he died anyway. That was it.

What really hit me was that the majority of us will die before we're ready; with a full in-box or to-do list. So, why stress out so much about getting everything done, or making sure everything is perfect? I know I was guilty of it. Maybe that's why I crossed paths with Joe when I did? I needed to be reminded of just how fast plans, aspirations, and intentions can just blow away on a breeze.

I do know one thing we can all take away from my brief experience with Joe. And that is…if a friend replies to your email; don't let it sit there… answer it right away.

So long Joe. I'm sorry for not getting back to you more quickly.


Remembering Joe Farcht

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