I want to take a few days this week and talk about people that have had a huge impact on my life. Earlier this year I read John Maxwell’s newest book: Leadership Gold. It is definitely a must read (aren’t all of his book?) Anyway… one of the chapters was titled “Few Leaders are Successful Unless a lot of People Want Them to be.” John talks about 3 kinds of people who’ve helped change his life and that will also change ours:

• People who have never known us

• People who know us, but never known they’ve helped us

• People who know us and know they’ve helped us

Over the next few days I will take each type and talk about the people that have helped mold me into the person I am today. I encourage you to sit down and write out a list of the people who’ve made a big impact in your life. Write them a thank you note or find some way to express how grateful you are that they’re in your life.

So far I’ve stayed pretty much with Christian leaders that I’ve wanted to have lunch with. Here is my list of Non-Christian (I just mean that they aren’t Pastors or in ministry… not talking about their belief system) that I’d love to sit down with:

#5 Howard Schultz - Ok… I am addicted to this mans work! This guy got people paying $2+ for a cup of coffee (SO WORTH IT!). I’d love to ask him questions, but really I’d just like to thank him for giving the world Starbucks!

#4 Bill Gates - Richest man in the world… has changed the world through his work. Who wouldn’t want to sit down and ask this guy questions?

#3 Steve Jobs - What this man has done with Apple Inc. has been unbelievable… Mac’s have changed my life! It would be awesome to get into this guys head!

#2 Barack O’Bama or John McCain – One of these two men will be the next leader of this country . . . again, regardless of what you think of them… it’d be great to sit down with these guys.

#1 George Bush or Bill Clinton – Presidents of the United States of America… Regardless of what you think of them… they could teach you a lot!