But one day, a friend invited Sam to have a cup of coffee and said these words which he never forgot: “Sam, you don’t have a hard knock life problem, you have an attitude problem.”

At first, Sam was offended by this statement. People are very protective of their attitudes; Sam’s was miserable and he was recruiting. He wasn’t open to change.

“But, as I thought about it,” Sam says, “I realized he was right. My attitude was off the charts and it was defeating me. In order for my life to get better, I needed to get better, and the starting point to getting better was with my attitude.”

With almost no money or dignity, Sam had little more to lose. So he thought about where he was, and where he wanted to be. He learned the value of being grateful for the small things. He wanted his life to be filled with meaning and purpose.

“Being a janitor and working nights was tough. But it was work and it helped,” said Sam. “I learned to appreciate my job, but I also knew there was a different calling in my heart. And you cannot succeed where there is no passion or heart. What happened next helped me to discover the gift in my failure. There are hidden opportunities in our adversities if we are open to embracing them.” 

Sam began to volunteer working with teens, and was asked to teach Sunday school. He agreed only reluctantly, because of his huge fear of public speaking. The fear of speaking was so intense that he almost canceled the first day he was to teach – three times! He kept calling the church and hanging up on the secretary.

It was a rough start, but the message of encouragement came through strongly. Soon, teens were asking Sam to speak at their clubs and schools, and his calling was revealed. About a year and half later, he was speaking for the Billy Graham Evangelical Association, and eventually to audiences as large as 75,000.

“And to think I would have missed the opportunity had I not been open to changing my attitude, acting on new choices and believing I was born with purpose,” said Sam. “And the truth to this story is, we all are born with purpose. We all face adversities daily that knock the kick out of us, but our attitude is always a choice. And in my personal and professional opinion, it the most important choice. You can’t achieve true greatness with a mediocre attitude. You can’t lead others with an average attitude. You can’t have a successful relationship with a defeatist attitude. You have to get this right, and your perception will change, thereby affecting your results and outcome.”

Adding a chalk art presentation created a unique connection to Sam’s audience. “The combination of music and watching nothing become something before their eyes is amazing,” states Sam. “To top it off, when I do the lightshow, the picture comes to life.  It’s one of those things we don’t put in my demos, but when you see it live – WOW!  You’d think the group was watching a forth of July show!” 

Around the office, Sam often refers to his program as being A.D.D. friendly. People want to be captivated, challenged and inspired. He puts a lot of effort into preparing for each speech he gives, handwriting them before every talk. “It’s my way of mentally preparing to give my all,” states Sam.  “I am well over 1,300 hand-written speeches – no joke!”

Today, Sam gives close to 100 speeches a year and loves it! He has a passion and purpose to drive him. He has authored 16 books, all of which have a strong emphasis on attitude. 

“To be regarded as an Authority on Attitude is a privilege because I see so much power in our attitude,” states Sam. “If someone asks me to describe what I do, I tell them that I work with organizations that want to rekindle enthusiasm and improve the quality of performance, and I do it by creating an experience of inspiration through art, humor and attitude!  It’s a mouthful, but it packs a lot of impact.” 

“One great aspect of my speaking career thus far is my audiences know that I am not all show or high on myself. I don’t claim to be a know it all, but by the time the program is over, they recognize that I am a credible expert on Attitude – as it applies to life, business and relationships. The experience I try to create is one of sincerity and authenticity, and that’s important to me. I think a huge plus is that my program is not boring. Ask anyone!  I say that confidently, because I am A.D.D. and it’s hard for me to listen to a lot of speakers. I have to have some sparkle behind the information. So that’s what I try to create. I keep everyone on the edge of their seats with humor, art, stories and material that they can relate to.”