It drives my wife nuts, but I’ve always been a negative thinker.  She is always so positive, and gets frustrated with my negative attitude that somehow became part of my thought process. She believes that thoughts become reality, so you should only think about positive things.  I disagree!

I like to plan around all the things that could go wrong, so if they do; I’ll be prepared.  I look at it like an insurance policy – if you buy it, you’ll never need it; but if you don’t buy it, it will come back to haunt you.  To simplify, I think negatively so that life will go positively.  In a twisted way, it’s ultimately positive thinking!

We do need to develop, maintain, and display a positive attitude in whatever we do. Whether you’re a disciple of The Power Of Positive Thinking by Jack Canfield, or practice The Power Of Negative Thinking by Tony Humphreys, at least you’re thinking.  These opposing philosophies have been debated for years, from Norman Vincent Peale to even Coach Bob Knight, who despite his questionable tactics, believed that negative thinking will actually produce more positive results.  His results in the world of basketball are unmatched.

Speaking of basketball, I was once taunted as “Wrong Way” Mike.  I was in grade school and had finally gotten my chance to play in a varsity basketball game.  I was in a big gym with a big crowd, and in a scramble for the ball I grabbed it and headed towards daylight.  If the referee wouldn’t have blown his whistle for over-and-back, I probably would have scored a basket for the other team.  I was embarrassed and humiliated: and I’m not sure I ever recovered.  Basketball was a game that I loved to play and I never envisioned this happening to me.  So much for positive thinking.  Since then, I have proceeded in life with caution.

Being in the media business all these years, we often jokingly compare our skills with that of a rocket scientist or brain surgeon.  I once saw a cartoon of a doctor in the operating room saying “What could go wrong?  Well, at least it’s not television.”  I used to enjoy the attitude of an broadcast engineer I once knew that would always say “What could go wrong?” before every newscast, live shot, or special event.   He knew from experience that knowing what can go wrong can help you do it right.

As I look back on my career here’s a list of things that could have gone very wrong along the way:

  • My first sales accounts were all Amish.
  • My first boss tried to bed me at a newspaper convention.
  • I drove a van that became my employer’s delivery vehicle.
  • My last paycheck in the newspaper business bounced, so I confiscated a cash register as payment.
  • The man who hired me in radio died in a tragic auto accident.  I had to pick up the donuts, and live copy, the next day that had always been part of his daily routine.
  • I almost failed to call on what would become my largest account.  I wonder how many more I missed?
  • I thought I would be better on the other side of the desk, so I tried the agency business.
  • The next guy who hired me arrived at our lunch interview on a motorcycle.
  • I was taught the philosophy that if you can’t trade it you don’t need it, and if you can trade it get two.
  • I used to carry thousands of dollars in cash home from late night bar promotions in a Crown Royal bag.
  • I was involved in a promotion where we had to give away an extra car.
  • I agreed to organize a “small” raft race.
  • I moved to a “bigger” radio market.
  • My boss was convinced that I was “King of the Chinese deal.”
  • I thought TV would be a step up in my career.
  • I once laughed at the prime time numbers on my FOX competitor.
  • I became a Manager.
  • I was elected President of the Ad Club, and then made the same mistake with Toastmasters.
  • I became a Chamber of Commerce President.
  • I married someone I worked with and got married as part of the NAB convention in Las Vegas.
  • I commuted great distances to get to work
  • I moved to run a TV station in a hyphenated market.
  • I was my wife’s boss.
  • I followed my wife’s career.
  • I worked for a retail store, selling men’s clothing.
  • I returned to the newspaper business.
  • I returned to the radio business.
  • I should have found a way to retire earlier.

Fortunately, most of these situations turned out to be quite positive, like the marriage part (my wife may be reading).  Life is full of many twists and turns.  I have no regrets.