Make A Difference

Make A Difference: empowering people in need & positive world change. Do/Act vs. Talk

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

@bigdiciple Awesome message by Tony Robbins...

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Recently, I posted about living without an alarm clock. As an entrepreneur, I want to stand for more than just the businesses I own. I want to show how we act, how we lead, and the community value we provide matters as much.

I often feel a divine nudge, and I feel the Universe wants me to share something I've kept private for a long time: I have autism.

My hope and objectives are to improve the lives of kids and adults on the spectrum. I want them to feel supported and not feel like they're less than, ostracized, or invisible.

Over the weekend, I formed a nonprofit (Franco & Me) around that purpose. If I'm lucky to succeed long-term, I’ll build a place where autistic kids can strengthen their natural gifts while learning to manage the challenges they often face.

My first step is to try to be a decent example of a person with autism. So here I am. A little afraid of the reaction & being misunderstood for saying this out loud.

My best friend, Franco, is nearby, offering all the support he can. By the way, if you are a parent of a child with autism and considering a family dog, think husky. Why?

If autism applied to dogs, Franco would be autistic like me. Franco is part dog, part cat, part wolf:

The dog in him wants to be near you.
The cat in him wants to be near you on his own terms.
The wolf in him wants you to know he was never fully domesticated. That is not a flaw. That's who he is.

Franco disappears when the house gets loud. Then out of nowhere, he'll jump onto my bed to let me know he will always be my ride-or-die friend. Franco does not need me to be smoother or more “normal." He just wants me to accept he was built to howl, and in my home, he knows howling is always welcome.

I'm going to post life experiences I'm calling Franco & Me: That's Life. I'll write about my life with autism, how I've dealt with it, and often just try my best to survive it.

My myopic interest is to offer the most value & insight to my autistic friends. I'm also hoping people without autism will ... learn something about people like me, be a little more understanding, and a little less judgmental.

If you might be interested in a true Forrest Gump-like story- the gifts, challenges, and adventures- please join me.

See Franco below: adorable and a real character : )

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

https://t.co/D1o28qnl7U

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Remember the Monster Super Bowl ad: “When I Grow Up”

Kids looked into the camera and said things like:

When I grow up, I want to claw my way to middle management.
When I grow up, I want to be replaced on a whim.
When I grow up, I want to be underappreciated.
When I grow up, I want to be forced into early retirement.

Sound familiar as messages today, but that ad was 27 years ago.

This post is about considering what your life should say at the end of your journey and about making every effort to live life "your" way.

About two years ago, a person I have tremendous respect for was diagnosed as terminal, and she started writing her own obituary. She wrote, "I was an artist," and then deleted it. Her life path at the time was being an extremely successful entrepreneur, and she regretted never taking the time to fully pursue the life she would most enjoy: being an artist.

Miraculously, she's in remission and now pursuing her dream life.

Her message hit me hard, and it's a reminder that if you're given a second chance, take it.

I began to think about what words would be on my gravestone. Some years ago I went into a coma, and it was life-changing. I believe my coma experience was divinely ordained. I landed on the words, “Nothing more, nothing less. Jack tried to be the best version of himself every day. That’s all, folks : )”

Maybe something to think about: what words would be written or said about you when you exit stage left?

Do those words support the real you — the today you — your dreams, your ambitions, your happiness?

What would you do that wouldn’t require an alarm clock to get you up in the morning?

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Hope you’re having a wonderful day in your neighborhood!

Life so often reminds me that it can be stranger—and more beautiful—than fiction. One of the greatest gifts I've learned is the simple habit of beginning each morning with prayer, quiet meditation & asking for guidance to make my day as productive and kind as possible.

Today I asked for guidance to write something that might lift someone’s spirits. So here goes:

About 10 years ago, I had a near-death experience. Surprisingly, but maybe not in this current cynical world, a number of people mocked me and blamed me for my 3-day coma for my addictive lifestyle, even though I was over 3 months sober.

My dear friend gently asked how I felt about the people who spoke unkindly of me and/or treated me so poorly.
I smiled and told the truth, but I also told her the most important takeaway I received was so simple: try to live a little more like Mister Rogers. Look for the people who are "helpers" in life, like those who rush to a disaster to provide food, water, and comfort. And offer what you can when someone needs some help or comfort.

That divine message led me to some unexpected and deeply meaningful connections. So, I'm here and writing from the heart to provide some ideas I've learned on how to live a wonderful life:

It's easy to figure out I’m a lifelong fan of Mister Rogers: ) I'm going to highlight his 2002 Dartmouth commencement address. My perspective below doesn't do it justice:

In Rogers' speech, he reminds us: “Our world hangs like a magnificent jewel in the vastness of space. Every one of us is a part of that jewel… In the perspective of infinity, our differences are infinitesimal. We are intimately related. May we never even pretend that we are not.”

He then tells the true story of the Special Olympics 100-yard dash, where the runners stopped to help a fallen fellow athlete. They picked him up, linked arms, and finished together.

What should matter most in life is helping others win.

Rogers speaks of love as the force that guides our choices and of the unique beauty each of us contributes to the world. And that many essential things are often not visible to the eye: the people who believe in us, the kindness we carry, and the ability to know we are good enough.

He ends with the song he wrote for his neighborhood: “It’s you I like.”

There’s even an endearing episode where Tony Bennett sings it to Lady Elaine Fairchilde—proof that even the coolest voices in music enjoyed the simple power of Mister Rogers’ neighborhood.

I hope you feel a little more connected today, a little more seen, and a little more ready to help someone else win. 

Wishing you a blessed weekend in your neighborhood!

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

The last time I responded on X was in early January. I found myself getting negative. X just seemed like a very negative site where young men are against young women and vice versa, young adults are against old "boomer types" and vice versa, political differences making us hate one another...

As a serial entrepreneur, remaining positive and being in a positive environment is essential to success. There are enough obstacles to building successful companies, and spending any time in a negative environment is counterproductive.

So, I spent the last 9 months working with a close friend as she built an amazing 24/7 life and career development app primarily to help people under 30, women, minorities, and neurodiverse people. It's an amazing app launching at the end of this month, offered as a monthly subscription. Learn more about it at https://t.co/Zr6nBP2gYy.

Will start posting more, focusing on sharing ideas/suggestions that help people and move us forward in a positive way, rather than dividing us. Hope everyone is having a fun weekend!

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Your point is that we’re really no different than lions in the jungle. You’re basically saying human society should be like the lions where there are top males that mate with women and the other men just exist in a hierarchical structure catering to the lead men and their women.

Not sure how that would work. Probably would cause an uprising because humans have weapons beyond pure physical attributes.

And some portion of society, probably the majority, want to experience true and deep love, which is well beyond physical “Chad” attraction.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

This should be easy to fix with AI and get to the truth. Dating apps need forget the left/right feature and give clear, honest representation of men/women that are your physical match.

The reason they won't do this is probably because no one would pay for the app - they would be horrified of her/his physical equivalents. But, at least it would start to give a dose of reality of where you stand in looks and begin to correct the delusions in your mind.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

This is all subjective opinion and very far from the truth. Unfortunately, we now live in a "you can't say that" world, and some of us like you suck up for attention, rather than just being honest.

With AI, I would love to see dating apps that take your picture, then sort through eligible men and give women a realistic, truthful view of men that match. It should be simple to create this feature, but most women would get sick to their stomachs at the sight of their actual, objectively assessed physical matches on the dating app.

There should also be a "suck up" feature that posts like community notes. This post would be highlighted as the suck-up, disingenuous, trying to score points with political correctness note. Sucking up is worse than people who are on the other side, because you are providing a false narrative that distorts the reality of a situation and life.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

I thought this disconnect between men and women was all hype. For generations, once we got past arranged marriages and being able to marry for love, men and women kind of knew, growing up, the attractiveness category they were in.

When did people become this delusional about how much better they looked compared to the rest? There is only one 7 in the back, and the rest are very average or below average in looks.

The reality is, you may get a drunk guy or a sexually motivated guy that's a 7+, six feet plus tall, with great career potential, and with an income of $ 150k+ to sleep with one or all of these women, but honestly, he's not going to be with any of them. Unless she has the most awesome personality in the world and is the kindest, most caring, and decent woman he's ever met.

After that guy has slept with them, these poor women think and set that male target for themselves. It's an unrealistic target, and people need to get back to reality and make a thorough, realistic assessment of themselves as a potential partner. Otherwise, they're destined to live an unhappy life, and even worse, make their future husbands they settle for miserable because they never got the guy whose only interest in them was a one-night stand or maybe a month or two purely sexual relationship.

The truth hurts sometimes, but that's the problem with the everyone gets a trophy society we created. Very sad for the future of humanity.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Kind of funny seeing all the women hating on this guy. Do the math? She's saving $ 24,000 per year after taxes by living with him. Can someone tell me how he's taking advantage of her? In less than two years, she'll have enough money to buy a home if the relationship ends. In her current $ 3,000 per month rent situation, she's most likely not saving anything for a home.

She needs to count her blessings. She's going to live with a guy she supposedly loves, cut her housing costs in 1/3rd, cut her 1-hour travel time to zero, and live a very nice lifesytle - probably with wonderful vacations she's never been able to afford. She's stepping up in every area of her life.

By the way, Moms also need to start charging their deadbeat sons rent to live in the basement. So, they learn to become responsible adults rather than stay children.

This isn't about not loving the person. This is about providing a hand up while not being taken advantage of. When you pay nothing to your loved one (even your Mom), you become an entitled person with a mindset that you deserve everything for free with no effort on your part. There's no free lunch in life, you should learn to thank and appreciate someone who's giving you lunch at prices others would die for.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Yeah, super red flag. I could see him asking to be the sole owner if he were making a 100% down payment and paying 100% of the monthly mortgage.

One of the responses was best, it should be 30/70 or whatever the actual contribution is to the down payment and the monthly mortgage.

My concern for you and this situation is that he is giving you nothing as his supposed significant other for your financial contribution. When he knows 1000% if he was making a partial investment in any other asset (like an apartment building) where he was involved with an investment group, he would never even think of telling his investment partners, "you put in $ 100,000, and I'll put in $ 300,000 for the down payment. You pay 30% of the monthly building costs, and I'll pay 70%. And, I will take 100% of the asset, and you get nothing."

How many investors do you think would take that deal?

I'd say, "Run, run like the wind from him" - because he provides less fairness to you than a regular person off the street. When people show you who they are, believe them. Good luck!

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

@sarahmccammon Too funny. I want to be there when moms start kicking their sons out of the basement so the unrelated younger guys they want sex can waltz in.

It's only a matter of time. You can only support so many, "so son you have to go : )". Sons, be careful, your days are numbered : )

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

The strangest thing I’ve noticed today is women using the word boyfriend so much. Women say things like they broke up with their boyfriend after two months.

That’s not a boyfriend. That’s a guy who used you for sex for two months. He was most likely above your level. And now you’re setting the bar of your future relationships based on this ex-boyfriend, who had no interest in you whatsoever.

Women should also now just apologize to men for shaming them for dating younger. You’ve always been the same way.

You’re so hateful of misogyny but have no issue with misandry now that it’s available to you. Time to get off your high horse and understand you’re just like every man you couldn’t stand for dating a younger woman.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Keywords are "last boyfriend." You have the same mindset as many men. Many men think younger women are attracted to them because of their knowledge, status, relationship skills, and maturity.

I think the difference is that many older men will marry younger women, thinking she actually loves him. They're too naive (to be kind) to think that all these younger women really want is financial upside and will often cheat with men they're actually physically interested in.

You have this same delusion in that you believe you have the same physical value and attraction as women in their twenties. You don't.

Most handsome young men are in it for some financial benefits and an easier life, until they find a woman they really want to be with. Young men haven't yet gotten to the point where they'll settle down and marry the golden goose.

Look in the mirror and truly understand that you're the same person as the 50-year-old guy looking for love with a 25-year-old woman. Basically, looking for love in all the wrong places.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

This is actually funny. So, younger women dating older guys are gold diggers.

What do you think these guys are? Same thing, different gender.

If you take a positive position on older women dating younger guys, instead of shaming older guys for doing the same thing, you should be supporting them too.

Or is it not a two way street in your world?

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Said differently, older men (Thirties/forties) who aren't married and are interested in a long-term relationship want a woman who isn't up against a wall to have kids.

So, these older men pursue women who aren't up against that wall. This gives them the ability to decide how many kids they would like to have, not constrained by the woman's age.

Younger, hotter men have no interest in a long-term relationship. They're enjoying their lives to the fullest, and the last thing they want is someone wanting to settle down. If you're ok with being another notch on his bedpost, go for it. He's glad to put you on his sex list with the hundred other women already there.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

Well, for many young guys, it's better than living in the basement of your Mom's house. They get the same pampering Mom provides, sex, and don't feel bad about being a parasite and putting Mom in a financial position where she has to keep working/retire much later than she wants.

Why not sponge off someone else?

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

This has been going on for decades. I was never interested, but when I was in my early twenties, my friends would go to a late-night bar where women in their thirties and forties would hang out. Basically, if they struck out with younger women earlier in the night, they went to this bar to get attention and sex.

If you're ok with being a mutually consensual sex partner for these younger guys with a high sex drive, great. But don't fool yourself or be delusional about these guys actually being interested in a long-term relationship with you.

You're wasting your time, unless you're happy being with Mr. Right Now.

[Make A Difference @OneView01]

@BeBetterMan_ I don't care how much you spend on a watch. I had one friend show me his $160,000 watch, which Jerry Seinfeld also owns. I told him I don't care how much you paid for your watch. The coolest watch in the world is still Omega.