I am not a big fan of reality television. I will occasionally watch a show with real people on it, talking about real things going on in the real world. 

I do have to admit a fondness for cooking shows. More specifically, food shows. “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” is a favorite. Triple D with Guy Fieri.  Because of Guy, I watched a cooking reality show where contestants had to make a meal out of limited ingredients. I watched contestants sweat over not having this ingredient or that. One of them was crying over not having cilantro! 

Big deal, my momma did that all that time. 

Sara Clay could beat all these people like a 5th grade bully, taking their milk money. She could look in the cupboard and take down some of this and some of that, and “throw down”! 

You would never know something was missing. 

As an adult looking back, I now realize that the only way we made it was due to her intellect, instincts, intuition, imagination and inspiration. My dad was there and did a lot, but my momma was a straight warrior. She was one of the most ingenious, imaginative and innovative people I have ever known…I miss my momma. 

She taught me how to think. 

More importantly, she taught me how to survive. I have never been the fighting type in the traditional sense. She nurtured my inclination for book learning and helped me turn that into a method of survival as a child. It was that same approach that has helped me develop sophisticated business principles and models that have helped build billion-dollar companies. 

When you boil it down to its core, the approach to meeting and beating challenges that she passed on to me really isn’t complicated. It is the same approach she would use when she faced a bare cupboard. 

Tell me what you want. 

Tell me what you have. 

THINK. 

She wouldn’t give answers and she wouldn’t let you off the hook. With a hug and a smile, she would tell you the answer is there. Look for it. 

Think. 

The ideas will tell you what to do…with what you have…to get you what you want. 

What she taught me, is the reason I never panic when there appears to be… 

A Missing Ingredient!