Reflections on President Obama’s Visit to Turkey

President Obama recently visited Ankara Turkey where I spent some time when I was in my 20s. Obama is trying to restore our one time great relationship with the Turks and all Muslims. It’s been 50 years since I lived there. What a great relationship I and the US had with the Turkish Muslims. I will never forget as a 15-year-old seeing President Eisenhower as his motorcade drove up Attaturk Blvd.

It was recently my 65th birthday. On that day two American friends that I went to high school with there in Ankara visited me. It brings back so many memories. Oh what great memories of that country with the beautiful singing sounds of the Mulluahs high in the minarets of the Mosques calling the people to prayer 5 times a day.

It seems so crazy to me how so many Christians think so poorly of Muslims and also think that the terrorists are representative of most Muslims. That’s like saying the KKK is representative of most Christians. It was shock to me when I visited Ankara 2 years ago to suddenly feel a spiritual and emotion feeling come over me (and I am not Muslim) when I heard the “call to prayer” from the mosques. Wow, what was that all about. I think I know.

So much of what we believe is more tied up in where we grow up, what we’re taught and who we hang with. The problem is we think that those special spiritual and emotional feelings prove that our own band of religion or belief is the “one true path.” If more Christians and Muslims could see and understand that we are all pretty much the same, then I think the world would be a much much better place.

At least that is what one “local boy” thinks from living and experiencing a Muslim country and culture so many years ago.

Richard Harvey Talks about his Adventures with Mark O. Haroldsen

“Race and religion could’ve divided us but we created a bond in one year that has transcended 40 years.”

– Richard

Richard  is another friend of Mark O. Haroldsen who played on the championship basketball team in high school. Ed came to  Mark’s 65th birthday party. Mark asked me (Janet, the editor of this blog) to interview Richard.

Richard and Mark got separated and Richard always looked for Mark. Then he saw him on TV in a Mercedes. Mark had come up with the idea of buying a home with no money down. He had written a book. Richard looked him up and called him. When Mark discovered who it was, his response was “I’ve been looking for you for 20 years!”

Richard and Mark met in the 60s and there was prejudice. Even though Mark and Ed were inseparable – and saw one another every day – Richard was never allowed inside Mark’s house. Mark’s dad was Mormon.

Years later, Mark and Richard were reunited again at Mark’s wedding reception. It this was a difficult time for Richard. His youngest son Kyle had cancer and he was in the hospital every day with him. He almost didn’t go to the reception. Then he decided to go. When he got to the reception, he could see Mark’s dad from a distance. He started walking towards Richard and he worried that Mark’s dad was coming over to ask him to leave. Instead he thanked Richard for coming.

Mark’s dad then told Richard that he’s going to put his son’s name in the Mormon temple where Mormons all over the world will pray for him. A whole group of people praying for his son.

Later when Richard was back at the hospital with his son and there was a huge commotion in the playroom. Someone was there passing out teddy bears to the kids. This man who was there locked eyes with Richard’s son Kyle, then walked up to him and hugged him and just held him. Richard learned that the man’s name was Donnie Osmond.

“Within 3 days of learning that Mormons were praying for his son the most famous Mormon embraces my son,” Richard recounts. This was a confirmation that Kyle would beat cancer, and he did. A year later Donnie came back and his picture was in the newspaper. He called Kyle to check on him. Richard doesn’t even know how he got their number. Richard told him the story about the temple and how the Mormons were helping him and his son. Donnie was very moved.

Mark jokingly calls Richard his twin brother, despite that they have different colors of skin. They have a lot in common. Both had ended up with successful careers in real estate. Each came from large religious families (7 kids), and both eventually left the religions they were raised in. They became friends in another country and after reuniting, they remain good friends today.

Ed Beckcom Talks about Mark O. Haroldsen

Ed came from Fort Worth Texas to celebrate my birthday and our friendship. You’ll see a picture of Ed as a youth on page 15 of How to Ignite your Passion for Living. We were both in Ankara, Turkey. As teammates on their high school basketball game, won the 1961 High School Mediterranean Championship game in Rome, Italy.

Ed told me about his memories of those times – including that I never told him about the inspiration behind wanting to win a championship game. That inspiration of course was when my brother died instantly on the basketball court, leaving me as the oldest child at age 15.

The championship game was my way to honor my brother and the way his death forever changed my sense of life. I realized then the value that life holds and the limited time we each have to live it. I talk about this in my book.

“Mark is a man of character – a really nice guy with a big heart. He would never intentionally mess anyone over and he’s helped a lot of people out.”

But for 50 years Ed said he’s had a recurring dream of a moment on the court that has haunted him ever since. They were practicing and they didn’t have a track so they ran around the gym. “Mark told me and Richard not to cut the corners. But I caught Mark cutting the corner one time – and that traumatized me ever since (he said, laughing).”

In the championship game they were down by one point with just seconds left in the game. They stole the ball and Richard ran down the court. He passed it to Richard, he trips and while he is falling he throws the ball to the basket. The ball went in. They won the game!

We eventually went their separate ways and lost contact with each other. How did Ed find me after all of this time? It was about 20 years ago – and all of us had lost contact with each other. Then one day Ed opened a magazine in a doctor’s office and he saw me in an advertisement.

There I was sitting in a nice car and the ad talked about one of my seminars. Ed decided to go to one of the seminars. I looked up Richard and the three of us met at a restaurant in Fort Worth. This reignited a friendship that continues today.

– Mark O. Haroldsen

Brotherhood, Purpose, Passion, Love, Unity — Seeing my Brothers

This is a story of the triumph of the human spirit, overcoming adversity, prejudice, and racial difference. It’s about a friendship that started in the 60s – at the heart of the civil rights era.

These powerful words come from my “twin brother” and long-time friend Richard. In my book I talk about Richard and Ed. We all played basketball together and went to the championships when we lived in Turkey – I’m sure you may have read about it in my book. Richard is black and in those days, that mattered a lot to many people. But to me he was a friend.

I saw Richard recently when he came to Utah for my 65th birthday party. I’ll post more about that soon – but first I wanted to share this with you. Richard sent this to me when he got home (I asked if I could share it):

Mark-O, without thought or contemplation, we collectively created a world that Martin Luther King dreamed of and spoke of in 1963 in his famous “I have a dream speech” delivered August 28, 1963. While he was dedicating his life to such a dream, we had and were living that very dream nearly 50 years ago.

No one told us to approach our lives in that way, it was a natural collection of positive energy founded on the primes that King spoke of – we, you, I and Ed judged each other based on the chracter of our being and not on the color of our skin, religious belief, or US Southern orientation. More amazing is the fact that 48 years later, we still hold the same love, admiration and respect for each other. Can you imagine knowing someone for 48 years and never ever having a cross word between the three souls?

When folk speak of twins, they are basing it on how the people physically look. In our case, I am your twin brother because we have twin spirits. The relationship that we have personifies the term “Soul Brother…”.

Our souls have found common energy and the flow is directed from within and not from what we may see from the outside. When we won the Med Championship, we had collective energy, a common goal and a commitment to be the Champions in Basketball. This same mental application has brought about a life time spiritual Championship.

Happy 65, my twin brother.

Martin Luther King spoke of it in 1963, our president Barak Obama who just stood on our turf 48 years later promotes the same world that we lived in 48 years ago. Brothers of the spirit and not of the physical. A much higher plain. Love you man!!!

Thanks and love to you Richard and Ed — still my brothers after all this time!

Meeting a Champion – Jimmy Shea at Mark O. Haroldsen’s Book Signing

This is a picture with me and Jimmy Shea, Jr. He came to one of my book signings at Costco. Jimmy is an Olympic champion with quite a story.

As Jimmy describes his life and how reaching his goals and overcoming blocks to becoming a champion:

“As a youth growing up in Lake Placid, NY, Jim’s involvement in sports helped him overcome the doubt he experienced due to his battle with Dyslexia. Having a severe learning disorder taught Jim the importance of perseverance and hard work. A lesson emphasized by his father and grandfather, both Winter Olympic Athletes.”

When Jim competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics (in the Men’s Skeleton), he became the only American to have the distinction of being a third generation Olympian. In 1932 his Grandfather, speed skater Jack Shea, became the first American to win two Winter Olympic Gold medals. In 1964 Jim’s father, Jim Shea, Sr. competed in the Nordic Combined at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics.

Jimmy also believes in giving back. He founded the Shea Family Foundation to help young Olympians in the sports he and his family have competed in for generations.

It’s great meeting people like Jimmy at book signings – thanks for coming!

– Mark O. Haroldsen

Mark O. Haroldsen’s Birthday Bash

Mark recently turned 65 and his wife Kimberly threw a huge party for him. You’ll see from the video how many people came to celebrate the day with him.

When everyone arrived, they saw this sign in front of Mark’s house:

As his manager and friend Mike Hansen says, “Mark never lets go of people.” You could definitely see that at his birthday party. The house was filled with friends – some from over 30 years ago. Richard and Ed flew in to celebrate – and we’ll post an interview with them shortly.

On page 90 of Mark’s book: How to Ignite your Passion for Living he talks about making checklists to plan social events (or anything else you’re doing). One of the things he has on the list is for the best caterers in town. I think he got that one – the food was healthy (most of it), there was more than plenty (and drinks to go around) and it was amazing!

Here’s a video taken at the party:

Learning Increases Passion

When you learn something new or challenge yourself, your brain is stimlulated to release hormones that make you feel good. As Mark talks about in his books this “feel good” brain chemical is prevalent when your young. Then in your 30s it begins to decline. You have to do things to stimulate it. One way is through learning.

The Internet has so many resources that are free – you can learn from the brightest people alive.

Here are two examples:

Academic Earth – has free lectures from the world’s top scholars

Ted – inspired talks from the world’s top thinkers and doers

I also listen to free podcasts and meditations on iTunes. What about you? What do you do to keep learning?

Mark O. Haroldsen Discusses New Book on YouTube

Here is a video of one of Mark’s news appearances. Notice how passionate he is as he talks about his new book: Ignite Your Passion for Living

Mark O. Haroldsen on Fox 13 Utah

Mark O. Haroldsen appeared on Fox 13 television station this week (click the link to view now) to talk about Ignite My Life Now – his new book. The interviewers asked him how to avoid getting discouraged over the economy. The first thing he said was “stop listening to the news.” I had to laugh.

You’ll see from the video that you really need to read his book – not just watch his appearance! And thanks for plugging the web site where anyone can get a free copy.

Of course Mark talks about goals and his BRAM formula which is to look over the – Benefits, Reasons and Motivations for a goal. Write down the benefits of your goal and the reasons you have it. Read those notes again when you’re weak and it helps you keep your focus.

ObsessedTV.com Debuts – Inteviews Passionate Entrepreneurs

Have you heard of ObsessedTV? It’s a show that interviews entrepreneurs to talk about their passion. It’s an online-only talk show. Rather than showing people fighting, it’s about happy people doing what they love.

“We want to create a destination that takes a deeper look into personalities that we know will make the audience and advertisers both very happy.”
—Gary Vaynerchuk, host — along with Samantha Ettus

The first one (it’s geared towards women) features renowned floral designer Preston Bailey.

I had a chance to do a quick impromptu interview with Ettus.

Why is it important to get story behind the entrepreneur?

Because if we could use anything in these difficult times, it is a dose of pure passion. All entrepreneurs have it in spades. For people who have their own businesses or those that have entertained dreams of starting them, there is nothing more motivating than hearing the stories of successful entrepreneurs.

Will my Mom want to see this show? She’s 50 and loves Oprah.

Definitely! This show is geared towards those people that love to hear the story behind the person. If you like to know what motivates people, what their personal lives are like, their professional paths and their personalities, then this show will become your favorite source of entertainment.

Putting your show on the web as opposed to television is a no-brainer, but are you worried that the “Oprah audience” is mainly still attached to their set top boxes?

We believe the Oprah audience is ready to take their passion for people online. But they are also representative of the kinds of people we are aiming at attracting. Those that love people and their stories. Most of our guests appear on talk shows every day giving expert advice but rarely are they asked about their paths to success and their personal stories. There hasn’t been an episode yet in which a guest hasn’t exclaimed, “I’ve never shared that before.”

The possibilities are endless on the web. What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far?

The web makes it so that we are no longer constrained to three minute segments like TV talk shows and that has made these interviews far more compelling than any other medium can offer. Of course, I am constantly in awe of how much more there is to learn – it is exactly as you describe – endless – and changing at a jaw dropping clip.

Will you use social media tools on Obsessed, and how will you build the community?

We are going to get in the trenches – Our attachment to our community will be very different than any other show out there because I will be interacting with our audience on a daily basis through Twitter, Facebook, and Ustream. This will enable us to be in touch with our viewers likes and dislikes and respond rapidly to give our community the best show possible.

Check out ObsessedTV and tell me what you think in the comments!

Andrew Mager is an associate technical producer at CBS Interactive Business. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

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