Hester Street

A lot of people asked me about the sign behind me the Hester street sign.

And what is that?

Why I have that there.

Hester Street is actually a street in lower Manhattan. And it's where my grandfather, I call him Pop, It's where pop grew up at the intersection of Chrystie Street and Hester Street.

And I have that back there as a reminder of Pop.

Because growing up, he was just the best man I knew, the strongest man I knew. I never knew anyone that had such pride in his family.

And he just had this fire in his eyes.

Tough guy on the outside, but soft and squishy on the inside.

And I can remember, he was driving a cab into his late 80s. Well, beyond the years, he should have been driving a cab. He wasn't seeing too well. But evidently had a number of accidents we didn't know anything about. And one day he got fired from the cab company.

And he had too much pride to even tell us.

My grandmother told us he was fired. And my grandparents actually lived right downstairs from us in an apartment building in the Bronx. So we were with them every night for dinner, and after dinner, watching TV, Yankee games, whatever it was.

And, you know, I still remember that day that he got fired.

Because for me, it feels like that was the last day I really saw my grandfather. He lived two years after that day, but the fire went out of his eyes, he lost that pride, he lost that strength.

So he was around, but he just wasn't Pop anymore.

And what that taught me is that, at that point in his life, everything for him was about looking back. There was no looking forward with any kind of excitement or energy. He felt like he was useless. And wasn't Pop anymore, didn't have that fire in his eyes. And what it taught me is that I never want to lose that.

As a coach, I don't want my clients to ever lose that. For me, I'm always looking for that next dragon to slay.

What's that next scary thing?

I'm going to do because I feel like the day I say, I'm done. The best part of my life is behind me is the day I stop being me.

So what is that next dragon for you?

What's that next big, bold, scary thing that you're going to do?

That's going to keep that fire burning in your belly. Keep that strength, keep that energy, keep that passion in your life. Never lose that.

What's your next dragon?