How I Visualized Calling The Shots In Hollywood When I Was A Pimple-Faced Kid In Ohio
When I was 13, I knew who I wanted to be when I grew up—a big-shot Television programmer. I visualized about the day I would hire and fire producers, wine and dine the talent, and present my programming line up to advertisers. I created a storyboard in my mind as to what my life would look like. To this day, I have a piece of paper that I authored when I was just about to enter high school. On it is a diagram of my life's goals—up to age 50. I remember creating a "backwards thinking" road map of each step I would need to take in order to achieve my ultimate goal. By thinking "backwards" rather than "forwards" you have already mentally achieved your goal—and you're simply filling in the steps necessary to get there.
Look at it this way, suppose your goal is to find your true love in the castle at the top of the highest mountain. Traditional "forward thinking" would have you climb the steep mountain in an effort to reach your destination—fighting the elements, the terrain, the fear of the unknown—and wondering if your princess is actually going to be there—and available—once you reach the top! Whereas with "backward thinking" you have already reached your destination, won the heart of your princess, and now all you have to do is to simply get down the hill—and back home. Face it; it's a lot easier looking down from the top, than looking up from the bottom.
Ironically I reached my goal in half the time that I had planned for. By the time I was 25 I was in Hollywood heading up global marketing and creative affairs for King World. I was hand-picked by the King Brothers to join the company when it only had a handful of employees, and assets of just a few million dollars. I was the main creative and marketing honcho on the west coast, reporting directly to the President and CEO, Michael King. We had garnered the rights to a couple of shows that had been canceled on the networks and turned them into the two biggest syndicated series of all-time—WHEEL OF FORTUNE and JEOPARDY! I then had the privilege of working with, and launching, OPRAH WINFREY nationally, along with top producers like Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, and dozens of others. While most of my friends had just graduated from college and started their careers, I was already in Hollywood starring in the role that I had visualized when I was 13. Years later, King World sold for billions of dollars. WHEEL, JEOPARDY, and OPRAH still remain at the top of the rating charts!
Throughout my career I have visualized each and every career move. I have painted storyboards in my head—providing myself with a road map to achieving my goals and fulfilling my short and long-term purpose. Prayer is also a powerful tool that I use. It helps me ask God to paint my storyboard for me. There is simply no greater artist than my Creator—the master of the universe.
(C)Copyright 2008 David Sams