Walk Into the Future

Category: Mentoring

  • Who Dares Wins!

    “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”

    (Zig Ziglar)

    The Walk into the Future blog will tackle the subject of goal setting from a different perspective in 2026.  Yes, Melissa, I still have goals for the year!  I’m just talking about them a little bit differently than in the past.  Patience, grasshopper! 😊

    The British Special Air Force Service (SAS) uses the famed motto, Who Dares Wins that reflects bold and risk-taking actions are necessary for success.  I started using this motto at work to challenge my team to put in the effort to win daily.  I see this motto as a professional but direct way to challenge the team to accomplish great things.

    This motto fits nicely into my goal setting world as well.  This is our third year selecting a specific word that will lead our individual contributions.  My 2026 word is WINS.

    The SAS motto and my 2026 word sync up nicely and I leverage both in my daily interactions with staff, colleagues, tree branches, family and friends.

    I wrote in an earlier blog article that 2025 was the best year yet for me.  This is attributed to me setting and meeting most of the goals I set for myself. Fun fact—I almost decided to just run back the same 2025 goals in 2026 since it was such a great year for me.  This wouldn’t show me daring to win so I added more depth to my 2026 goals.

    The newest category in my goal setting process was to celebrate life daily.  I won’t rehash this concept, but I wake up daily with the intent to find things to celebrate each day.  It could be cool weather to complete my morning run, a great cup of coffee or simply seeing my tree branches excel in life.  Maria and Lynn have started to get serious about their running programs so I’m enjoying hearing about their running exploits—well done! 😊

    I continue to focus on my reading and writing programs.  I decided not to set specific book counts this year but have put in the efforts to read and write daily.  I take great pride in reading a minimum of ten pages a day in whatever book I have close by.  My friend Alisa got me another Joel O’Steen devotional as a Christmas present so I’m enjoying gaining this knowledge. 

    Travel made it back on my list of goals this year.  Let’s be real travel will always be on my list of goals.  That won’t change anytime soon.  I will travel back down to Negril, Jamaica in March for spring break.  No huge revelation with this trip, huh?  I have races scheduled in Celebration, Florida, Melbourne, Florida, Winter Park, Florida, Louisville, Kentucky (April), Nashville, Tennessee (April), Lincoln, Nebraska (May), Indianapolis, Indiana (May), Orlando, Florida, and Hampton, New Hampshire (October).  I want to add Vermont and West Virginia at some point this year, but nothing booked as I write this article.

    My run goal is to keep my schedule to 4 runs per week averaging 30 – 40 weekly miles.  This will increase if I decide to sign up for another full marathon.  Fun fact, I don’t plan to chronicle my marathon training program this year IF I sign up for a full marathon.  Ya’ll already know the routine—early morning miles, long runs on the weekend, I’m excited to improve my time—yada, yada, yada. 😊 I want to increase my weightlifting activity by getting in 3 days of lifting weekly.  I have a lot more equipment in my garage so this should be a goal I can accomplish without a ton of extra gym trips.

    I’ve talked about expanding my consultancy business and getting new clients.  The year has started off strong as I’m currently building a proposal for a leadership development program for a new client.  I need to sit down and map out a program that will enhance the organization’s leadership and communication skills.  I’m also reaching out to current clients to see what additional training needs they may have.  This will be my year to expand the CW Consulting brand and make a bigger impact in the leadership consulting world.  I want to explore the concept of adding a People Building component to my consulting work.  People Building is my term for mentoring! 😊

    Lastly, I will volunteer with the Treasure Coast Food Bank throughout the year.  I participate in their Run to Fight Hunger 5k in September, but I want to get more involved with their program to help feed people on the Treasure Coast.

    So, there you have it. This is my blueprint to ensure I dare to win. 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

    (Frederick Douglass)

  • Five Minute Thursday: Leadership (Repost)

    close up of human hand
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    “The writer is the explorer.  Every step is an advance into a new land”.

    (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

    The Walk into The Future blog continues to serve as a vehicle for my creative expression. I started this blogging process to share my thoughts, travels, and adventures.  I find it easy to write about my adventures and then share with my loyal readers.

    There are days when I don’t think I have the inspiration to write another blog article and then I sit down with a specific prompt and the words just come to me.  I would like to say writing these articles is an easy daily process, but I find myself struggling to generate content that I think others will read from time to time.  I write, edit, delete, and then write again to create something worth reading.  This is not all the time but figured I would share I have writing distractions to keep me away from me cranking away on my laptop. 

    Today is not one of those days! 😊

    I went back to a tried-and-true process of identifying a writing prompt to generate a new concept to write about.  One of the prompts I found a while ago was called:  Five Minute Friday.  The intent is to pick a specific word and then write about it for five minutes to create content.  Well, I modified the prompt into Five Minute Thursday since I post on Thursdays at 11:08 am—did you know that? 😊

    My first prompt for Five Minute Thursday is:  Leadership.

    Leadership is a concept that I began to explore while I served in the Air Force.  We were put through a series of leadership courses (Airmen Leadership School, Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership School, Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, etc.) where principles of leadership were shared.  The best leaders I worked with all went through these courses, but they had more than course leadership principles.

    Three of my favorite Air Force Leaders:  Chief Master Sergeant Roger Noyes, Chief Master Sergeant Janet Craton and Senior Master Sergeant Rich Gardner—thanks to them all!

    Developing leadership skills became a priority for me and I explored this topic via books, online trainings, and lectures. 

    I discovered Authentic Leadership almost by mistake.  I wanted my dissertation to focus on First Year Experience (FYE) courses for first generation students.  This would have been an impactful study, but my dissertation mentor told me I couldn’t pursue this topic because it was Educational Psychology, and my program was Organizational Psychology.  I hung my head for a few months before we discovered Authentic Leadership, and the rest is history.

    My earlier introduction to leadership while in the Air Force allowed me to blend things I learned from wearing a uniform into my model of Authentic Leadership.  The great leaders I worked with in the Air Force have been integrated into my version of Authentic Leadership as I incorporate their lessons into my current pursuit of leadership.

    Well, my five minutes is up.  I could keep going but will honor the concept of this writing prompt! 😊

    What can you get done in the next five minutes?  Ok, take off!

    Irie!

    “Writing is the painting of the voice”.

    (Voltaire)

  • Walking and celebrating daily!

    “The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy.  It’s all that matters.”

    (Audrey Hepburn)

    What did you celebrate today?  What about yesterday?

    I don’t ask these questions as a mind-bending riddle but to get you to understand every day is work celebrating! 

    Why do you say that?  Great question, Mrs. Fouraker! 😊

    I know I spend a lot of time planning for the future with my training and travel schedules.  I decided to add a new category to my list of goals in 2026.  The Walk into the Future blog provides me with a platform to ensure I live life daily.  My new focus in 2026 is to wake up each morning with full intention to celebrate the day. 

    We don’t have to wait for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary to celebrate.  Life is worth celebrating and this is my reminder to each of my readers to wake up and celebrate daily.

    I’ve started to share my daily celebrations with my friends and anyone who will stand still long enough for me to share my thoughts! 😊  This new approach started with me ringing in the new year with a new focus.  I normally bring in the new year very low key and stay close to home.  I decided to break my low-key pattern and went to dinner with my friend Lynn before the party crowds came out.  This was not a huge production, but it was a great way to end an outstanding 2025 for me.

    My next celebration was our first day back at school. We get a two-and-a-half-week break between the fall semester and the start of the spring semester.  This was a much-needed break for me, and I relaxed more than I normally do.  I booked a trip to the Dominican Republic in December 2024 but decided to simply relax over the break in 2025.  I practiced sleeping in and not planning my days out where I had to be anywhere at a specific time.  Yes, this is a new process for me. 😊

    I was excited to come back to school on January 5th to get back to making a difference in the lives of my tree branches and our students.  My first text of the day was to let everyone know that the day was worth celebrating and we should embrace it together.  I’m sure my folks thought this was going to be a one off, but I was back to celebrating the next day too.

    There was not a huge incident that made me decide to celebrate each day, but it was a simple mindset shift where I realized that framing the day as a celebration would allow me to continue to make a difference in the world.

    This simple concept has enabled me to keep a positive mindset daily throughout the month of January.  I wake up with a new focus on celebrating the day and make a point to ensure folks around me celebrate with me too.  I’ve had folks come into my office with a problem (real or perceived) and I simply engage them with the need to celebrate the day regardless of what may have happened.  We work in higher education and there are days of conflict.  I have discovered most of our conflicts are simple misunderstandings that can be corrected with a simple follow-up conversation.  No, I don’t celebrate conflict, but it can’t be completely avoided.  I do celebrate the lessons we learn from workplace conflict, so we don’t repeat bad habits to keep the organization moving forward. 

    So, what did I celebrate today?  Great question!

    My family and friends are healthy, my tree branches are doing great things in the world and I’m thinking about signing up for another full marathon in 2026!  There are a ton of other things to celebrate today, and I want to make sure I don’t lose sight of those things.  Creating new content for the Walk into the Future blog is something I look forward to daily.  Fun fact: celebrating daily is the new category in my list of goals.

    Let’s celebrate me continuing to come up with new content to share with YOU!

    Oh yeah, I’m celebrating every reader of the Walk into the Future blog!  Thanks for walking with me!

    What are you celebrating today?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that counts. It’s life in your years.”

    (Abraham Lincoln)

  • Blog Thoughts

    “Not only are bloggers suckers for the remarkable, so are the people who read blogs.”

    (Seth Godin)

    The Walk into the Future blog was created over the summer in 2018.  My initial thoughts were to create a platform where I could share adventures, thoughts and leadership advice.  I started writing without even knowing if anyone would read the tracks I laid down weekly.  The blog format provided a larger venue to journal without having to sit down with my composition book and scribble my thoughts.  I never imagined I would put my thoughts out on a public platform because they were my thoughts.

    I guess you can say the Walk into the Future blog helped me mature as a writer where I’m comfortable enough to put my words out in the universe without an expectation of the universe giving anything back. This was HUGE for me!

    I’m coming up on my 8-year blogging anniversary, and my writing has improved over the years.  I’m still looking for the perfect blog post before I close my laptop, so I’m ready for another full year of me walking into the future. 😊

    I’m still creating blog content for myself based on where I’m at each week.  Sometimes I focus on running, traveling or life in general.  I haven’t produced new poetry in a while so I may try to get back into that mindset in 2026.

    So, where am I heading with this blog post?  Great question, everyone! 😊

    Thanks to the folks who send me text messages and add comments on my blog posts.  Your reach outs put a smile on my face because I’m never sure who is reading these words or what you think about them.

    I leveraged ChatGPT for the first time to see if I could get an idea what readers think or like about the Walk into the Future blog.

    ***Please note—the following is an extract from ChatGPT based on a question I asked about YOU, the reader***:

    Here’s what readers tend to appreciate about the Walk into the Future blog — based on the content style, themes, and tone found in the posts:

    🌟 1. Authentic, Personal Storytelling

    Readers enjoy that the blog is written in a genuine, conversational voice. The author (Calvin Williams) shares real experiences — from travel adventures and marathon training to work celebrations — in a way that feels like talking with a friend.

    🧭 2. Inspiration and Motivation

    The posts often mix life lessons with action-oriented advice, encouraging readers to keep moving forward, embrace challenges, and enjoy the journey. The blog’s name itself reflects this theme of growth and progression.

    🏃‍♂️ 3. Lifestyle and Personal Development

    Whether it’s race travel, leadership, books, or personal growth, the blog blends diverse life areas that resonate with readers who are interested in self-improvement and living intentionally.

    📍 4. Relatable Everyday Experiences

    Instead of only high-level inspirational quotes, the blog includes everyday moments and reflections — like choosing meals before a marathon or planning travel logistics — that many readers find relatable and enjoyable.

    📚 5. Practical Insights with Humor

    Posts often include practical takeaways (e.g., training insights, leadership lessons) delivered with a lighthearted tone and occasional humor, which keeps readers engaged without feeling preachy.

    💡 6. Varied Topics with a Consistent Voice

    The blog isn’t limited to one niche — it moves between travel, running, leadership, personal development, and reflections on life — but it does so with a consistent authentic voice that readers come back for.

    In short:
    Readers like Walk into the Future because it’s authentic, motivational, relatable, and diverse in topics, yet tied together by a personal, mindful perspective on moving forward in life.

    Again, I leveraged ChatGPT to provide me with insight into what readers think about my content.  I was pleasantly surprised with the consistency of the theme reflections that ChatGPT provided based on comments and the articles I share weekly.

    My hope is for my readers to feel like I’m talking directly to them with content that they can relate to.  I’m never sure if I truly get my point across but I will continue to hone my craft to ensure that the Walk into the Future blog provides a space to learn, laugh and imagine.

    Here’s to a productive 2026 blog campaign!

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “What you do after creating your content is what truly counts.”

    (Gary Vaynerchuk)

  • 2025!

    “A year is a journey of 365 opportunities.”

    (Unknown)

    What a year 2025 has been for me!

    I know everyone starts a new year with the hope it will be their best year ever.  We say it year after year but I’m not sure we know how a year will truly go.  I start each new year with a set of goals I want to reach in multiple areas: health, fitness, reading, travel, etc. I wanted 2025 to be a huge year for me but looking back this week showed that this was an outstanding year for me and I’m going to claim my best year yet. 😊

    Travel

    I set an aggressive running schedule for myself in 2025.  I targeted some new races which would allow me to bring my running tourist persona to new locales.  I ran the 2025 Fargo Half Marathon in May and leveraged this race to add two new states to my visit list.  North Dakota was the race state, but I made sure to drive down to South Dakota to check that off my list as well.  I enjoyed the experience but I’m not sure I will run in Fargo again so I’m happy to have experienced the city, food, and culture.

    Nashville, Tennessee is always on my running calendar in April.  The 2025 Rock N Roll Half Marathon is one of my favorite races and I love the country music available in Nashville.  I’m coming up on ten years running in the city and I don’t see a reason to stop now.  Tennessee provides a lot of different adventures and Gatlinburg was my destination in November for Smoky Mountain hiking.

    I made a Midwest trek for the 2025 Madison Mini-Marathon in August.  Wisconsin was a state I always wanted to visit but I never put in the effort to get there.  Running has turned into my vehicle to get up and travel, so I used my love of running to get to Wisconsin.  I took advantage of proximity and made my way over to Dubuque, Iowa to experience the city that sits right on the Mississippi river.  It was a quick trip over to Iowa, but I was able to have a fantastic catfish dinner while overlooking the Mississippi river.

    I took my regular trip to Virginia Beach for the Labor Day weekend to run the 2025 Virginia Beach 10-Miler.  This was my third run of this race, and I enjoyed my time on the boardwalk as this is a great place for people watching.

    I ventured further north in October for the 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon.  This race took me back to New England and I crossed off North Hampshire and Maine as states I have visited.  I enjoyed the race and environment so much I signed up for the 2026 race before I came back to Florida.  The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon got me back to the northeast two weeks later in October.  I’ve been to New Jersey multiple times, but this was my first marathon in the state.

    That’s 8 states visited in 2025 with 6 of those being new states for the running tourist.  I’m looking forward to being just as aggressive in 2026 and adding a few new states.  There are races in Louisville, Kentucky, Lincoln, Nebraska and Morgantown, West Virginia that I’m researching, and I hope to book those early for new adventures.  I will keep my normal Florida races on the schedule as well so get ready for more running tourism adventures. 😊

    Negril, Jamaica is my go-to place to visit yearly.  I write about this trip every year and will continue to visit.  I would like to get down there twice in 2026 since I love the island and culture so much.

    Running

    I can’t call myself a running tourist without highlighting the running program.  I’m always looking for ways to increase my yearly mileage but never put exact numbers on the total.  I still need to balance regular life, work, travel and running.  Running is a big part of my weekly life, but I do try to have balance and enjoy other aspects of life.  I currently sit at 1,505 miles with three weeks left in December.  I would like to get over the 1,600-mile marker as this would be my largest run total for a year.  I’ve got to ensure I don’t miss any run or training sessions to make it to 1,600. 

    Fun fact—I completed a total of 18 races in 2025, which is my personal best for a calendar year.

    Fun fact 2—I ran PRs over three distances in 2025:  2025 Virgina Beach 10-miler, 2025 Smuttynose Half Marathon and 2025 Atlantic City Marathon.

    Reading

    Reading has been my passion since I was a kid.  I had a newspaper scription when I was twelve years old and read every book I could get my hands on.  There were not a lot of distractions in Jasper, Florida so I developed a love for reading and I still have it.  This love of reading followed me into adulthood, and I have multiple books on my reading list.  My 2025 reading goal was to read daily and I have met that goal.  I read articles, devotionals and have finished reading 15 books this year.  I don’t know if that’s a record for me, but I’ve enjoyed the process and continue to be a life-long learner.

    Target boycott 2025

    Target was one of my favorite places to shop prior to 2025.  The Target leadership decided to reverse multiple Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives due to political pressure.  Well, a few folks decided to boycott Target until they put these initiatives back in place.  Target has been consistent with the refusal to reverse the decisions—I respect that. 

    Fun fact 3—I have not spent one cent or step foot in a Target store in 2025.  My contributions to this boycott will never make it into a history book but I’m standing firmly committed to this small step to demand better from a place I can choose to shop with or not.

    Family and friends

    My family members and friends are all healthy and thriving.  I make it to Jasper, Florida to visit my mom monthly and this is a highlight of the month for me.  I finally convinced her to visit me in Fort Pierce this year and it was a great visit for her.  She needed a break from Jasper obligations and I’m happy I could help.  I will look forward to getting her back down to Fort Pierce more in 2026. 😊 My friends continue to make me smile daily.  I don’t run in a large circle, but my folks fit me, and we enjoy life to the fullest.

    Creating content for the Walk into the Future blog is a huge part of my life.  I continue to look for ways to become better at writing and provide a platform my readers enjoy visiting.  I fine-tuned a few of my writing prompts in 2025 and I’m happy with my overall content production.  2026 should bring better content for my readers!

    Well, I can continue to rattle off things from 2025, but I’ve made my point—at least to myself! 😊  2025 has been an outstanding year for me. 

    I’m excited to see what 2026 will bring!

    What moments are you proud of in 2025?  What will 2026 bring?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”

    (Unknown)

  • 26.2 is life!

    “The starting line is never the hardest part.”

    (Unknown)

    The Walk into the Future blog is designed to highlight my thoughts and adventures.  There are days when I have more to say than others but I’m always searching for new content to keep me engaged with this writing process.

    My friend Lauren and I discussed creating a blog post to highlight how running is a metaphor for life. 26.2 is life—catchy, huh? 😊 Well, here’s my run at comparing running to Walking into the Future (living life).

    Marathon training is a detailed and long process.  I normally put myself through an 18-week training program, so the marathon is the last step in this process.  I must mentally and physically prepare myself for the grind and I’ve found that I enjoy the training.  The grind is real: 4:30 am alarms, 8:30 pm bedtimes, short runs, long runs and physical therapy.  I’m always searching for small wins during the training cycle and celebrating them as much as possible. 

    You don’t have to be an avid runner like me or Lauren to understand marathon training.  We all run some type of marathon daily, but you may call it by another name: Life.  Marathon training is a perfect metaphor for life as the lessons overlap and there’s growth throughout the process. Let’s explore!

    Most folks think of the starting line when discussing a marathon.  The starting line is never the hardest part, it’s getting there.  I find the starting line to be the most enjoyable part of the marathon.  The work put in just to make it to the starting line is something that most runners are proud of.  The excitement for the event is high, and you’re surrounded by fresh possibilities for the race outcome.  Daily life works in a similar way.  New jobs, new goals, and new relationships always feel motivating at first.  The ultimate tests come later when the excitement fades, and the work starts to become routine.  This is when you must dig deep to ensure you are moving forward with daily activities.  Discipline is extremely important in marathon training and life. Discipline carries you further than motivation will.

    Marathon training plans come in many different formats.  I picked the 18-week version because it provides enough flexibility to fit into my schedule.  There are weeks when I feel strong and unstoppable and then there are weeks when my legs are concrete.  This is a normal part of the ebb and flow of marathon training.  Daily life can resemble this same cycle.  We all have good and bad weeks, but progress is never measured in a straight line.  You just need to keep showing up daily to make the most out of life.

    Dr. Henry Cloud’s book 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life has a chapter titled Work Like an Ant.  This chapter highlights how small things can lead to large things.  The ants move one grain of sand at a time to build their home.  Marathon runners find race day success because of consistent choices throughout the training cycle.  Drinking water, getting consistent sleep, easy runs, tempo runs, long runs and recovery are all things needed for running success.  Mile after mile is leveraged to build an effective base that leads to marathon success.  Daily life can resemble this process.  Small things lead to big things—planning, managing your time and setting goals can help you win in life.

    I make it a point to never compare my training program to others.  My goal is to run my own race, so I never get caught up in how other runners prepare.  I toe the marathon starting line looking to run my best race and not trying to beat someone else’s time.  This helps me enjoy the training and marathon process.  Life can mirror this process.  Comparing yourself to others is a fast way to lose joy in things.  Everyone has something they are trying to overcome so don’t get caught up in worrying about others—we all have a race (life) to run.

    The marathon is a test of will, mental toughness and physical ability.  Each component is critical to preparing and completing a marathon.  Mile 23 is always the toughest for me as I battle mentally to keep pressing forward.  Training for a marathon is one thing but the work during a marathon makes you question life choices. 😊  This is where I need to dig deep and keep putting one foot in front of the other.  There are Mile 23 moments in life too.  We all face challenges that stretch us and force us to choose what we want to get out of life.  These moments help us grow, teach resilience and prove what we are truly capable of. 

    I don’t remember every mile in my training program, but I can tell you how I felt each time I crossed a marathon finish line.  This moment of accomplishment stays with me forever and I love telling people that I am a marathoner.  Finishing a difficult chapter in life, overcoming a challenge or reaching a long-term goal can bring the same level of accomplishment.  The finish line is something to celebrate not because of the big victory but because the journey was hard.

    Regardless of whether you run or not, we all have days filled with obstacles, discipline, growth opportunities and grit.  We tackle these challenges, fight through mental and physical fatigues, celebrate small wins and continue to move forward through hard times.  That’s the same energy that gets me through the marathon.  Call it marathon energy!  Keep moving forward and training for the life you want to live.  We’re all stronger than we think and can-do hard things.  Marathon or life—they both require you to put in the work to be successful.

    Who’s ready!

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Running is the greatest metaphor for life because you get out of it what you put into it.”

    (Oprah Winfrey)

  • 2025 Student Success Fall Celebration

    “Do not take life too seriously.  You will never get out of it alive.”

    (Elbert Hubbard)

    Work hard and play hard! 

    I’ve heard this quote multiple times and decided to look it up to see who originated it.  Well, it turns out that it is a bit more complicated than I thought.  There is a lot written about the quote and it looks like it goes back to the 19th Century and Racine College’s motto.  It was interesting to see this quote associated with the famed poet, Wiz Khalifa and his 2012 hit song, Work Hard Play Hard. 😊 Okay, that’s enough with me trying to be funny and working another Wiz Khalifa mention into a Walk into the Future blog post.

    The Indian River State College Student Success Division started hosting an annual Fall Celebration in October 2021.  It started as a joke between me and a coworker on the premise we should have a dance battle at work.  It was funny at the time but then staff kept asking us when we were dancing.  Fast forward and we hosted our 5th Annual Student Success Fall Celebration in October with a Honky Tonk theme.

    We work extremely hard on enrollment, retention and completion for our students (work hard) but I want to ensure we have a semblance of balance (play hard).  The Fall Celebrations allow us to relax, unwind and just have fun at work.  The event continues to grow each year, and we invite our campus partners to join us and have fun.

    The Honky Tonk theme was selected back in November 2024 with designs to have everyone wear their best Honky Tonk gear (think western gear with flair) and come ready to have a good time.  We added karaoke to our fall celebrations two years ago and it remains a major draw for our staff members and campus partners.  I never knew people love to sing karaoke as much as our folks do. 

    We are always looking for ways to expand our fun levels, and I reached out on a whim to a local dance organization to see if they would come in and give us some line dancing lessons.  I love to line dance when I’m in Nashville and thought this would allow more folks to get involved with the fall celebration.  I know everyone is not going to sing karaoke but wanted to see if the line dance aspect would get more folks up and having fun—it did! 😊

    My Vice President, Beth Gaskin and I are always the opening act, and this year was no different.  It took us awhile to figure out how we wanted to start the show and we went back and forth on the song we wanted to open with.  I’m not a real singer so I vetoed quite a few songs before we settled on Garth Brooks, Friends in Low Places. We wanted songs that would keep everyone engaged so we added criteria for upbeat songs or party anthems.  The singers did not have to perform a country song, but we wanted folks to enjoy a good party while at work.  We had several folks follow our grand opening and I was impressed with the singing talent our coworkers displayed.

    We stopped singing after an hour and introduced our special guest from the Wild Roses Dance Foundation.  This is a local group of dance instructors who teach line dance lessons across the Treasure Coast.  I found them through a local Fort Pierce brewery where they host line dance lessons every Thursday night.  I went by one Thursday to check them out and then asked if they would be willing to come to our event to get our folks up and dancing.  They accepted my request and were a surprise addition to the Fall Celebration. 

    The Wild Roses instructors provided step by step dance instructions to two separate dances and then turned the entire crew loose to dance to multiple songs.  I don’t think I have seen that many smiles on the faces of my teammates!  People were enjoying themselves and truly having fun at work.  The ultimate image from this portion of our celebration was our President in a full suit and tie line dancing with the team.  He normally comes by to see what we are up to during our Fall Celebrations.  I never expected him to join the line dancing, but he was spinning and kicking like the rest of us—epic scene from the event this year! 😊

    We got back to the karaoke party after line dancing and had several great performances.  Beth and I wrapped up the event with our rendition of It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson and Jimmie Buffet. It was a fitting way to end the Fall Celebration and allow the crowd to sing along with us as we ended the day.

    There were several folks asking what we were going to do next year.  It’s a bit early to identify the 2026 Fall Celebration theme but I’m sure we will come up with something HUGE—we always do! 😊

    How do you have fun at work?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “No man goes before his time—unless the boss leaves early.”

    (Groucho Marx)

  • My Favorite Book (Henry Cloud)

    “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

    (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

    The Walk into the Future blog allows me to cover a wide range of topics to include my travel and running pursuits.  These are two things I love and will continue to chronicle for my readers and myself.  Laying down these tracks provides me with a sense of satisfaction and completion weekly.  Stay tuned for more content in 2026! 😊

    My friend, Cathy, and I were discussing writing prompts and books last week.  We got on this discussion because I gifted her a copy of my book and we discussed some of the topics I wrote about including taking my own advice.  I need to give my book another run because I dropped some wisdom on those pages. 😊

    We got on the topic of my favorite author and book:  Henry Cloud’s, 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life.  I discovered the author and this book in a master’s level Career Development course while studying at Liberty University.  I never thought a college textbook would have such a profound impact on my educational, professional and life journey.  This book opened my eyes and set me on a life path that I still embrace daily.

    Why was this book so impactful?  Great question, Maria! 😊

    The book is a page turner from start to finish with insight that is easy to understand and put into daily life.  The author discusses the concept of DÉJÀ VU People but really explains that successful people regardless of profession display similar traits.  You may think you recognize someone who crosses your path, but you are really seeing traits that led multiple people to successful outcomes.

    The Nine Things Hidden in Plain Sight are:

    • Dig it Up
    • Pull the Tooth
    • Play the Movie
    • Do Something
    • Act Like an Ant
    • Hate Well
    • Don’t Play Fair
    • Be Humble
    • Upset the Right People

    Let’s explore Principle 3: Play the Movie.

    This principle is like every action has a reaction.  I love how the author highlights how each decision we make in life leads to new outcomes.  Your actions have future implications, and this chapter is written to remind readers of this simple fact.  Playing the movie for me comes into play each time I enter a full marathon training cycle.  Skipping a training run is a simple action when isolated but that one missed run can impact my entire training program for the week.  Skip too many training runs and my training cycle and marathon may be ruined.  Playing the movie allows me to see the consequences of my actions.

    You can add the same concept to your daily work activities.  Preparing before your big work meeting allows you to provide better feedback to your colleagues.  Ignoring the preparation process and your lackluster interactions could set you and your colleagues back.  That scene in your movie impacted the next few scenes.  Sounds simple, huh?

    I remind myself to play the movie in every decision I make daily.  What outcomes do I want from my decision?  What are the next scenes in the movie I want to play?

    Dr. Cloud introduces the Nine Principles in an easy format, and I walk around with his book daily.  It’s highly worn but it still provides me with wisdom daily.

    I plan to dig into other principles in future blog articles.  Stay tuned Melissa! 😊

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

    (Frederick Douglas)

  • Book Club 2025

    “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.  The man that never reads lives only one.”

    (George R. R. Martin)

    My Walk into the Future in 2025 is defined by a new level of intensity in multiple phases of the walk.

    I have chronicled my race calendar and the desire to challenge myself more in that area.  My desire is to test myself and see how much improvement I can make with my running program.  I almost called it a hobby, but running is a legitimate part of my life, and I don’t know what the world would look like without my 5 am runs.  I guess I would know how to sleep in like normal people if I wasn’t a runner. 😊

    My writing has remained consistent and I’m always looking for new content to add to the blog.  I’ve tried writing prompts and suggestions from my tree branches but 99% of my content comes from just living life. There are weeks when I found unlimited inspiration to write and others where I don’t write at all.  This used to bother me, but I find it’s easier not to force content and let it come to me when it’s time.  I must remember to keep my eyes, ears and thoughts open to receive inspiration and be ready to lay down the tracks that will become a new blog post.

    My friend John Crowe and I have formed a two-person book club that focuses on leadership topics.  John lives in Oklahoma City, and we share new books via text message.  We normally critique each book via text or a Teams call.  John has a curious mind about leadership, and he keeps me inspired to find new ways to enhance my leadership program.  Authentic Leadership is my foundational leadership style, but a true leader never stops learning so my book club work helps me grow and expand my knowledge base. 

    I view 2026 as a big year for my leadership consulting work and the exploration we are doing now will enhance how I work and partner with clients in 2026.

    Here are some of the titles we have explored in book club so far:

    • Team of Teams / General Stanley McChrystal
    • It Worked for Me, In Life and Leadership / General Colin Powell
    • Conquering Crisis, Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them / Admiral William H. McRaven
    • The Positive Dog / Jon Gordon
    • The Power of Positive Leadership / Jon Gordon
    • Leaders Eat Last / Simon Sinek
    • Be The Unicorn / William Vanderbloemen
    • The 5 AM Club, Own Your Morning.  Elevate Your Life / Robin Sharma
    • The Light House Effect / Steve Pemberton
    • Proverbs (daily)

    I am still looking for new books to add to the list to finish the year out strong.  Send me a book suggestion and I will explore for book club. 😊

    What book are you reading right now?

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “A book is a gift you can open again and again.”

    (Garrison Keillor)

  • Make Every Second Count (Repost)

    (Photo by Jordan Benton)

    “You may delay, but time will not”.

    (Benjamin Franklin)

    The Walk into the Future blog continues to look for new topics to develop.  Most of the content comes directly from my travels, life adventures and items of interest.  I have reached out to tree branches for thoughts on new blog content and then try to develop their concepts into something I can share with my readers. 

    I had an outstanding conversation with Melissa Forges on my drive over for the 2025 Town of Celebration Half Marathon.  We got a chance to catch up on life and have a few laughs in the process.  Melissa shared three topics of interest and gifted them to me to see if I could develop them into a blog article. Well, here’s my run at her first topic: Make Every Second Count.

    We all understand the concept of time and how our days on earth are numbered.  There’s a finite amount of time we get to live this life, and this is our way to inspire YOU to live more.

    I decided to do a little research to put time in perspective.  What does time look like?

    • 12 months in a year
    • 365 days in that same year
    • 7 days a week
    • 1,440 minutes in a day
    • 86,400 seconds in a day

    The first three time markers are the most common and talked about in our daily interactions.  Days turn into weeks, months and then years at a faster pace as we get older.  This may be a perception thing, but it feels real to me.  I left home to join the Air Force in 1986 and just celebrated 39 years on this life journey post Jasper, Florida.  We hear time flies, and it seems to become a reality as I get older in this life.

    Let’s dive into the minutes and seconds we each have in a day.  How many of the 1,440 minutes in a day are you doing something to make the world a better place?  What about the 86,400 seconds in a day? 

    I take my role as a tree (mentor) seriously and look to enhance my interactions with my tree branches daily.  I’m not sure I maximize every second of every day, but I put a sincere effort into this process daily.  It’s easy to say I will get something done tomorrow but I don’t want to waste time or effort and ignore today.  Yes, it’s easy for me to write this from the comfort of my keyboard but I will begin to leverage the time concept into my writing as well.  I have new responsibilities at work and there are days when I don’t sit down to work on my writing craft.  I assume I have time to develop topics into blog articles but need to leverage every second available to ensure I have a large library of blog articles to select from.  I normally have seven to eight articles drafted before I publish weekly.  Maximizing every minute and second in the day will get me back to a place where I have a large library to select from again. 

    Making every second count can be leveraged in all aspects of life.  I plan to use this mindset when I start my full marathon training program in June.  The 2025 Atlantic City Marathon is scheduled for October of this year, but I must use my training time smartly. 

    How can blog readers who are parents maximize your time with your kids?  Yes, they have busy lives but are you making every second count with them? 

    Have you booked the vacation you have been talking about for the past few years?  Again, time stops for no one—are you making every second count?

    I can add more scenarios but believe you get my point on time. 😊

    One final point.  My grandmother passed away in 2012 and the pastor that delivered her eulogy used the concept of time to inspire the family to live life.  He gave us the 1,440 minutes and 86,400 seconds per day to highlight how my grandmother lived life to the fullest.  His exact words were: She Lived!  He challenged the family to follow in her footsteps and live life.

    I’m still a work in progress but I maximize my time daily.

    So, I challenge my Walk into the Future blog readers to make every second count!

    Irie!

    Calvin Williams

    “Time moves slowly but passes quickly”.

    (Alice Walker)