Yesterday I was able to interview a world-class pianist (Bruce Levingston) and one of America’s top entertainment moguls (Sam Haskell). I learned powerful lessons from both.
We’re very fortunate here in Mississippi to not only produce such world-class talent but to have access to them when they come back home. My JSU students got meet Bruce and watch our interview as it was being taped. I walked away a better person from the conversation. Bruce reminded me that one of the secrets to being successful is to take action and don’t take no for an answer. He has high standards and expects the world to live up to them. I teared up watching him play the piano. It was a truly a powerful moment.
Anyone who knows Sam Haskell knows he’s a force of nature. With Southern charm, a great attitude and energy to burn, he became a force in the television world before retiring from the William & Morris Agency. He has since gone on to save the Miss America pageant. He and his uber-talented wife Mary have two great kids and now grandkids. The thing I noticed about Sam is that he showed up exactly on time for the interview, was flawless in his delivery, went out of his way to make it an easy experience for the crew. He was kind, funny and a damn good interview. He’s pro. Like Bruce, you can tell he has been at the top. And both believe in giving back. They pay their blessings forward.
When I finally got to bed, my head spun as it hit the pillow. The last thought I had as I thought about my day was simply this: Thank God I live in Mississippi and can meet such interesting and fascinating people nearly every single day.