It was 1995 and it was the holidays. I was going through a downward spiral as to what to do with my life. I must have done a bunch of odd jobs just to make my ends meet, and it just never connected. However, I never thought that a gift from my then girlfriend (now my wife) would simply change my course of direction and my life.

The one thing that I have always enjoyed is giving someone a gift or an experience that I know that they would enjoy and I would sit back and enjoy their reaction. It’s just something I have always thought would be appreciated. Gifting something to a loved one, makes one person not miss out on something that I know that they would enjoy.

Though that particular holiday season I didn’t have the means to do such a thing for my girlfriend. I purchased presents that were what I would call “boyfriend typical” ie: perfume, etc. Just the thought of it bothered me, but it was all I could do. In the end she was the one that turned the tables on me.

So it was Christmas Day 1995 and we opened our gifts..I squinted every time she opened her presents, but her smile was rewarding enough. Whew!! Lol! But when I opened my gifts I was at awe..she gifted me a gorgeous Cuetec Poolstick, a movie prop, and couple of really rare but amazing gifts, but it made me feel guilty at the same time.

There was through one last present under the tree that had my name on and it was once again gifted from her. It felt like a light but flimsy package and when I opened it…I was surprised what it contained…. a stack of business / financial magazines. At first glance I questioned it…but the next second I simply LOVED this gift!! To be honest in the 24 years we have been together it still stands as the best Christmas present I have ever had except a bunch of Star Wars figures I received from my parents in the 70’s ;)

I looked through those magazines several times for reference and marked the sh*t out of them, and eventually became a subscriber to those same magazines to this very day. Those magazines gave me the inspiration to create 3 different businesses and to the most successful of them yet (Cashunt) now in our 18th year! We did go through some forms of trial by fire, but to this day I always turn to those publications and other written forms to continuously learn from mistakes and achievements.

With that said the gift of a book to a friend or a loved one is something that can be life changing. If you know of a perfect book that would fit with a loved one buy that immediately inscribe something in the first page of the book on why you bought it from them and give it to them. It doesn’t need to be during the holidays .

Once that person reads that inscription first it will show that you thought of their potential to move forward. So I close with this..give, give, give, sit back and enjoy the progress of your friend, family member, child, spouse, co-worker, etc. It all starts from the first turn of the page.