Bill Austin: Businessman, Philanthropist, Hero

Businessman and humanitarian Bill Austin

It is always an honor to interview great people who are making a difference in the world. The mission of Bill Austin, CEO of Starkey Hearing Technologies, is nothing short of heroic.

At the start of our interview for Twin Cities Business magazine, Bill told me, “As a young man, I felt I belonged to the world, but I didn’t know what that meant.” More than a million disadvantaged, hearing-impaired men, women and children around the world are thankful that it didn’t take him long to gain clarity about his destiny.

BILL AUSTIN: STARKEY HEARING TECHNOLOGIES
INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE AWARD

Inspired by Albert Schweitzer’s work in Africa, eighteen-year-old Bill Austin decided to become a missionary doctor. Leaving his family in Oregon, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1960. To earn tuition money, he worked as an ear-mold technician at his uncle’s downtown Minneapolis hearing aid company. “As I was doing that work, I thought about how hearing aids could be manufactured more efficiently so people might hear better,” Austin recalls. “And I kept saying to myself, ‘Don’t think about those things; you’re going to be a doctor.’”

One day he was called in to help fit an elderly man with a hearing aid and was deeply moved by the man’s joyous reaction. That night, Austin laid on a single bed in his rented room at 2770 Dean Boulevard in Minneapolis and stared at the ceiling. “I said to myself out loud, ‘Bill, the reason you want to be a doctor is so you can help people. If you do this work, you’ll be able to help people and you won’t kill anyone; as a doctor, you’re sure to kill many.’”

Realizing that a business employing teams of people could accomplish more than even the most well-intentioned of doctors, Austin abandoned his medical plans. “I changed the course of my life instantly from that one looking-at-the-ceiling

The Beauty of Simplicity

This is not my room, but I could be quite happy if it was

I love living simply. I have no car, no phone (I use Skype on my laptop) and no possessions of any value other than my laptop. I’ve learned that whatever you own that you cannot bear to part with, owns you. Every item you own is a hungry beast demanding some portion of your time, attention and psychic energy.

Have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.
William Morris

I don’t want anything or any things to distract me from living the life I want to live. I don’t want one hour of one day to go by without learning something, deepening a relationship, doing satisfying work or just enjoying a good laugh.

That’s why I greatly appreciated this article in the March 1994 issue of Guideposts magazine that highlights the simple lifestyles of three extraordinary people.

THE JOY OF DOING WITHOUT
by Elizabeth Sherrill

Forty days without chocolate…. When I was a high school student, this constituted my view of Lent. Why it was good to go without something for seven weeks I didn’t know; it was what my friends did, so I did too. But as time passed, I began encountering people who voluntarily gave something up, not merely as a Lenten custom, but because of what lay behind this tradition. One of those people was Margaret Henrichsen.

A Methodist minister, Margaret was a modern-day

A Day in the Spiritual Life

Staying centered, balanced and attuned to divine will is an ongoing quest that demands daily discipline. Enlightenment is not a cumulative goal; it is as fragile as a snowflake because one careless act can melt it away.

As far as the Buddha Nature is concerned, there is no difference between sinner and sage . . . One enlightened thought and one is a Buddha, one foolish thought and one is again an ordinary person.
Hui Neng

With the hope that it may inspire you and give you some ideas on how you can better practice the presence of God, here is what my daily spiritual practice looks like:

FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

HERE’S WHAT I DO: I start each morning by practicing the presence as soon as I wake up. Lying in bed, I recite:

I encase Divine Mother in my bosom.
I am radiant health, I em eternal youth, I am inexhaustible energy.

HERE’S WHY I DO IT: The first affirmation, which helps me instantly connect to Divine Source, is from the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi.

Please note that I use the word “God” throughout for the sake of consistency and convenience, fully recognizing that there are probably as many interpretations of God as there are people reading this post. Many people view God as the source of all existence, many others as existence itself. Whether you view God as a being, a universal intelligence, a force, or any other type of form or formless entity, I trust that you will substitute the name, term, or reference for “God” that you are most comfortable with each time you come across the word.

I phrase the next affirmations as I do because a powerful way to begin an affirmation is with the words, “I

Astrologer Laurie Baum’s Chakra Meditation

Laurie Baum

The hour-long Chakra Meditation above is courtesy of Laurie Baum, a psychological astrologer and psychotherapist in practice in Encinitas, California.

Laurie writes a free astrological newsletter about how planetary alignments affect our lives on earth. Click here to e-mail Laurie to subscribe at no cost, or visit Laurie’s website and click on “Free Email Newsletter.”

Laurie also offers counseling appointments via landline phone or Skype (audio or video), which she will digitally record for you. To make an appointment, click here to e-mail Laurie or call her at (760) 753-7676.

NOTE: Click here to read Laurie’s recent Spring Equinox update, which includes a detailed overview of the Grand Cross and an accompanying nineteen-minute video about this phenomenon. She shares more thoughts about the Grand Cross below.

THE GRAND CROSS OF 2014

A powerful Grand Cross has been forming in the sky during Holy Week and the Passover holiday. The powerfully symbolic Cross will gain in intensity on Easter Sunday, April 20, and continue to influence us throughout next week, capped by a Solar Eclipse on April 28-29.

Like a cross, the Grand Cross has four arms that will pull you in four different directions. It is important to maintain a strong center so you are not pulled off track. You may also feel as if something old that you no longer need is leaving your life and that you soon will have an opportunity to resurrect

The Perfect Joy of Surrender

This well-known story from The Little Flowers of St. Francis often elicits the reaction, “Whoa. Harsh!” Indeed, at first blush this narrative may seem counterintuitive and even nonsensical. But after some thought, profound insights often emerge.

St. Francis may be focused on Christ in this story, but I take a broader view that transcends any particular religious path or figure. I see it as an extreme but powerful lesson in the value of surrender. In the peace and beauty of unconditional surrender, suffering ceases to be suffering and instead becomes a gateway to transcendence.

Surrender is like an onion; you can keep peeling away layer after layer even when you think you have reached your goal. It is only when everything has been taken from you—materially, physically, mentally, emotionally—that you truly find out the depth of your surrender to God. If, as in St. Francis’ story, when there is nothing left for you to surrender except your final breath, yet you are able to hold on to the ever-new joy of Divine communion and genuinely express gratitude for whatever God is giving you (or taking away), then will you truly know the ultimate power and purity of surrender.

THE PERFECT JOY OF ST. FRANCIS

“The Stigmata of St. Francis.” a painting by Italian artist Giotto di Bondone, painted around 1295-1300 and housed in the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

One winter day St. Francis was coming to St. Mary of the Angels from Perugia with Brother Leo, and the bitter cold made them suffer keenly. St. Francis called to Brother Leo, who was walking a bit ahead of him, and he said: “Brother Leo, even if the Friars Minor in every country give a great example of holiness and integrity and good edification, nevertheless write down and note carefully that perfect joy is not in that.”

And when he had walked on a bit, St. Francis called him again, saying: “Brother Leo, even if a Friar Minor gives sight to the blind, heals the paralyzed, drives out devils, gives hearing back to

You Can Choose a Better Reality

At lunch today, a friend asserted some opinions about parenting and romantic relationships that, based upon his experiences and observations, he regarded as absolutes.

I disagreed, informing him that my experiences were the direct opposite of his. I essentially told him, “Your reality is not my reality. Therefore, it is not the only reality. Therefore, you can choose to live in a different, better reality.”

He didn’t budge. His beliefs had caused him great stress throughout his life and were responsible for many unnecessary roadblocks, but he remained convinced that the way he saw the world was the way it was, period.

The only reason the same thing keeps happening is that

This Is What Beauty and Courage Look Like

Cancer patients Rylie, Rheann and Ainsley (photo by Lora Scantling)

This stunning photograph shows three-year-old Rylie, six-year-old Rheann and four-year-old Ainsley sharing a special moment. Incredibly, the three girls hadn’t met each other before the photo shoot.

Photographer Lora Scantling conceived the photo shoot to raise awareness about the struggle faced by children who are diagnosed with cancer. “I just wanted something that showed the strength and the bond and that they weren’t alone,” she told Oklahoma City’s KOCO News. Watch KOCO’s video report here.

As for the girls, Rheann is stricken with brain cancer, Rylie is

The Secret to a Happy Kidhood

It’s funny how a seven-minute commercial made in Thaliand for Wacoal, a lingerie maker, can bring a tear to my eye and send me on a trip down Memory Lane. The young mother and her daughter (who is the second-cutest girl cub in the history of the world) remind me of my own childhood. I had a mom and dad who loved me unconditionally and always did special things for me.

My mom and me at Christmas

When I was seven, my mom bought me some packs of baseball cards to while away the time on a train ride to my grandparents’ home. I still remember my happiness in opening a pack and finding

A Hero On and Off the Field

Mariano Rivera

Given the way I worshiped baseball players as a kid, it warms my heart to learn of players who accept the responsibility of being a role model and express it gracefully and with compassion. Mariano Rivera plays that role beautifully.

This article, Exit Sandman: Baseball bids adieu to Mariano Rivera, by Tom Verducci in the September 23, 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated.

EXIT SANDMAN: BASEBALL BIDS ADIEU TO MARIANO RIVERA
by Tom Verducci

Rivera thought about retiring last season, but when he blew out his knee shagging batting practice fly balls in Kansas City on May 3, 2012, he vowed he would not leave baseball on the back of a cart. Knowing this would be his final season, he approached Zillo with an idea: In each road city he wanted to personally meet “behind-the-scenes” people who had dedicated their lives to baseball or had known illness or tragedy. While baseball wanted to say goodbye to Rivera, with the attendant going-away gifts and photo ops, Rivera wanted to say goodbye to baseball, which for him meant all the people who toil in anonymity.

Mariano Rivera meeting the Bresette family in Kansas City on May 11, 2013.
(Photo courtesy of John Sleezer/Landov)

On May 11, Rivera met Ryan Bresette, his wife, Heather, and their three sons, Joe, 13, Sam, 9, and Tyler, 6, in the media room at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. (The Bresettes’ daughter, Anna, 14, was unable to attend the pregame gathering because of a soccer game.) Bresette worked as a clubhouse attendant for the Royals from 1982 to ’94 and had never met Rivera.

On March 22 the Bresettes, while returning home from a vacation in Florida, had been standing next to a mammoth flight-status display board in the -Birmingham, Ala., airport when the board, estimated to weigh more than 300 pounds, fell

The Grandmother of All Reunions!

Jose Fernandez

You’re a teenager, trying to escape from a communist country for the fourth time. You’re in a small boat with a bunch of other defectors on the ocean in the middle of the night. You hear a splash so you dive in to save whoever fell, only to discover that it’s

It Makes No Difference to the Sun

This is a nice analogy that speaks to the existence and the ubiquity of God. You’ll find it on page 56 of the book, I Am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.

It is like entering a dark room. You see nothing—you may touch, but you do not see—no colors, no outlines. The window opens and the room is flooded with light. Colors and shapes come into being. The window is the giver of light, but not the

It’s Not About the Nail

Jason Headley

This brilliant, 101-second video is the creation of Jason Headley, who also stars in it. Living with a wife and daughter, I certainly learned this lesson the hard way. Guys, do yourself a favor. Watch this video and save yourselves years of beating your head against the wall.

Jason’s short films have been featured on NBC’s TODAY Show, the front page of Reddit, the front page of

Maysoon Zayid Rocks the House!

Maysoon Zayid

This Ted Talk by Maysoon Zayid, a Palestinian stand-up comedian and actress from New Jersey, unexpectedly moved me to tears. Why unexpectedly? Because Maysoon, a cofounder of the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, stated right up front that her talk wasn’t going to be inspiring.

Yeah, right. Not only is her indomitable spirit in dealing with her

The Gift of Addiction

Sherry Burditt, Clinical Director of the Hemet Valley Recovery Center & Sage Retreat in Hemet, California

This phenomenal piece of work was written by my friend, Sherry Burditt, Clinical Director of the Hemet Valley Recovery Center & Sage Retreat in Hemet, California.

If you are struggling with addiction, if you cannot overcome your inner demons, if you are in a dark place and see no way out . . . know that where there is life, there is hope. You are not a bad person, you just need help . . . and a new way of looking at the world.

I wrote my book, Through God’s Eyes: Finding Peace and Purpose in a Troubled World, with the hope that people—especially those who are struggling—would find comfort and inspiration in its pages. Sherry told me that the book was helping her addiction patients look at life in a new and better way. She was kind enough to write this testimonial:

I use this book every day in my staff meetings by just randomly opening to a page. Somehow like magic, the message seems to address the day’s challenges. Similarly, our therapists have begun using it in group therapy sessions with our patients. They LOVE it! Thank you for compiling so much wisdom in such a compact space!

If you wish to contact Sherry directly, click here to send her an e-mail. Sherry has dedicated her life and career to helping those who are valiantly striving to overcome addiction.

THE GIFT OF ADDICTION:
THE UNRELENTING PATH TO THE DIVINE
by Sherry Burditt

ADDICTION SAYS:
I will make you lie, cheat and steal
I will take your self-respect
I will take your confidence
I will take your family
I will take your children
I will take your livelihood
I will ruin your body
I will take your sleep
I will derange your mind
I will

One Good Denny Deserves Another . . . And Another . . .

Chuck Denny

A couple of nights ago, I was eating dinner at the Lotus Cafe in Encinitas when I heard a man two tables away tell a server, “I’m a Minnesota boy who lives in Del Mar [just a few miles away from Encinitas].” As he and his son were preparing to leave, I walked over and introduced myself as a fellow Minnesotan. When he said his name was Kevin Denny. I asked, “Are you related to Chuck Denny”? “Yes, that’s my father,” he said. Quite the synchronicity!

In 2012, I was editing a book called Leadership and the Art of Struggle, in which Chuck Denny was praised by the author, Steven Snyder thusly:

Of all the leaders I met during my interviews, no one exudes the type of gratitude and appreciation for life’s precious moments more than Chuck Denny. Denny has endured more than his share of struggles and heartache. His wife suffered through tuberculosis and breast cancer before ultimately losing her battle with Alzheimer’s. They lost three children at very young ages. Yet Denny continues to persist in seeing the bright

A Very Good Day in Chelseaville

We all know people (or are people) who have struggled mightily just to keep their head and hopes above water until something breaks their way. It’s always heartwarming to see someone who is deserving of a break to get one.

Well, in the above video, a waitress named Chelsea had a very good start to her shift . . . and it kept getting better and better! The best part about stories like this is that