Earl Nightingale talked to me all the time.

From around seven years old until I was about 10 or 11, my wonderful Aunt Dorothy (famous for Jell-O) began a series of delightful life improvement plans just for me. A special part of her program was exposing me to experiences she believed would truly change my life.

One of my most cherished memories is us sitting on her sunny porch, listening to Earl Nightingale’s inspiring motivational records. I never quite understood why my Aunt Dorothy chose me for this educational journey, but I’ll never forget the powerful messages. She’d sit beside me and gently say, “Now, Billy, pay close attention to this message; it’s really important. I want you to remember it.”

I always took my Aunt Dorothy’s advice to heart; here I am, nearly 75 years later, hearing her kind voice and encouragement. Listening to Earl Nightingale was only one stop on her improvement plan for me. Even now, Aunt Dorothy, you are a powerful force in my life.