Coach Bill / Dad, Entrepreneur Special Educator, American Political Scientist, Writer, Musician.

Many of my personal clients have heard me quote a definition of success by Sir Winston Churchill: "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another, without  loss of enthusiasm." If you are the parent of a child on the Autism Spectrum, and feel that all hope is lost, fret not. Understandably, it is a taxing situation, to say the least. But there is a path that leads to contentment, which is not complacent. To illustrate this idea, regardless of your background, if you search across the first chapter of the book of Joshua, found in the Jewish Torah, or the King James Version of the Holy Bible (only authorized version of Bible, btw), you will find that The Word sais over and over, "only be strong, and of a good courage." Amongst many things, the chapter signals to trust in the LORD. Some may say, "gee, thanks BUDDY!" with a sly smile. But I say on what do you stand? and do you get rest from standing there? Being able to rest at the deepest...

As an avid sailor, I know well that my skills are not sharpened while docked at the harbor, but out there where the waves are rolling, and the wind is howling. I remember a beloved uncle of mine who has sailed in all sorts of weather, both short and very long distances. I know that he is excellent at what he does, not only due to his hands-on experience at the helm, but because of his mindset. I can see it in his eyes. Expect failure, and welcome it. That is when the moment demands more of us. It is when things go wrong that our executive functions skills, or our ability to self-manage efficiently and effectively is honed. Your commitment is the pivotal ingredient which has to be the crux of your mindset. Your commitment to stay the course with your attitude, your commitment to pull yourself up by your 'boot straps,' and push yourself to daily success will reap fruit in due season. Ask yourself: how fast can I move? What slows me down internally? How do I foresee trouble?...

"We linger shivering on the brink, and fear to launch away." I look back on my childhood and am alarmed at the amount of television I would view. As a pre-teen, I recall easily watching a solid 4 hours of tv per day between the afternoon and evening. A parent myself, almost three times over now, television has an increasingly small place in my life, and in the life of my children. These days, I have become a reluctant television viewer, even the movies (save the new Bond movie), are unappealing. Of course, there are many whom make it part of their unwinding routine. If you are one of these, I don't know how you can bear it. I'd rather be partaking with my family, working, meditating, studying the Word of God, or doing something fun with others. In fact, I'd rather clean the bathrooms in my house, than watch TV. Granted, not all TV is 'porqueria.' I like that Alec Baldwin show... what is it? Third rock or something? IT IS HILARIOUS! But I don'...

The purpose of such a sheet is to empower the student to know how they best learn and take in information, as well facilitate better, more customized, instructional delivery. Below are some criteria to help you put together your own sheet. This sheet can be given to Educators, as well as all whom instruct the learner. You can do this with paper and pencil, or to make it look more visually appealing, and allow for better document editing later on, I suggest using a software program like Inspiration, or a software program that allows you to comparmentalize/ graphically organize your different criteria. Criteria 1: Jot down general likes and dislikes musical preference extracurricular activities academic subjects miscellaneous Criteria 2: Jot down short and long term goals Who do I want to be when I grow up?  Discuss with a parent/ mentor why you want to do this? What are your short term goals for the next 3-4 months?  Criteria 3: Google left/ right...

Sir Winston Churchill said that, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm.” Managing the boat (your life) through the storms of life, and still having  sea-worthy  boat takes skill, and guts. The experiences make you stronger, and you learn how to be a more deft sailor.  I know what it feels like to experience setback after setback, one failure after another. (Remember the surfer blog post and the constant waves coming my way?) I also know what it feels like to wallow in the mire. To sulk. Regret and resentment? They  lead to acute chronic depression.  Our time is very valuable. We cannot change the past, but only try to be in the present. Therefore, looking back as you walk forward robs yourself, and all others of your true self. Life sucks at this point. Quick fixes: Releasing this emotional baggage can be done by using acupressure (google eft mercola for more info), meditation (scientific evidence s...

“Run 1 mile?” He can’t do that! He can walk a mile.” “My son is on the Autism spectrum. He can’t even tie his shoelace on his own.  Sports like sailing, surfing, and skiing are just not feasible.” “Biking?, she is four years old. Maybe when she is older.” As a father, and as an Educator, I come across reactions like this all the time. They are normal reactions by parents, teachers, and caregivers. I don’t blame them, (because that is not helpful). Yet, I do carve out my advantage by bringing in a strikingly different approach. Using evidence-based methods of instruction, I add positive energy, hope, fun, and challenge. By creating momentum, I seek to engage my students. Through experience, I aim to instill in them the notion that Coach Bill truly wants their success. When words fail to express emotion, passion, and feeling, I look to communicate through my actions. I want them to know that I am invested in them, and  I want them to be ‘charged up,’ as I am ...

And now, to put the "H" in holistic Educator: When I was a bit younger, I use to live on the North Shore of O'ahu, Hawaii, or what was known as the 7- mile miracle, because of the continuous world-class beach breaks. I can recall many times surfing 6-8 foot swells, when all of a sudden, a 10 foot monster wave (very small for Hawaii) comes from far off and there is no chance that I can get out of the danger zone. If you know what your doing, you first swallow your fear, hold it down there, then focus on following surfer protocol.  Fear clouds your mind, influences erratic decision making, and wastes time. I know that when one see's a wave like that coming in, you have to do the very thing you don't want to do: swim toward the wave. As someone who has done a great deal of surfing around the world, I can tell you that your first instinct is to run toward the shore. But you don't want to do that. Instead, you need to swim toward the wave and try to go un...