Year I Got Big

It was my first social event going solo! I was terrified. Lorraine looked great in her birthday dress. She was excited to be the center of attention. Not knowing anyone at the event but Lorraine, I was quiet, very reserved and shy. I didn’t say a word. Not even to Lorraine. My mother heard about my lame performance. Here were her words of wisdom and my first cognitive coaching advice. “A little bird told me you didn’t have a lot of fun at Lorraine’s party. How come?” I replied, “I didn’t know anyone.” My mom looked me in the eye and then said, “The way you felt was probably the way a lot of the boys and girls felt. You don’t want other people to feel that way, do you?” With a stammer I replied “No.” “Then you need to shake everyone’s hand and look ‘em in the eye and tell ‘em your name. Don’t let them feel bad the next time. And we’re going to practice, ok?” “Okay” I agreed. From birth to five I was a little homebody. My world centered mostly around my Mom as my Dad traveled a lot. Just before my sixth birthday, we moved to Morehead, Kentucky, a university town. Here I went to my first birthday party alone. Lorraine and I were the same age (five going on six). We lived next door. Yes…the party was a disaster but Mom always had a knack for making things better. From Lorraine’s birthday party my life catapulted to a whole new level. The events that would transpire during the 6th year (60-72 months on earth) of my life were collective “game changers.” • I grew confidence introducing myself to people I had never met. “Hi! I’m Jimmy Fannin. How are you?” I learned to network. • I deposited $35 that I had stashed in a cigar box into a savings account. After begging my Mom, I got to go back and check on my money. I was bummed they had thrown away the cigar box. I learned about money, interest and banks. • I sold apples door-door in my little red wagon (See previous e-letter). I made my first dollar. I learned to be an entrepreneur. I learned about capitalism. • I got a little crazy with the money thing and sold all of my toys to friends and neighbors for a combined total of $2.75. Mom went berserk! Dad went manic! Risk and reward was now in its infancy stage of learning. I learned the value of money. • I went to first grade. I made a lot of new friends. I felt BIG! I learned to share and wait my turn. I learned to think in a crowd. • I visited the Morehead State University library and learned there were a zillion books. Most had few pictures. Here I learned the word astronomy. Mom taught me about the stars. To be like my Mom, who was enrolled in the school, I would need to learn to read. I received my first library card. Cool! I learned that knowledge is power. • I learned to fish like a man. So my Dad said! I hunted night crawlers at night for bait with a flashlight. Then baited my own hook and caught my first fish. I learned that to reach goals you need a process. • I finally learned to tie my shoes with a double knot. I looked cool! I learned to be self-reliant. • I got my first haircut from the same guy that cut my Dad’s hair. Super cool! I learned that looking good is noticed by lots of people. • I competed in my first sport…baseball. It was a struggle as the littlest and youngest but it was good to be with the “boys.” I learned that teamwork can be fun. • I got my first baseball glove. It was my first real, prized possession. I looked forward throwing ball with my Dad most days when he was home. I learned that family time is important. • I learned three French phrases. Wow! I was bi-lingual. Kinda. I learned the world is huge and we’re different in how we speak. • I had a crush on my 1st grade teacher. I listened to her every word. I did what I was told. I learned to respect authority. • I said my first curse word. I learned it from one of the Botts brothers up the road. Had no clue what it meant. I got spanked. Didn’t repeat the word for many years. I learned that your language reflects who you are. • Got in my first fight with Larry McConkey on the playground. I won. Got spanked when Mom found out. I had to apologize. That was more painful than the hand to my butt. I learned that fighting seldom ends well. • I ran away from home at the end of summer. I was mad at my Mom. I crossed US Route 60 (30-seconds from my house) knowing it was taboo. I then asked the gas station guy, Tommy, for a job. He gave me a dime to wipe some car windows. Got fired because I couldn’t reach the middle of the windshields. Mom was watching me from our back window the entire time. I never left her sight. When I returned home dejected, I got spanked. I learned that running away from a challenge seldom pans out. I learned that working for someone is tough. And never cross U.S. Route 60 alone! • My Aunt died. My first funeral freaked me out. I wore a suit and tie like my Dad. I learned that life is short. There is an end. • My great uncle ran a local hospital clinic for a coalmine. He let me scrub for one of his gall bladder operations. I sat with a cap, gown and mask and watched on a stool in the corner. Way cool! I learned about medicine and wellness. • I went to my first fancy restaurant (sort of) and had my first cloth napkin. I had to keep my elbows off the table. Don’t remember the meal. I learned about etiquette. • My grandfather slipped and told me there was no Santa Claus. I didn’t believe him. But maybe he was right. I questioned everyone about it. All acted weird and tried to blow it off. I think my grandfather got spanked. I learned to question my beliefs. • I learned the little bird that told my Mom everything was everywhere. Never saw it. Always looked for it, though. I learned Mom is all knowing. • My grandfather made moonshine. He let me have my first sip of the ol’ white lightening. My grandmother found out. I’m certain he got spanked. I learned even grown-ups get in trouble. • I watched my Mom and Dad never complain. They worked hard. They worked often. I learned the work ethic. • I was showered with love at every turn. I was convinced I could do anything if I put my mind to it. I believed them. They were right! I learned the power of love. I learned the power of belief. It was a great year….1955. I got BIG!

Client's Trust

Taking care of clients that entrust their future with you is a responsibility that I take very serious. Every minute and every hour my reputation is on the line. I have 40-50 clients at any given time. I’m literally available to them on a 24/7 basis. Yes, I do get the occasional 2:30AM call or text. I answer swiftly and always in a positive and decisive manner.

Every day I write each client’s name on a legal pad in order of my memory. Then I visualize each of them, one at a time, successfully reaching their visions and goals with my S.C.O.R.E. Success System. Every day I see their success. Since 1974, I have never missed a daily opportunity to send out the positive vibe…not one!

The clients that are at the bottom of the list receive a call or text immediately. With 6500-7000 minutes per month on the phone, I am holding my clients accountable and helping them make adjustments to life’s challenges.

I appreciate the trust bestowed on me. I love the challenges. I love what I do.

Blessed!

Life is exciting! I've been around the world dozens of times. I've spoken to crowds from 50 to 15,000. I’ve addressed students in Puerto Rico, tribesmen from Sri Lanka and capitalists from the Fortune 500. Audiences have been everywhere from the jungles of Thailand, the ghettos of India, mountains of Tibet, the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa to the GM Center in Vancouver.

I've attended 35 Masters and a zillion MLB games with three World Series and several All-Star games under my belt. The Super Bowl, Wimbledon, French Open, Australian Open, US Open (golf & tennis). Daytona, Talladega, Indy 500, NBA Finals, Pro Bowl, Final Four, Kentucky Derby and the World Cup have long ago been marked off my bucket list. I’ve even been to the Little League and College World Series. It’s been an awesome 38 years!

And I’m still going as strong as ever…loving what I do. Each day is different. Each day is challenging in a positive way. I daily coach anywhere from 20-35 clients. They range from a macro economist in London, a PR mogul in Sidney, a screenwriter in Hollywood, several Nationwide, PGA and LPGA golfers, many pro baseball players, an NFL QB, an NBA point guard, 3 Division I head coaches, amateur athletes from 4 sports, a doctor and dentist in Illinois, 4 businessmen, a managing director of a major bank, a CPA in Puerto Rico, a car dealership, a couple that was considering divorce and a homemaker with five children that outworks all of the above. The challenges come in all sizes and degrees of complexity. Each client knows and understands my S.C.O.R.E.^® Success System. Our daily communications revolve around this thought management program. All are active members of the Champions Club™ where I'm aware of their visions and goals. “24/7 access to me” is my motto and they’re all respectful of my time.

In addition, I'm writing a new book, updating the Champions Club™, hosting my weekly Golf in the Zone Show and managing my awesome team of peak performers at Jim Fannin Brands. Is their time for me? Of course. I walk two miles in the woods every day and spend great quality time with my family. With S.C.O.R.E.^® as my personal guide, there is plenty of time to be fully engaged in the moment. Life is good!

Best of all I have a loving wife who supports me and is always by my side. She is my rock. Two amazing daughters make me so proud every day. They are inspirations. My friends have been with me for decades and we look forward to seeing each other often. This circle of spirited people keeps me grounded.

And this September 17th in Ashland, KY, I am privileged to be the keynote speaker for honoring my mentor, Professor R.W. Ross. He was recently inducted posthumously into the Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame. The “Prof” would be 123 years old this year.

I am truly a blessed man.

Rookie to Hall of Fame: Coaching Frank Thomas

I have coached some great athletes in my lifetime. They have come in all sizes, shapes, nationalities, color and economic backgrounds. There are only a handful that really standout among the 400+ professionals that have received my S.C.O.R.E.^® Success System.

Frank Thomas is one of those special talents.

For 19 years Frank and I talked about “hitting the ball solid.” We discussed everything from parenting, women, media, wellness, food and of course baseball.

His achievement has been Hall of Fame material. He had a lifetime .301 batting average, 521 HRs and 1,704 RBIs. He is a five-time American League All-star who won two American League MVP awards and finished in the top 10 seven other times.

However, winning the batting title in 1997 was his greatest pride and joy. His whopping .347 batting average was even more remarkable because his lack of speed meant he received few, if any, infield hits. He may be forever the biggest man to ever win a batting title!

Frank Thomas was driven to be great. His concentration at the plate was amazing. Opposing pitchers could feel his energy as he stood in a purposeful calm. His patience was legendary. He could wait all day for the mistake that each pitcher feared would happen. When it did, Frank seldom missed making them pay. At 6’5” tall and weighing 260 pounds, his confidence was even bigger than his massive size.

On July 31, 2011 the Frank Thomas bronze statue was erected on the left field concourse in Cellular Field in Chicago, IL. He deserved it. It was here, as the greatest Chicago White Sox player ever, that he honed his craft.

“Hall of Fame is the next step” I just texted. He replied, “I’ve got my fingers crossed.” “No Frank…. Can’t miss. I can see it so!”

See you in Cooperstown in 2014.

The Great Storm

What happens when you invite three priests to dinner? There are three priests, a significant other, her female best friends, a co-worker, three bottles of wine and a great dinner all under one roof. What an interesting, profound evening.

After the food was blessed, it became apparent that all at the table had one thing in common…faith. Although the room was made up of people from different religious backgrounds, it still remained the common bond with spirituality. The priests told stories about their trip to Jerusalem. They told how they entered the priesthood. They even shared the political workings of the Catholic Church. Every person at the table gave insight into what they were all about. We laughed and had a most eclectic evening. And then it happened…

As swift as a ball falling off of a table to the floor, a storm appeared. As the clouds grew angry and dark, the thunder and lightning played a symphony of chaos. Lights started to go out in the neighborhood. Traffic lights stopped working. Businesses closed down. But not in my house…

The lights merely flickered. It was as if God said, “There’s three priests in there…I’ll leave the house alone.” And just like that, the storm went away. The damage was done in the neighborhood, but not here. Although I am not Catholic, I gained more insight into my spirituality. These three priests were young, handsome and wearing the collar of their faith. They were funny (Father Jayson even did a Run DMC rap called “You Be Illin’.” I wish it was on Youtube…it would have gone viral. I didn’t see that one coming!). All were intelligent, great listeners and amazing storytellers.

You’re in good hands with Allstate…wrong! You’re much more safe and secure with three priests at your dining room table.

College Baseball World Series

Infielder Cody Dent (son of former Major Leaguer Bucky Dent) of the Florida Gators baseball team went 2-2 with 2 walks to help his team advance to the 2011 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The Gators play South Carolina this Monday for the College World Series Championship in Omaha. It will be aired live on ESPN HD.

It's so great to see Cody reach the pinnacle of college baseball. He has been a hard worker and a great S.C.O.R.E. System student. Good luck and stay in the Zone!

Rankin Rising!

Client and LPGA golfer Reilley Rankin climbed up the leaderboard today and is tied for 10th in the Wegman's LPGA Championship. She is a great athlete...maybe the best on the Tour. Lock in for 36 more holes. Stay in the Zone Reilley!