For more than 30 years, I've been involved in various segments of the funeral industry, from the early days in my role as a funeral director to my more recent 11-year tenure as the executive director of the world's oldest and largest international association of independently owned funeral homes. I have witnessed the confusion and discomfort that can exist for those responsible for arranging final tributes and services. Throughout my career, one basic concept has remained very clear: informed purchasers of funeral services, as with any product or service, are far more likely to make decisions most appropriate for their unique personal needs and circumstances. Unfortunately, the subjects of death and funerals are so discomforting for many people that they don't collect the information before the need arises. In addition, these decisions have become more confusing for many people due to contemporary factors, such as the distances that separate family members, the virtually unlimited options for personalization of funeral services, and the growing popularity of "green burial" alternatives, to name only a few. This guide is a source of objective and factual information. In it, I'll share information and insight about the many questions, decisions, and options facing those responsible for arranging tributes and funeral services for those they love. It is neither my wish nor intent to influence personal decisions about any form of final tribute. It is my goal to equip people with information that reduces the potential for miscommunication and regret, and lessens stress during what many describe as the most difficult time in their lives.

For the rest of your life to "work well..". and for you to be able to help others... you have to focus on yourself first. But, in order to do that, we all need help and guidance along the way. And that is the purpose of this book... to offer practical guidance on how to get from where you are to where you want to be in your spiritual life-and we all know that what is in our heads and hearts can be manifested in the real world. What you will take away from this book is how the things you control are the key in creating a life worth living and having a relationship with yourself and others that is fulfilling and sustainable... one that can last... forever. I have served others as a counselor, pastor, teacher, leader and friend for many years. In that time I have seen good people, who were well intentioned, go through life-just getting by-existing rather than truly living it to the fullest. There are many reasons for this situation; the most prominent being that human beings are creatures of habit. We are most comfortable with what we are most familiar. Left on our own, it's often very hard to make changes to improve our lot in life. In fact, for many it's hard to even pinpoint what's really wrong without some sort of outside stimulus-some prod-that goads us to evaluate or assess ourselves. And while everybody is responsible for their own lives; it certainly helps to have something or someone that becomes a catalyst to break through your life routine and be the "kick in the pants" needed to take action. Life is short and too often many have a voice inside that says, "I wish I had...," or "If I only...," or worse it's whispering to you, "You're just not good enough... not smart enough...." The voice in and of itself is not a terrible thing. I believe all humans have heard it inside their head at some point. The tragedy is when that voice becomes a constant-never ending-drumbeat in your head that becomes a question you can't answer or a statement that you can't refute. It becomes something you believe about yourself that is only true if you let it become true. I just shared with you something that is worth an incalculable amount of money if you take it to heart. Things, bad and good, become true only if you let them or make them come true. In this book we'll talk about letting light come into your life and creating a life worth living.

Part of making things happen in your career, as a company or as an individual, is taking a hard look at things and saying, "These are my flaws. These are my shortcomings. These are my self-defeating actions where I've shot my success in the foot." Any person or company who says they've never done those things is hindering their success, ruining their achievement, and unwittingly keeping themselves stuck in the middle. The unwillingness to do a hard current state assessment is a barrier between getting what you want and continuing to lack what you need. Finding that progress gap is the secret ingredient in the magic formula for understanding what it is that you need (not necessarily what you want) and then taking the steps to get that result (which leads to what you want). Talent management is indeed a business imperative to build and grow a successful organization ... but more importantly it is also a personal imperative for professionals to build successful careers. When people don't employ personal talent management in the way of owning their own succession plan; when companies and organizations don't build and sustain an integrated talent management strategy; they remain stuck in the middle; somewhere between who they are and who they want to be. How to get unstuck, how to break free from the middle is what individuals and organizations often don't understand. That critical understanding (and ability to take action on it to improve your situation) is what you'll find in this book as told through the eyes of a member of Generation X. About the Author: Dr. Curtis L. Odom is Principal and Managing Partner of Prescient Talent Strategists. He has over 15 years of experience in talent development, performance consulting, training, and instructional design as a practitioner, researcher, author and speaker. Curtis has an earned doctorate of education from Pepperdine University and has been industry certified as both a Human Capital Strategist (HCS) and Strategic Workforce Planner (SWP) from the Human Capital Institute. His 10 years of military service in the United States Navy serve as a solid foundation of his practical expertise in organizational development, change management, and integrated talent management strategies to maximize organizational investments in human capital. Dr. Odom is a member of the Human Capital Institute (HCI), International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), Phi Delta Kappa International Honor Society, and American Mensa. Curtis was honored with the distinction of being selected as a member of the Boston Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 Class for 2010.

Raised in 1950s South Carolina, faced with the barriers of race, gender and economic status, it all started with $60 and a dream. Her church collected nickels, dimes and quarters for her initial $60 tuition for nursing school. That provided the bridge she needed to get from the cotton field to nursing school and on to an unexpected and unprecedented successful military and civilian career journey. The dream was hers. While picking cotton with her 10 brothers and sisters, when planes flew over, she'd tell them 'one day I will fly and work on an airplane'. They and others laughed-doubting that the daughter of a poor cotton farmer could ever overcome the obstacles she would face. But she did. Her dream was not left as "just a dream." Thirty-eight years in the Air Force/Air National Guard, retired a Major General and concurrent with that a successful career in healthcare, education and public service. Pretty darn good for a kid who while picking cotton, looked up at the sky and dreamed of flying. Though support from church and mentors helped her-facing enormous challenges in getting from where she was, to where she wanted to be-it was she who had the mettle to shape her own destiny and carve a path to success. Along the way, she became a chief nurse executive, educator, military officer, commander and White House political appointee. It is a simple story of faith and determination-and how if you have that, no goal is out of your reach. All who read it will come away touched by this remarkable woman.