As I write this, the Super Bowl is tomorrow. To reveal how out of touch I am, I have no idea what teams are playing. I also didn't know the event was being held in Houston. I also didn't know Houston now has a stadium big enough for such a famous sports event.

Don't be too hard on me. I've been trying to forget Houston. I lived there 23 years. During that time I worked as a taxi driver, car salesman, reporter, truck driver, laborer, geological technician, and even once drove an oil delivery van.

One of my stops back then was at the Houston Oiler's training camp, then located near the Medical Center area of Houston. At that time I was living in one-room out of a boarding house, a tiny room that had a bathroom in the living room and no kitchen. The rug had fish hooks in it from previous tenants. The shower was rusty. I was struggling, near starving, and always dreaming.

I told all of this to a friend of mine yesterday. He's the one who informed me that there was indeed a Super Bowl in Houston. I then told him about my past years in Houston, my days of struggle and strife, and how I was a delivery boy to the football team. I delivered oil for them to maintain their work-out machines.

My friend was as stunned as I. Most of the time we don't pause to reflect on where we were 20 years ago. For me, the change is glaringly obvious and dramatic.

Today I own two homes, two cars, several computers, have health, happiness, wealth and love, and much more. I've got best-selling tapes and best-selling books. I'm considered a minor celebrity online. It's hard to believe the best-selling author who writes these words was the same man who drove a truck to a football camp two decades ago.

Maybe we all need to pause and appreciate our growth. Whoever you are, wherever you are now, it is most likely better than where you were twenty years ago. No matter how we do it, there always tends to be an upward move in our growth. I'm sure you can do things to slow down your growth, but I'm not so sure you can ever stop it. The nature of life is to grow.

I've come a long way. So have you. Despite the set-backs, or the apparent problems or challenges, we always grow, strengthen, and move forward.

I think the secret to creating success over time is to always ruthlessly follow your dreams. What is in your heart? What makes you glad to be alive? On some level, you know the answer. You have to be strong enough to admit it. And strong enough to pursue it. By doing so, over time you will look back and see dramatic changes, just as I do today.

I don't really care about the Super Bowl. That's one of the reasons I'm successful. I'm focused. I follow my dreams. I care about life.

Follow your dreams, too.

Then the real winner won't be the winner of the Super Bowl, it will be YOU.