Barbara Sher really knows how to get people OUT of  isolation.  She knows how to get people thinking about who they really are, what they really want and how to believe in their dreams.  As a matter of fact, her first book, WishCraft, is having its 30th birthday, Monday, March 23—-30 years, with millions of copies sold, around the world, WishCraft, and Barbara, are still going strong.  She has also written other brilliant best sellers, like I Could Do Anything If I Knew What It Was and Refuse To Chose,  each one a different aspect about how to be the You of YOU—”even if you are lazy and have a bad attitutde most of the time”—but WishCraft was the rocket launch, for the rest.

WishCraft.  All those many years ago, as a newly minted college grad, it was given to me as a gift.  The glazed  and dazed look in my eye must have caused someone to purchase it to come to my rescue.  And, it actually did.  It was in a similar vein to What Color Is Your Parachute? which was a nice read, but I loved, WishCraft—it spoke to me.   So, twenty five years later, when I actually saw Barbara Sher, for the first time, on a PBS special, still talking about the many aspects of WishCraft, I pulled up a chair.  The next thing I knew I was calling in a pledge to this Houston station, where I didn’t even live—just so I could get the tickets to her live workshop which were part of the station’s promo.

The station must have assumed that people would forget to come, since the workshop was scheduled two months after the broadcast—-but oh my, were they wrong.  The venue had to be changed twice to accommodate the crowd, who were not only confirming their previous ticket purchases but they were also attempting to buy more.  The final location ended up being a junior high school auditorium. 

Gee whiz.  The TV station had certainly gone all out.  Anything special for the fans.  When’s the last time you spent all day, in the board-hard seats of a dank, cinder-block-baby-poop-green, cavern, with peeling linoleum floors, scant ventilation and horrible lighting?  Lovely for the guests.  What about the wretched acoustics minus a microphone—for the speaker? Couple all of that with the fact that it was a bone-chilling , dark, pouring rain, frog-strangler of a January day.  And, oh yes, the perpetual and infamous Houston road construction, which keeps local drivers angrily waving  their most unhappy digit at one another—-surrounded  the school—making the chopped up streets more, moat-like  mud tussles than effortless parking lot access.  You had to really wanna be there.

The crowd was both soggy and surly. Almost everyone had gone to the other two locations, first, since the station had notified viewers of the changes between 2:00 and 4:00 AM a few days before the event.  So, by the time once-eager participants made it to the final destination, they arrived hissing and spitting and anxious about being late.  Also, Barbara Sher was no where to be seen.  News came that her flight from New York was late.  The grumbling elevated to the sound of  a thousand angry mosquitos, buzzing in a tiny cage.  So, as people paced around, making increasingly audible “what-the-hell” noises, I noticed this tiny lady strolling down the aisle.  She was wearing sensible, comfy shoes, (she may have even been wearing golashes) a sweater and carrying a big purse.  I thought she looked familiar, as she walked onto the stage, carrying a chair.  Plunk.  No “handlers”.  No music.  No whiz-bang multi-media. No one to introduce her.  No pitcher of water.  No hand-outs.  Just Barbara.  Hands on hips.  In the house.

And, that’s all it took.  Within ten minutes, the crowd was roaring with laughter and enthusiastically nodding and bobbing in agreement with her every word.   She had the whole room engaged in getting to know one another, but even more importantly, getting to know themselves.  People began to share ideas and contribute talents and suggestions with one another—-as we identified our dreams and what might get in the way…or not.   The place was now humming, with anticipation and excitement.  As the day continued,  everyone forgot the weather.  The sun came out inside that auditorium. People’s lives were lifted into possibility and purpose.  She showed us the joy of collaboration.  And, she vividly demonstrated the reason for one of her most recognized mantras: “Isolation IS the Dream Killer.”

As the afternoon drew to a close, she announced the creation of Success Team Leaders in major cities to run longer versions of these workshops.  I jumped at the chance to be a part of sharing what this amazing woman created. 

But the point here……right now…… is that Barbara Sher won my respect that day.  Being with her, again, for a week,  at a writer’s workshop last summer, only cemented what I all ready knew.  Barbara is a catalyst for the best of what people can believe about themselves.   She is hysterically funny and absolutely serious, at the same time.  And, most of all, she has a love for people that transcends hard seats and late flights and driving rain.

Thank you, Barbara………and happy birthday.

 Share Your Dreams.   Join Barbara’s 24 hour Global Idea Party by going to www.barbarasherwishcraft.com, for details.  The party starts Monday, March 23, 2009.  For Information about joining a Success Team, click CONTACT on this site and leave me a message.  Classes start the first Monday in May and run for 8 weeks.