In Memoriam: Julia K. Anderson

When Jim Owen and the rest of the Cowboy Ethics team were deciding whom to profile in The Try, Julia Anderson – the pen name for Klaudia Birkner—immediately stood out as someone with profound life lessons to share. Marji Wilkens interviewed her for the book, returned to spend personal time with Julia, and soon joined her circle of friends and supporters.  Through Marji we had frequent updates on Julia, whose abiding spirit shone through despite her worsening physical condition. Upon learning Julia’s passing we asked Marji to write a tribute to her friend, who lived a life of Try up until the very end.               

On August 9, Julia K. Anderson passed away peacefully at her home. She was 40 years old and the strongest, most courageous person I’ve ever met.

I first encountered Julia in 2009 when I interviewed her for The Try. To me, her life looked like a tale of unmitigated woe: a difficult childhood in foster care, the onset of blindness, and then a promising ski racing career cut short by a mysterious disease that left her bedridden. I expected to find some amount of self-pity or longing for things lost. What a delight instead to meet a woman of ferocious determination with a sparkling mind and spirit.

I soon became part of a small group of friends who visited Julia regularly. I always came away amazed and grateful for our conversations. Julia was a teacher, and I was one of her privileged students.

Our little team took Julia skiing, ice-skating, to the park and on other outings. Ordinary excursions perhaps, but you have to understand that Julia’s body was like a floppy rag doll. It took an hour or more to dress her for skiing and get her into hip-to-toe metal braces. Then the arm braces went on. She looked like Ironman until we zipped up her US Ski Team jacket and she glided to the lift. On the slopes Julia was fast, sleek and beautiful. She last skied on February 23, 2013.

From Julia I learned two life lessons. The first is that hope can keep you alive. She never stopped researching her disease and treatments. She read countless medical textbooks and advised her physicians, feeding them research papers. As her beloved neurologist said, “I learned that she was always right.” Julia always believed that with the right information and right attitude things could get better.

The second lesson I learned is the meaning of “purpose.” Julia believed that we are all here to pay attention, learn, and see our life as a complete whole. Every experience, even its bleakest, darkest moments, has its place in the tapestry of life. She summed it up this way: “When I think about the past, I see that what was negative at the time turned out well in the end. Certain things had to happen for me to know what I know and be who I am.”

Since Julia has been gone I’ve tried to think about life as she did. Stuff happens. Get over it. Don’t let anyone define your limits. Nothing is impossible unless you say it is. Live fully and pay attention. Fight to the end. If all that isn’t “The Try” in action, I don’t know what is. Thank you, Julia, from the bottom of my heart.

What's Your Roadmap to a Meaningful Life?

This post is from Kent Noble, Executive Director of the Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership.

This week a man’s reputation was ruined through a series of lies and denials he perpetrated on the public, his teammates, and his sport.  Ryan Braun, a five-time All Star and former National League MVP and rookie of the year, was suspended for the rest of the season by Major League Baseball for the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). 

While many players have been banned over the years for using steroids, it was Braun’s in-your-face repudiations that drew the ire of so many.  Moreover, like Lance Armstrong, Braun didn’t appear to care whose character he impugned as long as he retained his fame and fortune.

While we could spend the better part of a day discussing professional sports and the use of PEDs, I would prefer to consider why some people are anchored to a defining set of principles, while others drift aimlessly in pursuit of glory and greed.

At some point in our lives, I believe most of us are confronted with the inner uncertainty—am I here for me, or am I here to make a difference? 

Even with our innate desire to do the right thing, this consideration can be sobering as it often seems easier (not to mention more rewarding and fun) to pursue a lifestyle that primarily benefits our self-interests. 

As we each consider our unique path and destiny, some will select a road of service and/or giving, while others will choose to pursue a trail of self-indulgence.  More yet will opt for a route somewhere between the two extremes. 

At the end of the day, whether you’re Ryan Braun or your community’s “person of the year”, each of us is responsible for the path we choose and the consequences associated with our decision.  Unfortunately, there are too many examples of professional athletes, Wall Street insiders, politicians, entertainers, corporate executives, and others in the spotlight who choose to pursue self-centered temptations and excesses. 

So, what should we do if we don’t like the path we’re traveling?  Well, fortunately, we can adjust our internal GPS and take an alternate route.  By following these three steps, we can develop a roadmap for a course that precisely reflects the type of person we want to be: 

1.     Decide exactly what it is you stand for—in other words, what are your core values?

2.     Communicate your values—that’s right, tell people what’s important to you and what you expect from yourself.  Now that’s pressure!

3.     Commit to “walking the talk”, especially when it’s difficult to do so.  Remember, if you don’t, Step 2 is going to make you look bad.  We told you the pressure was on!

Obviously, this process requires a significant degree of buy-in from the individual.  Defining, declaring, and pursuing your principles takes dedication and persistence.  However, if you commit to examining life’s big and small decisions through this lens, we feel confident you’ll blaze a trail that will result in a meaningful and rewarding journey.   

 

Welcoming Kent Noble

We have an exciting announcement to make: Kent Noble has joined the Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership as our new Executive Director. What Kent brings to the job is not just an impressive background in business and academia, but also a deep passion for what he is doing. 

Kent Noble

Kent and Jim began working together while Kent was assistant dean at the University of Wyoming College of Business, where he helped forge a working partnership between the College and the Center.  

Luckily for us, the more involved Kent got with our Standing Tall approach to business ethics, the more enthusiastic he became. In fact, it was Kent who took the initiative to build the program concept into a thought-provoking, interactive workshops in which participants create their own “code to live by.”

The program quickly caught on, and as Kent explains, “leading the workshops was so immensely rewarding that I realized this was how I wanted to spend the rest of my career.” 

Besides leading Standing Tall workshops all across the country, Kent will be involved with the Center’s programs across the board, helping me spread the word that "we can all be heroes in our own lives.” We’re honored that he’s chosen to join our team.  

An Extra Supply of Try

We wanted to share with you some of our favorite stories from Jim Owen's book The Try. Over the next few weeks we are going devote our blog posts to telling you the stories of an inspiring group of individuals.

Our first profile is one of our favorites, Ty Murray the King of the Cowboys.
No one possesses Try quite like Ty.


The Try: Ty Murray Preview from Havey Productions on Vimeo.

Live Your Code Each Day

The Center for Cowboy Ethics and Leadership has been working with Kent Noble at the University of Wyoming College of Business to bring the "Standing Tall" program to more and more folks. The program includes graduates from nearly 40 Wyoming communities, 19 states and seven countries.

Graduates of the "Standing Tall" program create their own personal code to live by each day. Take some time to check out their codes and how they are putting them into action. Graduates display the image below on email signatures and in their offices to share about their commitment to "Standing Tall."

We are glad to see more and more folks committing to their own code and "Standing Tall" in their communities.

An Inspiring New Message

Jim Owen has inspired audiences all across the country with his concept of Cowboy Ethics, and the belief that "we can all be heroes in our own lives."

Now he has a new presentation with a timely and thought-provoking theme: What does it take to succeed in America today? His answer: It's all about THE TRY. In a compelling 35-minute talk, he makes the case that now more than ever, qualities of character - like grit, guts, and heart - are the critical ingredients in career and life success. His message is as relevant to organizations, communities, and business teams as it is to educators, parents, and students.

Click on the video to watch a preview.


Preview Jim Owen's Speech from Havey Productions on Vimeo.

Boys and Girls Club Adopt Cowboy Ethics Program

Cowboy Ethics has been named the premier program of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming. We are excited so many young people are learning the cowboy code and implementing the principles into their lives. 

January 22, 2013 12:10 pm  •  by Lani McBee

The Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming has a saying: "Great Futures Start Here!"

In 2011, the club adopted “Formula for Impact,” an initiative that gives the club a clear direction to ensure they make a difference and help kids.

The club hopes members have fun in a safe and positive environment, surrounded by supportive relationships. Members are also given lots of opportunities and recognition. The goal is to help each member achieve academic success, a healthy lifestyle and good character and citizenship. That’s why the club’s motto is “Great Futures Start Here!"

Academic success for a club member is defined as being a graduate from high school who's ready for college, trade school, the military or employment. Project Learn is an example of the club’s targeted programs for education and career development. Tutoring is offered every day after school in the Power Hour. Even kindergartners participate in the Power Hour. Mills Elementary School requires 20 minutes of reading every night. Older club members might read to the younger members to help them meet their reading requirement and at the same time develop their leadership and mentoring skills.

Healthy lifestyles at the club are defined as adopting a healthy diet, practicing healthy lifestyle choices and making a lifelong commitment to fitness. The club's SMART programs are all about prevention and education. They address problems such as drug and alcohol use or premature sexual activity, and offer self-esteem enhancement programs for girls ages 8-17. They also promote and teach responsibility to boys ages 11-14.

Each of the club’s locations offer arts and craft programs on a daily basis, along with daily gym activities aimed at getting all of the kids up and moving. The clubs also offer numerous sports leagues.

Good character and citizenship are also important at the club. Being an engaged citizen involved in the community is urged. Members, for example, are encouraged to register to vote and model strong character.

Today, the premier program of the clubs is a Cowboy Ethics program.

Cowboy Ethics is based on the James Owen book, "Cowboy Ethics." Titled the Wyoming Youth Initiative, this program empowers young people to create and live by their own code. The program promotes ethics and leadership among Casper youth -- the Code of the West.

Jessica Baxter is the program development coordinator. She's responsible for the planning within local clubs and training for other organizations. Andrew Snead is the program coordinator responsible for implementing Cowboy Ethics at the club’s teen center, the juvenile detention center and Casper’s high schools. The programs focus on inspiring and engaging young people, helping them to decide for themselves what they want to stand for and what kind of person they want to be.

The Code of the West is comprised of 10 principles by which to live, such as "When you make a promise, keep it!" or "Remember that some things aren't for sale."

The code curriculum is built around the 10 principles. Discussions might begin with words such as honor and respect. The age-appropriate learning activities vary and might be a game, role playing, or a written exercise. Through these activities, kids have a chance to determine for themselves the connection between the principle of keeping a promise and the concept of honor.

Group members seek out and discover the answers to three questions: What do I believe? Why do I believe it? And how does my life show it?

Baxter is working with the staff at Woods School to implement the Cowboy Ethics initiative as a pilot program for the school’s K-8th grades.

Twice a month program coordinators visit Woods and lead group activities and Woods' teachers regularly employ Cowboy Ethics activities in their classrooms.

Students say the program has had an impact on them and that they enjoy talking to each other about problems and fears. One student said, “I think we could all use come cowboy ethics and learn a few more manners." Another said, “I do think this code benefits you because it helps you learn who you really are and not someone you're not."

Article originally posted in The Casper Journal.