We’re doing a short series on perspectives that go against conventional wisdom. If you’re just now joining us, I encourage you to go back and catch the last few entries in this series.

When I was a kid back in the 1980s, I listened to a lot of Christian music. My favorite album during that period was “The Big Picture” by an artist named Michael W. Smith. One of the best songs on the album was titled Pursuit of the Dream, which contained one of my favorite lyrics ever: “Never forget your roots as you head for something new.”

That lyric has stuck with me for decades as I have gone through various periods in my life and made a lot of changes. It has particularly stuck with me over the last year since I quit my job as a college professor and became a full-time ghostwriter and author.

I have gotten a little bit of attention from people in my network because I’ve released a few books over the last year, built a successful business from scratch, and also have my first book coming out next month with a traditional New York publisher.

Yes, I’m proud of my accomplishments from the last couple of years. But the truth is that I had a lot of help getting here and I will continue to need a lot of help as I go forward. None of these good things would’ve happened without the support of my amazing wife and son, and mentors like Honoreé Corder, Dan Miller, and Nick Pavlidis.

At the end of the day, I’m just a kid from a small southern Missouri town of Potosi. I grew up in a double-wide trailer out in the country. But I had the good fortune of having amazing parents, a lot of good teachers, and so many people who have helped me along the way.

Whatever level of success you achieve in your life or business, don’t ever forget where you came from. We were all born the same way and we will all leave this life one day. Keep your success in perspective and remember that it’s all pretty pointless if you don’t use your success to help other people.

Question: How did your roots shape you into the person you are today?