The Great State of West Virginia

I had the great privilege to attend the 2018 State of the State address by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, or Coach, as he asked to be called. He is a unique person that thinks and dreams big and is leading transformational change in our state.

I spent the earlier part of the day attending the West Virginia Roundtable meeting that was hosted by Tom Heywood, who is likely the most articulate person I know and who commits more time to service and to West Virginia than most anyone in our state.

My take away from both meetings is that we are in a magic moment.

There is an optimism, an energy and a civility of thought and action that crosses party lines and focuses on a rebirth of the greatness of our state and its future.

The Governor has been able to align the vision of our state government to our possibilities as a leading state.

The first time I met Jim Justice was at the Greenbrier, and I thanked him for saving the resort. He looked at me and said, “I am only the caretaker.”

I believe that is his approach today.

A caretaker and coach.

Changing talented individuals into high functioning teams.

Turning potential and into success.

Turning great vision to a bright future.

How do these attributes help create our future?

Well, it may get back to quantum physics.

Quantum physics focuses on understanding really fundamental concepts and data about the source and structure of everything in our universe.

A really interesting finding in quantum physics is that fundamental particles, like photons of light, exist as waves and particles.

What determines if photons of light are waves or particles?

Alone, photons exist as waves, but with an observer, the photon becomes a particle.

This also may be true with our future.

The future may exist as many possibilities, but when individuals or groups of like-minded and aligned people focus on the same connected vision of this future, we begin to create a new reality.

The wave of future potential becomes the particle of future reality.

And for the first time since I have been back to West Virginia, I think we are aligned in choosing the future to match the beauty of our state and its people.

A future where we are not afraid to dream big with a mindset of abundance and success for all.

A great future that is Almost Heaven here on earth.

Let’s go.