I had an annoyingly storybook high school experience.

I went to one of the biggest high schools in the country (Duncanville, TX).

Our campus was more like a college. 5,000 students. 1,000 in my graduating class.

Our football stadium had over 30,000 seats.

When it rained, we went to our indoor practice field.

And my senior year, I was the starting center on our first-ever state championship football team.

My friends and I wore gaudy golden rings to commemorate the moment.

We were on a cereal box.

We even did a photo shoot for Rolling Stone Magazine (That's me in the yellow circle).

Crazy.

But... at my age, this memory is meaningless.

It was decades ago.

Since that photo, I went to college, got married, moved to Colorado, had 3 kids, and started (and failed at) multiple businesses.

Last week, though, I relived it for a minute.

I was in Dallas for the funeral of the father of one of my childhood best friends, Steve (he's to the left of me in that pic).

Steve and I were reminiscing when one of his teenage sons came up to us.

"Hey, this is my friend Cody!" Steve said, gesturing to the two of us. "We were STATE CHAMPS!"

His son had an awkward smile and kind of shrugged as he muttered, "Oh, cool," before walking away.

I burst out laughing.

He was totally unimpressed by the conquests of his father and friends.

As he should be.

The whole ordeal got me thinking about the peaks and valleys of life.

Moments of great glory punctuated by moments of grief.

Hosting live events, crushing a launch, creating Email School...(yay)

Coupled with failed launches, busted promotions, and getting fired in 2022...(boo)

Here's what I know for me, though:

My best days are ahead of me.

It wasn't in a Rolling Stone photo spread from 1999.

I'm not living in the past.

I'm extremely excited and optimistic for what's to come.

How about you?

Answer the question, "What's the proudest I've ever been of myself?"

If it's something from the past...

Well, then, I say it's time to do something special.

Because I believe your best days are ahead of you, too.

Just gotta seize the moment.

You got this,

~ Cody