A couple of nights ago my wife and I were in the car, working our way home from the Robert Morris Speaker Series at Heinz Hall.

Karen and I had just listened to Mark Shields speak, and if there is a more witty political satirist on the planet, I’d sure like to meet him. (Example: he quoted a conversation between Newt Gingrich and John McCain wherein Gingrich said to McCain, “John, why is it that people take such an instant dislike to me?”

To which McCain replied, “Newt, probably because it saves them time.”)

Anyway, I was curious as to how my adopted alma mater – Duquesne University – was doing in its tournament game. (Yes, Duquesne is in a post-season tournament.) I kept changing stations, looking for this phantom game when I came across the sports station in Pittsburgh, an “FM-er” that goes by the name of “The Fan”.

Thinking I had found the game and was simply at half time, I heard the announcer say, “Today prominent Pittsburgh Steeler Rashard Mendenhall supported Adrian Peterson’s comment which equated playing in the NFL to slavery. So, we’re asking callers to give us their thoughts on this topic.”

This was the point where I realized two things: first, that I had not found my beloved Duquesne Dukes game; and, next, that this was one of the dumber of all the dumb questions I have ever heard on sports talk radio. (And that takes in a hell of a lot of dumb questions.)

But that’s not the best part of the story. The best part of the story is the fact that, and once I realized the Duquesne game was not on the radio, I periodically re-tuned to “The Fan” to catch score updates.

And this is when I learned that grown men (mostly --- fortunately, our women are too smart to waste their brain cells on such inanity) --- were continuing to vent their opinions on the similarities and differences between working in a professional football league and toiling in the fields of a plantation owner.

In all, this absolutely stupid conversation lasted at least two-and-a -half hours. (I say this because I really have no idea when it started!)

Think about that. Probably three or four dozen people dialed a phone number and then sat on hold waiting to talk to the host about a completely hypothetical and nonsensical question. Hours and hours of people’s lives just wasted.

And this doesn’t even take into account the hours wasted by the people sitting there listening to this crap!

It got me to thinking, “Whatever happened to self-improvement?”

I mean this --- give me two-and-a-half hours of free time, and I’ll at least read a book. These days, I would probably acquire a deeper understanding of what’s going on in Japan.

Why?

Because whatever ultimately happens in Japan will most certainly affect both my life and the lives of my family members. I have a hard time believing that my wife and kids will be negatively impacted by the NFL strike.

Every night, literally millions of Americans go to their homes, turn on their idiot boxes, and vegetate. Many of them rationalize their behaviors by saying to anyone within earshot, “I’m exhausted! It’s all I can do to put on my sweatpants and plop down on the couch.”

And yet, virtually every successful person I have met in my life looks at their “off time” as an opportunity to improve their minds, their bodies, and their spirit. These same people take the time that they would typically be “plopped” and then use that time to learn more about their avocation, or some other activity that in some way broadens their horizons.

I personally cannot stand in a bank line unless I have something to read. I know people who go absolutely crazy if they cannot, at least in some small way, improve their mind whilst “having to be” somewhere that they just don’t want to be. (Faculty meetings come to mind.)

Some years ago, Steven Covey, Jr. (he was a recent guest on our show) talked to me about the habits of effective people. In all cases, people who were “effective” (that is, both productive and happy) “filled in” their alleged free time with activities that broadened their mind, body, and soul.

But maybe this is the way that the Great Creator planned things? Perhaps only a percentage of all people should be ambitious and striving while the vast majority are just there as “backup singers”? I don’t know.

But I do know that this is a very short life, and that there is so much to be learned while living. I also know that whenever I learn, I simultaneously put myself in a position where I have increased my odds of succeeding.

Ask yourself. “When was the last time I saw a play?” Or, read a book? Or, just sat and conversed with bright people about life’s most perplexing questions?

Or might you be one of the “Dancing With the Stars” people?

I know I’m going to get comments from people who will say, “Ron, it’s important to relax. It’s important to just let everything go and vegetate now and then.”

To which I say, “Baloney!” I completely disagree. I believe that the brain, just like any other muscle in the body, lasts longer and grows stronger whenever it is exercised. Similarly, muscles that go unused atrophy. This is axiomatic.

This isn’t scientific, but just the other day I was talking to the direct report for an 86 year-old guy who runs a limousine company in New Jersey. In addition to that company, he also owns apartment buildings and warehouses all over the New York metropolitan area.

This guy spends his weekends showing rentals and invoicing customers. Monday through Friday, he’s buying and selling properties while also dealing with the issues related to managing a couple dozen employees.

You look at this guy, and he appears to be 20 years younger than he is. When I asked his subordinate how this could be, he replied, “Staying busy keeps him young. He figures if he stops moving, some bullet might find him.”

At age 61, I know exactly how this guy feels. Whenever someone talks to me about “packing it in”, I cringe. Frankly, I want to “work” (I certainly don’t call it that) until they close the lid on my coffin.

Besides, it’s just a lot more fun staying busy.