In a few hours, I will be leaving for the Philippines. When I deploy to disasters, many people thank me for my efforts. However, I am compelled to share with you that it all begins with having a supportive spouse. My wife, Debbie, is simply amazing. How many spouses would say, "Sure, you can put yourself at risk, miss Thanks Giving and our 31st Anniversary. If you feel God it calling you, you need to go to the Philippines".

Wow, what an intense 24 hours! Yesterday I received the call from Medical Teams International that they were deploying our First-In Team to the Philippines today. It is an all-out thrash to unplug from life to deploy within 24 hours. It truly takes a massive team effort. The folks at Harrison Urgent Care (Meg, Aimmee, Dr Eppel, Dr Singh, and Dr Liebling) rallied to cover my shifts. Meetings were cancelled and schedules rearranged as I hit the eject button on my life.

I hate tailgating. I’m not talking about the type of tailgating that occasionally happens when someone isn’t paying attention; I’m talking about deliberate tailgating. The kind where you can’t even see the headlights of the person behind you. Slamming on the brakes isn’t an option. They are so that if you touch the brakes they will end up in your back seat! Then they start flashing their lights (like you could see them) and blasting their horn! Have you ever had one of these knuckleheads on your tail? How do you usually respond? Do you get angry? Do you “flip them off” or just give them the evil eye as they pass by? If you had your way, what do you think should be done to these folks?

Under extreme pressure or when disaster strikes, some people disengage and become bystanders. You've probably experienced this at work and maybe even at home. I've done it and perhaps you have as well. It is the easiest course but it results in absolutely no legacy. Life becomes blah. You have to roll up your sleeves, lean forward and get involved if you want to make a difference where you are (or perhaps clear across the world). That is exactly what a group of women from Bellevue, WA have done.

Years ago I was mountain biking down Devil's Gulch in Eastern Washington. We were flying down the mountain like crazy men. The dirt and gravel path was only about a foot wide and there were some tremendous, 100 foot drop offs. At one point, I just glimpsed off the edge for a second and said to myself, "I definitely don't want to go down there!" In an instant I launched off the edge... bike and all. Fortunately I landed in a bramble about 15 feet below. Holding on I yelled for help as my buddies went flying by. Finally someone saw me and I was able to get back up onto the trail with the help of my friends. Too bad I didn't get it on video! There is a predictable process going on that causes this sort of event (not the stupidity of riding down the trail in the first place, just the launching off the edge).

I believe that we may face some tough times ahead. From a psychological point of view, do you know how to process the challenges that will come. About 20% of folks that are confronted with natural disasters continue to thrive despite the lack of resources and support. Learn how they think. They know the answers to the two most important questions to ask when the bottom falls out. By the way, not all disasters make the news. Sometimes we are challenged beyond our comfort zone at work and even at home. The concepts I discuss in this segment will help you there as well.

Brig. Gen Steve Ritchie tells the amazing story of the rescue of downed pilot Roger Locher in Vietnam in 1972. In that same year Ritchie volunteered for his second tour in Southeast Asia and was assigned to the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Udorn, Thailand.

As I listen to Brig. Gen Steve Ritchie recall the rescue of Roger Locher, I am again reminded of the power of a group of people that are willing to lay down their lives for a single man. Every day each of us faces two defining questions:

When Kyle Maynard was 14 years old, he put his own socks on for the first time -- not an easy thing to do for a young man with virtually no arms and no legs. The first sock took him 30 minutes. The second one took him 15 minutes.

Frankly, stories like this make me a bit uncomfortable. There is a lot to learn from 25 year old, Kyle Maynard. He was born without hands or feet and yet he climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro. His attitude is refreshing and, at the same time, challenging. Watching him redefines my challenges and compels me to get back in the game. How about you? What are your thoughts after watching him?

This week 35 tornadoes hit the Midwest in just 24 hours! At least 13 people are dead and hundreds were injured. Hear stories about life on the ground during a tornado. Many people would like to help. But, sometimes help gets in the way. Hear what you can do to actually make a difference.

Todd Stabelfeldt is out to change the world...from the neck up. In fact, he already has. At 8 years of age, Todd became a C4 quadriplegic when he and his cousin were playing with guns. Listen in to discover how Todd overcame the obstacles, graduated from college and high school in the same year and went on to become the VP of a software company. Todd lets us "backstage" to see how he was able to do what very few with his severe disability have been able to do. You will be challenged, inspired and motivated to make a difference in your world. This is an interview that you will never forget. You can learn more about what Todd is doing at www.thetsf.org.

Here's a behind the scenes look at what it takes to find significance under pressure. The frontline concepts presented have been forged out of some of the greatest disasters of our times and they will equip you to face the challenges in your own life. Learn the principle of "Target Fixation" and how you can apply it to your relationships and your life. Find out one simple, easy-to-do technique that you can start today that will profoundly impact you for months to come (even if you only do it for a week!). And it won't cost you anything (how often do you hear that from a physician!).

Dr. Dan Diamond gives you a behind the scenes look at what it takes to find significance under pressure. The frontline concepts that he presents have been forged out of some of the greatest disasters of our times and they will equip you to face the challenges in your own life. This episode focuses on the principle of "Target Fixation" and how you can apply it to your relationships and your life. Find out one simple, easy-to-do technique that you can start today that will profoundly impact you for months to come (even if you only do it for a week!). And it won't cost you anything (how often do you hear that from a physician!).

My Dad was my hero, my inspiration and my best friend. January 17, 2012 he went to be with Jesus, our Ultimate Hero, Inspiration and Best Friend. My Dad and I had the most incredible relationship imaginable. From the time I was just a little boy, I could hardly wait to introduce my friends to my Dad -- even when I was in High School and other kids were embarrassed by their parents, I thought that my Dad was someone they just had to meet. I would like to introduce him to you.

So, since American Family Insurance has sponsored me to speak in Joplin this week, I decided that I should visit the local Waffle House to check in and see how they were doing. (Also, they were miraculously just across the parking lot from my hotel!) Marla, my agent from In The Wings Speaker Management, was already there and already had them organized to say, "Good morning Dan!" as I walked in the door. It was hilarious. It was a Waffle House Level Green kind of a day. They were offering a full menu and I was hungry. Following the tornado, despite the lack of electricity for several day days, they managed to stay open (Level Yellow) and help! The stories from the staff took my breath away!

I’ve been on the ground now in Joplin for a little over 24 hours. As usual, when I try to come and help, I feel like I’m being blessed more than I’m blessing others. I met some terrific people since I’ve been here and I experienced a spirit of resilience that is out of this world. Joplin is a wonderful place where people care about each other and they put each other first. American Family Insurance sponsored my trip to Joplin as part of their commitment to reach out and meet the needs of the community. Remember, however, that many of the folks that responded were also at the mercy of the tornado and had their own challenges to overcome.

This has been an amazing day! I was so excited to get to Joplin that I didn't sleep much last night. I was out of bed at 2:30 AM to begin the trek to the airport for my 6:10 flight where I met up with Marla Williams. She has been instrumental in organizing this series of talks. Marla and I were both committed to putting on these events with no cost to the Joplin community. American Family Insurance graciously sponsored the meetings so we could bring this message of resilience, empowerment and hope. After we arrived in Joplin this evening, Vicky Mieseler (the Director at Ozark Center) picked us up and gave us a first-hand view of the town. She was at work at the time the tornado struck and she was able to hunker down. Her daughter, on the other hand, had quite the experience.

Sometimes I think that I've lived way too much of my life in the wrong time zone. It seems to me that I spend a great deal of energy and time pondering, planning for and worrying about what I'm going to do about an hour from now. In doing so, I miss out on what is actually going on right here and right now. The big problem is that I never get caught up; I'm always chasing an hour hand that moves further away.

This is an amazing report from one of the physicians that was on duty on May 22, 2011 in the Emergency Department at St. John's Regional Medical Center. I've posted it here in its entirety because it is so well written and will open your eyes to what it is like to be on the ground, in the trenches during one of these disasters. He or she did an outstanding job of becoming part of the solution despite dire circumstances. Some of the key things to note when you read this memoir include:

Imagine that you are 83 years old and sitting at home alone. All of a sudden your world begins to shake and you are nearly thrown to the ground. Gripped by fear, you do your best to find a doorway or duck under a table. As the earthquake ends about 60 seconds later you check yourself over and are encouraged to find that you still have all of your parts and nothing is injured. Your belongings on the other hand didn't fair so well. There is glass everywhere... so much damage in so little time. Earthquakes are so overwhelmingly powerful and intimidating. It makes you feel small and helpless. As you begin to feel discouraged by the large mess and wonder how you will ever get it cleaned up, you hear a siren somewhere in the back of your mind.

I just spent this past weekend in Atlanta at the National Speakers Association “Unconference” and it was a phenomenal experience. I had the opportunity to meet people from around the world and I learned a tremendous amount from Matt Church about being a thought leader. Yesterday while driving I began to ponder how energized I was after sending such a short amount of time with such a powerhouse of support. Not only did I come away feeling a lot smarter; I also came away feeling inspired. Throughout my life I have had pivotal moments where my perspective changed and ideas started to flow. Moments where the doubts vaporized and the “I can do it!” took over. Rarely do this times come from isolation. There is something about the impact of a community on the individual. It is powerful. Surrounding myself with positive people that are moving forward and making a difference refocuses my sights on doing great things.