Mike

The Next Adventure

235 West Elm Street Tipp City, Ohio 45371 USA

937-776-7362

Mike Nygren: Author

The Ten Balloons. Principles of Leadership, Life and Love captures the spirit of what it means to take an intentional look at your life. This realistic approach to a balanced life is personal and practical in outlining steps for creating intentional purpose statements in ten areas of your life.

Mike’s story telling approach to life brings great inspiration and motivation in the areas of family, career, relationships, education, finances, health, and adventure. This multi-generational topic is designed for young people and adult audiences of all ages who like personal challenges.

 

Down Memory Lane

Blog #2: My Career Balloon

Down Memory Lane is just that- a reminder of the countless individuals, teams, places and initiatives that my career has included throughout the decades. For me each December is the “season” I dedicate to processing, and analyzing the past year while dreaming and imagining about the upcoming year. The common denominator for my Career Balloon was clarified during 1976 as I was inspired by the words of motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar.

“You can have everything in life that you want if you help give enough other people what they want.”

I had already been living my life investing in others through coaching, teaching and discipling but never fully understood that Zig’s words were already being lived out in my life’s mission. Down Memory Lane is about how my career included investing in children, youth and adults on the athletic arena, academic and business world, and military, religious and non-profit sectors of our society.

In reflecting on my career I am sometimes fascinated that my 16 year-old high school dream of being a “teacher and coach” is still true today. I have been blessed to have lived out the dream in so many of life’s amazing possibilities and opportunities. My journey Down Memory Lane - from Uncommon to Bizarre through Trainings and Conferences is definitely an outcome of diligently investing time each year with the Ten Balloons.

Uncommon to bizarre.

“Memories are simply moments that refuse to be ordinary.” Diane Keaton

  • When You Take a Pig Across America Adventure initiative.

  • 20’ World’s Largest Strawberry Float.

  • Building Sarah’s Third Floor Tijuana Home.

  • New York City Protest March.

  • Ocean City Leadership Conference.

  • Make A Difference Day – Columbus.

  • Constructing the Treehouse in the Tijuana Dump.

  • Encounter on the Montego Bay runway.

  • Tipp Roller Mill Painting Initiative.

  • Appalachia home built by 60.

Work project initiatives.

“Fill your life with shared memories and love, and in the end you will have lived.”  Lynda Fisher

·       Dayton Work Project

·       Appalachia Construction Company

·       Mexico Work Project

·       Jamaica Work Project

·       New York City Work Project

·       Chicago Work Project

·       Habitat House in Haiti

·       Dayton Restoration - Light Street Home

·       West Virginia Construction Project

·       Dayton Home Insulation Project

·       Bob’s Garden in Manhattan

Community initiatives.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

·       Run For the Mums

·       Junior Run for the Mums

·       Tipp City Community Thanksgiving Dinner

·       Idea Factory

·       Troy Strawberry Festival

·       Troy Make a Difference Day

·       Dayton Make a Difference Day

·       Columbus Make a Difference Day

Student designed initiatives.

 “Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals.” Margaret Mead 

·       The Clubhouse

·       Kids Kamp

·       Dreamers Gymnastics

·       Serve it Up!

·       Reading Buddies

·       Young Women of Distinction

·       Canal Boat Restoration Project

·       Upward Basketball Superheroes Event

·       Kids Read Now Summer Camp

·       Young Women of Distinction Summer Camp

·       Northmont Leadership Camp

·       Mathletes

·       Dayton Children’s Zoo

·       Funday Monday

·       Spring Break Appalachia Home Build

Movements, teams and groups.

“As I review the great history of our nation, community organizers have been at the center of so many of our great social movements.” Cory Booker 

·       TKE at Eastern Kentucky

·       Evening Zoo

·       Milton Union High School Industrial Arts

·       Chestertown Middle School Industrial Arts

·       Joshua Team

·       World Changers

·       Show-pig.com All-star Leadership Team

·       Hopewell micro business ventures

·       Milton Union Women’s Varsity Track Team

·       Milton Union Junior High Track Team

·       Work Hard. Play Hard. Sleep Hard. Study Hard.

Trainings and conferences.

“There is an art to developing people.” Mitch Gray

·       Ocean City Leadership Conference

·       McDonald’s Dayton Leadership Conferences

·       Ichthus Youth Leaders Trainings

·       Wright Patterson Air Force Base Mentoring Initiative

·       Student Leadership Academy

·       UMC West Ohio Conference Youth Consultant

·       Grandparent Revolution Workshops

·       Ten Balloons Workshops

·       Christmas In New York Leadership Conferences 

Contact mike@tenballoons.com