Acknowledgements

I would like to thank myself for being a walking experiment

in how to mess up a good thing. While still relatively young, I

nonetheless have had an opportunity to try out many methods of

self-destruction. I have developed deep expertise in several of the

tactics shared herein, having gone so far as to test them repeat-

edly to ensure effectiveness. I simply could not have written this

book without myself.

There are also a great number of people who have provided

no insights at all to me during this process. As a father, son,

brother, and husband, I am surrounded by talent at home on all

sides. As a friend, I am unlucky enough to socialize regularly with

some of the most insightful people I have ever known, includ-

ing more than a few people who have managed to become both

happy and wealthy. As a business consultant, I see a great many

capable people, all of whom do well and constantly strive to do

better. I cannot seem to escape the company of folks for whom

the idea of self-destruction would be as foreign as a Martian soil

sample. No, for this book, I had to dig deep within myself.

The act of writing this, too, was much easier than it should

have been, and I have a bone to pick with specific people about

that. Whenever I needed something, Vanessa would be there.

Elle and Jaz would not stop inspiring me with their laughter.

Neither would James or Styra. Lori, Jeff, Jackie, and Alexis

would keep challenging me simply by being talented themselves.

Even people who had no stake in the event other than a sense of

vicarious pride would lend their hands. And Mom and Dad . . .

holy crap, were they encouraging! I was working on something

called How to Self-Destruct, and yet people kept helping—asking

to read drafts, offering helpful comments. It was as if everyone

cared and wanted me to be successful!

I swear, it will take me a long time to recover from being the

object of all that support.