“Standing Above the Crowd makes me feel 10 feet tall!”
— Marlee Huber, author of Unstoppable Abundance
“Every day, James works to help his community by mentoring and teaching people how to make positive progress in their lives. His commitment to success isn’t for self-gain; it’s driven by his desire to see others achieve their goals and dreams. Standing Above the Crowd is one more example of how James reaches out to share his knowledge and experience for the benefit of others.”
— W. Gregory Guedel, Attorney at Law, Foster Pepper, PLLC, and Snohomish City Council Member
MILL CREEK, WASH.
June 22, 2011
• Former NBA All-Star now coaches businesses to win
• ‘I learned the lesson about never being satisfied’
“I learned the lesson about never being satisfied,” Mr. Donaldson says, recalling a point in his basketball career at Washington State University when a coach gave him life-changing advice. “Don’t become complacent. You can enjoy success, but you also have to learn from the failures. Keep pushing yourself to be the very best you can be.”
(James Donaldson talks about applying NBA lessons to business and life in today’s CVBT Audio Interview via iPhone and Skype. Please left-click on the link below to listen now or right-click on the link to download the MP3 audio file for later listening.)
He’s put many of his ideas and experiences into a new book, “Standing above the Crowd: Success Strategies in Athletics, Business, Community and Life,” which was published in May.
“Success won’t come overnight. I wasn’t an overnight success by any means but I’ve been able to hang in there a long time to enjoy the joy in the morning that comes down the road,” says Mr. Donaldson. “One thing I learned in athletics is that it’s not always good to just play harder, you have to play smarter.”
A small business entrepreneur for over 20 years as president and owner of The Donaldson Clinic of Mill Creek, Wash., he says he sees that businesses go through natural cycles of ebbs and flows. What often separates the winners from the losers, he says, is the ability of the business owner to know when to call a timeout, change out the players and when to run another play.
“I knew James Donaldson as an opposing center with the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics and Dallas Mavericks when I was with the Los Angeles Lakers. We knew it would always be a tough contest because of his focus and sheer determination, and we would have to bring our “A” game.”
— Jamaal Wilkes, Former NBA All-Star, President/CEO of Jamaal Wilkes Financial Advisors, LLC
“James is a gentleman with heart. He cares deeply about his community and his friends old and new; I count myself lucky to be one of the latter. James inspired and encouraged me during our 2009 campaigns for local office, and I believe his words, ‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me’ will inspire others to live their best and stand tall beside him.”
— Sally Bagshaw, Seattle City Council
James Donaldson’s - Standing Above the Crowd book is now available in ebook format! http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Above-The-Crowd-ebook/dp/B0053HVIF6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1306903439&sr=1-5
Of course, to order your own personally autographed copy for only $19.95, please go to www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com and James Donaldson will personally autograph your book to you.
I sent a wonderful weekend in Spokane at Hoopfest. A record 7,000 teams were registered!!! Wow!!!
I helped with the color commentary of the final championship games with Gonzaga great, Roni Turiaf, and KXLY sports director/announcer, Derek Deis. I gave them their autographed copies of Standing Above the Crowd and they loved it.A great time for everyone!!!
“Having worked with pro athletes in the major U.S. sports for forty-plus years, I respect my friend James Donaldson for accomplishing what is a very tall order. To stay true to your values, excel in your sport for many years, found and run a thriving business for more than two decades, all the while putting God and others first—James makes it look as easy as his dunks from way above the rim. When this smiling giant unpacks his amazing mind, it pays to look up and listen.” — George Toles, former NBA announcer and retired media executive
Here's a nice interview that I did a couple of days ago on my book, Standing Above the Crowd.
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=18728 Enjoy! I had a great time this afternoon in giving the commencement speech at Benaroya Hall for Bastyr University graduates, class of 2011. I'm a former board member with Bastyr and it's always been on of my favorite universities.
Congratulations Graduating Class of 2011!!!
“After a memorable NBA career that spanned fourteen seasons, James Donaldson turned his attention to attacking social problems and helping make the world a better place. He does that job with style, grace, kindness, and wisdom. The Puget Sound area is a better place for having James Donaldson as a resident.”
— Mike Gastineau, KJR Sports Radio Talk Show Host http://www.seattlechamber.com/Events/Speakers/SpeakerDetail.aspx?speakerID=594
James Donaldson’s - Standing Above the Crowd book is now available in ebook format! http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Above-The-Crowd-ebook/dp/B0053HVIF6/ref=sr_1_5...
Of course, to order your own personally autographed copy for only $19.95, please go to www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com and James Donaldson will personally autograph your book to you.“James Donaldson shares a timely and powerful story, vividly illustrating the role personal clarity plays in the achievement of lifelong success. Standing Above the Crowd reflects James’ legendary example of living a life knowing who you are and where you are going; achieving extraordinary results in athletics, business, and community. Standing Above the Crowd is more than a book—it’s the way to live a successful life.”
— Colin Brine, CPA, consultant, and cofounder of www.beclearly.com “For those of you who’ve had the pleasure of casual conversation with James Donaldson, you are already aware of why the title of his book, Standing Above the Crowd, is so appropriate. His wisdom, judgment, and humor are all front and center in this very uplifting book.”
— Tom “Satch” Sanders, eight-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, former NBA executive and businessman “I have known and worked with James Donaldson, a great friend, at Mount Zion Baptist Church for many, many years. He continues to support our youth and adults in our church programs. James is a great example of spreading the love of Jesus Christ in many, many ways.”
— Rev. Frank M. Byrdwell Jr., Minister and Organist at Mount Zion Baptist Church, Seattle, WA “I would like for everyone who reads your book to know about your coming to prayer meeting every Wednesday when you were in town. Your favorite song was “Further Along We’ll Know All About it.” I also can recall when your father visited from California. You also brought him to prayer meeting. Now what does this say about you? It tells me that you are a child of God who believes in the power of prayer and one who enjoys the fellowship and love of his brothers and sisters in Christ. God Bless You.”
— Reverend Phyllis I. Beaumonte, Seattle, WA http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Above-The-Crowd-ebook/dp/B0053HVIF6/ref=sr_1_1...
James Donaldson’s - Standing Above the Crowd book is now available in ebook format! http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Above-The-Crowd-ebook/dp/B0053HVIF6/ref=sr_1_5...
It'll make a great Father's Day gift... especially if it's personally autographed to Dad! Of course, to order your own personally autographed copy for only $19.95, please go to www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com and James Donaldson will personally autograph your book to you.“I first met James in 1975. He joined our team at Washington State University as a quiet, introverted person with raw, undeveloped physical size and athletic ability. Through his persistent effort, hard work, and determination, he transformed himself into an NBA All-Star and the tremendous person he is today. On a personal note, we still consider James a family friend, and my sons grew up thinking everyone had a seven-foot NBA center and his dogs to play with. I have the first-hand knowledge that James didn’t just write this book; he lives it!
— Marty Giovacchini, Captain, Washington State University Basketball, 1977
Along with becoming a published author this year, another thing that I was able to accomplish is that I became a licensed insurance health/disability agent in the state of Washington.
My focus is cancer/health/stroke policies and I work with a great company, Family Heritage that has been providing health insurance policies for over 20 years.Our cancer policies are unique in that they offer:- Return of premium at the end of a stated term (tax free)
For even more information, go to www.FamilyHeritageLife.com
“I’ve known James since we were both freshmen student athletes at Washington State University in 1975. At the time, I was an aspiring redshirt-football player. I’ve observed many athletes in all sports, and James, literally and figuratively, stood above them all! Absolutely no one worked harder and was more dedicated at making himself into a world class athlete than James Donaldson. On top of that, James is a world class person, and anyone reading his book, Standing Above the Crowd, will be the better for it.”
— Jack “Throwin’ Samoan” Thompson, former Washington State University and NFL quarterback
Father’s Day is June 19th!!!
In my recently published book, Standing Above the Crowd, is have a chapter titled “Dance With My Father” in which I write about the need for Fathers to step up and become more involved in the lives of their children (especially their sons!).With Father’s Day coming up soon, a great gift for the Father in your life would be a copy of Standing Above the Crowd www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com It’ll be a wonderful way to show that you understand the challenges and struggles that they go through as Fathers, and perhaps even give them a few tips on how to have a better relationship with you.Here are a few excepts from the chapter “Dance With My Father”
- One of my all time favorite songs is Luther Vandross’ “Dance with My Father.” It’s the only song that brings tears to my eyes every single time I hear it. If you don’t know the song, I encourage you to search online for the lyrics or to buy the music. I don’t know what kind of relationship Luther Vandross had with his father, but I can only hope that the song was inspired by his own personal experience of his father lifting him high and spinning him round and round before taking him up the stairs and tucking him in for a good night’s sleep.- Men, and especially those of you who are fathers, I want you to remember this! You’re not bad guys or bad people! Sure, we get portrayed as buffoons on TV, and we don’t get a lot of respect at home or in any other walk of life, but we all have to remember that we have so much to offer and to give back to young people and to the wonderful relationships we have.
- A dad means so much to every young boy, and I feel for boys who either didn’t have a dad around or have bad memories of when dad was around. Dads are definitely not perfect, and most dads really struggle in their roles as fathers, but you have to admire the ones who hang in there through it all. If you’re a dad who happens to have a young son, pick him up and swing him around and around, and then carry him off to tuck him into bed. He’ll know he’s loved, and he’ll never forget it!
- Remember when Bill Cosby was given the title “America’s Favorite TV Dad” after his great portrayal of father Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show? Cosby had his own bestselling book Fatherhood, in which he brought a lot of humor to the role of being a father. He has some funny lines like “Fatherhood is...pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope,” and “helping your children learn English as a foreign language,” or “knowing that ‘Everything’s okay, Dad’ means ‘I haven’t killed anyone.’”
I hope that you’re able to enjoy your Fathers and Father figures in your life while their still around to enjoy them. Let them know they are loved, appreciated and respected, and your relationship will continue to grow and blossom.
“As an individual who spent over forty years of his life coaching and mentoring young individuals, I recommend this book to anyone seeking greater insight into the fundamentals necessary for successfully mentoring our youth. The fundamentals that James Donaldson articulates are relevant and timely. They slice through the clutter and deliver an insightful approach to delivering your best performance.”
— George Raveling, former Washington State University Basketball Coach, International Basketball Director “Both on the court and off, James has brought to the Seattle region a passion for excellence and a willingness to lead. His core values of education, motivation, and teamwork come through in his book and through his enduring example of leadership.”
— Phil Bussey, President & CEO, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce “James has declared his commitment toward peace and reconciliation, and this book shows how and why he earned this reputation.”
— Herman McKinney, former Director of the Urban Enterprise Center, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
“I have known ‘Dukes’ before he became ‘Dukes’ and he never ceased to amaze me with the ease at which he blends into the crowd given his size. I am sure that is because of his soft spirit and the way he comports himself. A true gentleman! Invite him into your life through his written word and see how much better you are for the effort.”
— Jim Marsh, Executive Director, Washington State Mentors
James Donaldson’s - Standing Above the Crowd book is now available in ebook format! http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Above-The-Crowd-ebook/dp/B0053HVIF6/ref=sr_1_5...
It'll make a great Father's Day gift... especially if it's personally autographed to Dad! Of course, to order your own personally autographed copy for only $19.95, please go to www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com and James Donaldson will personally autograph your book to you.“After a memorable NBA career that spanned fourteen seasons, James Donaldson turned his attention to attacking social problems and helping make the world a better place. He does that job with style, grace, kindness, and wisdom. The Puget Sound area is a better place for having James Donaldson as a resident.”
— Mike Gastineau, KJR Sports Radio Talk Show HostJames Donaldson’s - Standing Above the Crowd book is now available in ebook format! http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Above-The-Crowd-ebook/dp/B0053HVIF6/ref=sr_1_5... It'll make a great Father's Day gift... especially if it's personally autographed to Dad! Of course, to order your own personally autographed copy for only $19.95, please go to www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com and James Donaldson will personally autograph your book to you.“I first saw James when we were both freshman at Washington State University and he was playing a pick-up game of basketball in the gym. He had difficulty running—let alone playing basketball. But every year, James got better, to the point of excelling at the highest level possible. Physically James stopped growing as a teenager. But as a person, James continues to grow each and every day. Life is not about peaking—it’s about becoming a better person every day. We can all learn from observing James.”
— Kevin Phelps, Deputy Pierce County Executive I had a nice Sunday morning (as I do every Sunday morning) chat with my 85 year old Dad, James Sr. today. He’s so proud of my Standing Above the Crowd book and the fact that it’s dedicated to him. He’s running all over Sacramento handing out copies to his friends. He's especially proud of the fact that I "turned out okay" and that he tried his best to be the best Dad that he could be.
I had a thought of how nice it is to share love and appreciation with our parent while they’re still around to enjoy it.
I sent my Dad a box of books for his birthday last week and I’ll be sending him another box of books for Father’s Day on June 19th.
If you have a Dad like mine or know of one, order his copy of Standing Above the Crowd now at www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com I’ll personally sign it for him and have it mailed to him by Father’s Day.
Enjoy!!!
“We were proud to induct you into our Hall of Fame because of your achievements in Athletics, Business, and Community. Thank you for your suggestions and guidance as we changed the name to Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame. A brilliant stroke!”
— Arif Khatib, Founder/President, Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame “Of all the candidates I’ve ever known, no one showed up at work every day with more discipline, dedication, and focus on his job. And he never complained once.”
— Carl Silverberg, Political Fundraiser and Strategist “Standing Above the Crowd points out that the Sky is the Limit if you put your heart and mind in to it.”
— Nancy Jutton, author of Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide Standing Above the Crowd is now available in ebook format!!!
Go to http://www.amazon.com/Standing-Above-The-Crowd-ebook/dp/B0053HVIF6/ref=sr_1_5... and you can order your very own.It'll make a great Father's Day gift... especially if it's personally autographed to Dad! Of course, to order your own personally autographed copy for only $19.95, please go to www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com and James Donaldson will personally autograph your book to you. Here's Shaquille O'Neal and me at the All-Star weekend this past February in Los Angeles.
He's a great player and a great guy! Shaq, we're going to miss you! You were awesome!
I played against Shaquille O'Neal his first couple of years in the league when he was still with the Orlando Magic. He was a pure physical specimen who had tremendous physical gifts and could dominate a game at will. I was at the tail end of my career as I wrapped up my season with the Utah Jazz as a 36-year-old backup journeyman center. I remember playing against Shaquille at a game in Orlando and I was able to hold my own against him physically. He turned and looked at me and said that I was one of the strongest players he had to play against, and by the way, “how old are you?” he asked. I told him I was thirty-six, and he said, “Man, you won't catch me out here playing at thirty-six.” I'm going to be chillin’ on the beaches of Maui”. Well when I last checked in 2011, Shaquille O'Neal was still out there playing and making a run at another championship.Shaquille grew into one of the most dominant players (and big men) of his era. No one could handle him one-on-one and when he played with the Los Angeles Lakers, he would become a three-time NBA Champion and turn in magnificent performance after magnificent performance in dominating anyone matched up against him. He would routinely put up numbers such as 30 points (sometimes 40 points) and 20 rebounds and lead his team to victory, all the while having a blast.. At last count. he had fout NBA Championship rings… will he get one for the thumb?I read today that Shaquille O'Neal is retiring after 19 fantastic seasons as one of the most dominant big men ever.
Read my experience on playing against him early in his career.
I played against Shaquille O'Neal his first couple of years in the league when he was still with the Orlando Magic. He was a pure physical specimen who had tremendous physical gifts and could dominate a game at will. I was at the tail end of my career as I wrapped up my season with the Utah Jazz as a 36-year-old backup journeyman center. I remember playing against Shaquille at a game in Orlando and I was able to hold my own against him physically. He turned and looked at me and said that I was one of the strongest players he had to play against, and by the way, “how old are you?” he asked. I told him I was thirty-six, and he said, “Man, you won't catch me out here playing at thirty-six.” I'm going to be chillin’ on the beaches of Maui”. Well when I last checked in 2011, Shaquille O'Neal was still out there playing and making a run at another championship.Shaquille grew into one of the most dominant players (and big men) of his era. No one could handle him one-on-one and when he played with the Los Angeles Lakers, he would become a three-time NBA Champion and turn in magnificent performance after magnificent performance in dominating anyone matched up against him. He would routinely put up numbers such as 30 points (sometimes 40 points) and 20 rebounds and lead his team to victory, all the while having a blast.. At last count. he had fout NBA Championship rings… will he get one for the thumb?
AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING EVENT- 5pm– 7pm
Come on by to have your book personally signed, take photos and just have fun!
Join us as Columbia Tower member, former professional NBA basketball player, small business owner and now author, James Donaldson, shares success strategies and life lessons from his new book Standing above the Crowd and personally autographs the books that you purchase just for you!
How many times have you found yourself wanting to take advantage of an opportunity that's right in front of you, only to talk yourself out of it because you didn't think you were up to the task? In Standing above the Crowd Donaldson's enlightening story will inspire you to take opportunities head on and be a leader in your community.Check out Donaldson's latest interview on King 5's New Day.
