Honor the Legacy of Colonel Jill Morgenthaler

Book Recommendation: Honoring Colonel Jill Morgenthaler

It’s wonderful to see the sun shining today here in Chicago as we kick off Memorial Day weekend remembering the strong and the brave who we love and lost too soon fighting for our country, and to those we love who we lost as courageous veterans.

We all know someone we memorialize this weekend, and my heart goes out to all of you commemorating their service today. As a nation, we are united in our grief and celebrations.

In 2016, I received one of the greatest gifts from my new client. It was an autographed copy of The Courage to Take Command: Leadership Lessons from a Military Trailblazer by Colonel Jill Morgenthaler.

Colonel Jill became my first professional speaker client when my company, SoConnected was a marketing agency. She was a force with a heart of gold. She was the woman who saw greatness in everyone she met and empowered us to rise to heights we hadn’t seen yet for ourselves.

I had the honor to build her online platform, website, manage her social media and edit her compelling, logical and common-sense blogs on leadership. They were awesome lessons to learn. She was the leader everyone followed. She was strong, brave, and courageous – so much so – she stood toe to toe with Saddam Hussein when he was on trial! You’ll have to read the book! ??

Over the three short years we worked together, our relationship quickly blossomed from my client to my friend, to my mentor and three weeks before she passed, she offered to be my speaker coach.

After Jill came to know me and my talents, she told me that I would be speaking professionally within two years. As I was transitioning my business from marketing agency to ghostwriting and editing services, I assured her I was “happy behind my laptop, not in front of it!” ??

Within two years, I scheduled a lunch with her to tell her she was right. As we started eating, I announced, “Jill, I’m writing my first presentation on mental health.” She was so overjoyed, I thought she was going to fall out of her chair!

“You are? I told you! Oh, you will be fantastic! Audiences will love you! She was literally jumping up and down while seated! When I get back from my vacation, I’m going to be your coach – no fee – I want to teach you everything you need to know!”

I was delighted for her excitement and enthusiasm, and flabbergasted she willingly wanted to coach me non gratis. I never could have dreamed. On the other hand, it wasn’t surprising because that was who she was. She empowered, believed in, and led everyone to become their best selves.

Unfortunately, three weeks later, on February 23, 2019, Colonel Jill Morgenthaler fell ill after scuba diving in the Dominican Republic and passed away suddenly at the early age of sixty-four. She died doing something she loved.

The news shook communities around the world. As a renowned international and favorite speaker everywhere she went, everyone was devastated. As her speaking communities at NSA and NSA Illinois, we were devastated. She was at the height of her speaking career having spent more than four years building, nurturing, and growing her speaking business.

Beyond her military accolades, her "Leadership Lessons from the Battlefield" inspired her audiences around the world, the thousands of viewers of her two TED talks, and audiences of The Moth in Peoria. My favorite lessons remain "Stop the Stupid," "Fake it 'Til You Make It" and "Seagull Management." Watch her 2013 Ted Talk here - https://tinyurl.com/Col-Jill-Morgenthaler-TED-2013 and her 2018 Ted Talk here https://tinyurl.com/Col-Jill-Morgenthaler-TED-2018 .

Upon her return, she was headed to The Moth New York, and was working on a screenplay about her life hoping to have Reese Witherspoon and her daughter portray young and adult Jill. She left this world at the peak of her career with greater heights ahead, and for everyone who met her, knew her, heard her speak and loved her, she left permanent tattoos on our hearts of how to be our best and influence those around us.

And for me, when I learned of her passing, like everyone, I was floored, flabbergasted, and devastated. I went to my bookshelf, pulled out her book, and traced her autograph she scripted the first day we met her for breakfast in a diner.

It was then when I deeply appreciated an even deeper and more meaningful reason of the value and importance of sharing our stories and writing our books. It’s our legacy. While we may no longer walk the earth, our words of inspiration, guidance, and lessons learned continue to change people’s lives.

While many of my authors for whom I write, edit, and coach focus on building their business by becoming a published author to elevate their credibility and expand their businesses, I remind them that beyond our purpose to author our book is also our legacy. And I share this story with them.

We all have stories in us, and many are compelled to write a book. From my experiences, it’s a calling. When we feel the desire to author a book, we have been tapped on the shoulder because we have something important to share to make a difference in this world.

And it’s why, in 2018, SoConnected evolved from marketing agency to ghostwriting, book doctoring and author coaching. My love to write stories that change, save, and celebrate lives has been deeply rooted in my soul since I was four years old.

“To save lives and bring freedoms, Sir,” is the reason Jill gave her father, a marine, for saying “yes” to joining an experimental division of the Army ROTC for women. It was a test to see if women “could handle the military.” The entire purpose for the men was to make sure the women didn’t succeed. Ha! Succeed, she did. She was one of seven women in ROTC. She gritted it out, she faked it until she made it, she soared, and she saved lives and brought freedoms. She truly was a leader in every sense of the meaning, and she was a leader everyone followed even male soldiers in the 1970's.

And that is why today, I’m honored to highly recommend Colonel Jill’s book for your Memorial Day weekend reading pleasure. Click here to buy on Amazon (not an affiliate link). https://tinyurl.com/Col-Jill-Morgenthaler

I promise you will learn impressive lessons about life, love, and leadership!

God bless you and your loved ones this Memorial Day. As Jill would say in her commanding and booming voice, “HOOAH!”

Happy Reading!

Learn more about Colonel Jill. https://tinyurl.com/Col-Jill-Morgenthaler-obit

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About Cindy Tschosik

Cindy Tschosik’s mission and passion is to change, save and celebrate lives one story at a time through the written word and the spoken word.

As a ghostwriter, book doctor and author coach, she writes books with and for authors who want to build their business and leave their legacy.

As a speaker, she presents “Mental Health Life Skills 101” and “A-Z Lessons to Write & Publish Your Book Now!”

She is the best-selling co-author of “Called to Lead: Success Strategies for Women” and “The Perfect Book Checklist.”

To learn more, register for Cindy's bi-monthly Live Q&A for Authors here -https://survey.cindytschosik.com/zs/LGCClP or email [email protected] . (Website undercurrent).