I believe where much is given much is expected; that if we have the capacity to lead, it is our moral obligation to step forward. If we can give more, we should; if we can be of more service, we must. Service is transforming for both the receiver and the provider, for one must lose one’s self in order to find one’s self.
I proudly serve on the International Board of Governors of Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. We are a not-for-profit humanitarian organization of medical volunteers who go into developing countries throughout the world and perform cleft lip/cleft pallet surgeries on children with facial deformities. Visualize this little girl with a gaping hole in her face, and for only $240 dollars and in a 45 minute surgery, she is not only given a beautiful smile and a new life free of ridicule and shame, but she can kiss her mother good night for the very first time in her life! No one should ever be held hostage in their own body, and you can make sure that does not happen. Think about it. You, as one individual, can actually change another individual's life forever. We take great pride in knowing that with your help we are in fact, changing the world one smile at a time! I personally invite you and your organization to contribute as much as you can.
www.operationsmile.org
I also proudly serve on the National Advisory Board of OK Kids Charities, a not-for-profit umbrella organization of children's charities that is dedicated to helping and serving the whole child “until every child is OK!” (Operation Smile is one of these special charities). I also invite you and your organization to get involved with us.
www.operationkids.com
We must always remember: the more we give, the more we get. “Cause Marketing” breeds a more service oriented organizational culture and deepens employee loyalty as it gives everybody an opportunity to believe in something larger than themselves and prove to themselves they are needed!
Politics
Politics I don't like to make political jokes. Too many get elected! Bad politicians are elected by good people who don't vote. I am a registered Republican, although I have occasionally voted Democrat when the candidate was a better human being. My Uncle J. Reuben Clark was Ambassador to Mexico and Solicitor General for the United States State Department. My Uncle Ellis Armstrong was United States Commissioner of Roads under President Eisenhower, who developed the Interstate system, and later served as United States Commissioner of Reclamation under President Nixon. Uncle Ellis was the Chief Engineer in charge of building the St. Lawrence Seaway in North America and the Aswan Dam on the Nile River in Egypt. My dad was a State Legislator and State Personnel Director before the age of 30. Me, run for office? Nah! I don't want anyone to know what my GPA was in the fourth grade! Besides, not many would vote for me because among other strong convictions, I believe every young man in America after high school graduation should volunteer two years to public service - Peace Corps, Military, Church Mission, etc., and every female high school graduate to serve at least one year! Think what this would do to strengthen the backbone of our great America, reduce arrogance and selfishness, develop character and discipline and teach that living in America doesn't make you an American. America is an ideal, an ongoing experiment in self-government, a values based society dependent on individual responsibility to do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do!
Financial
Wealth flows through you, not to you. It comes through an abundance mentality (enough to go around for everybody to succeed), not a scarcity mentality (only enough for me, creating jealousy and possessiveness). You really can get what you want in life, if you are willing to help enough other people get what they want. It's about identifying winners, realizing people love to do business with winners, and sharing ideas with the attitude that when the water in the lake goes up, all the boats rise together. Consequently, there is never a financial crisis, only an idea crisis - ideas create income. And by the way, it's never how much you make, it's how much you spend.
Relationship Advice
Clear, open, honest, tactful and empathetic communication is the key to strong healthy relationships. Both parties need to learn to listen in order to understand, respect and support each other's individual dreams, ambitions and space, and agree on faith, family expectations and values. Success is never about who is right, but what is right. We should never go to bed in a fight. The exponential consequences are long-term as the subconscious mind repeats the last thing we saw or said 14 times while we sleep.
Marriage? Off the record, hold out for a 90-year-old billionaire with a cough. You can marry more money in five minutes than you can earn in three lifetimes! On the record, I know ultimate fulfillment and happiness in marriage comes when we marry the right person, for the right reasons, at the right time, in the right place, by the right authority, not just until "death do us part" but for "Time and All Eternity!"
Family
"No other success can compensate for failure in the home. If families aren't forever, then what's forever for?" I have a beautiful and talented family whom I protect through privacy."
Love
"Love is a commitment, not a way of feeling. Romance is not love. It comes from a Greek word meaning 'erotic.' When I love you because you're beautiful, that's romance. If you're beautiful because I love you, that's real love. It's a value creating love that inspires us to be the best we can be!"
Exercise
"I used to be in great shape, but now I bend over to pull up my socks and think, 'What else can I accomplish while I'm down here?' Nowadays, Diet Coke and chocolate are two of my four food groups. I don't think anyone should run if nobody is chasing them and nothing should be lifted if it doesn't have to be moved! I'm saving my money up for botox, liposuction and a tummy tuck! My cholesterol count is higher than my SAT scores, so seriously, I'm getting in better shape through exercise, healthy diet and have started to look better since I removed all the mirrors in my house!"
Military
Every time I am asked about the military I'm reminded that everyone serving now is a volunteer who joined, knowing full well that they will have to fight. As you read this, let us all remember that right this instant, somewhere in a distant land, a soldier is on point for the nation and deserves all of our support and prayers!
Although I was either too young or too old to fight in any war and have never been in the military, I am doing my best to serve my country as an inspirational entertainer. My Dad was the Commander of the 3rd Reconnaisance Battalion that helped create the first accurate map of the world at the onset of World War II. My father-in-law was shot down "D-Day" June 6, 1944, in his B-17 and was a 19 year old POW held by the Germans until the war ended. My Dad's cousin, Mervin S. Bennion, was the Commanding Officer of the battleship, U.S.S. West Virginia, who died on board December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor. I admire our military leaders and 100% support and honor our brave men and women serving in uniform!
Faith
I believe we are spiritual beings having a physical experience. A lot of folks only learn and do things that will help them while they are alive. Don't you think it would be a good idea to also learn and do the things that will help us when we are dead? Native Americans say, "Short alive - long time dead." I am not afraid to die. I know I will live every day I'm supposed to and know I am squared away with the Man Upstairs. They say religion is for those who are afraid to go to hell. Spirituality is for those who have already been there. I embrace both. My friend Zig Ziglar told me "If somebody has to ask if you're a Christian, you must be doing something wrong." I am a devout believer, constantly striving to be a spiritual man of faith.
Death
When I die, I will haunt my family and friends if they organize a somber funeral. I insist on a celebration party atmosphere of funny stories and lots of musical numbers culminating at the cemetery when they see my epitaph engraved on my headstone, 'Dan died while climbing with his boots on. He'll be right back!' My great desire is that I get some time in heaven before the devil knows I'm dead! I own a multi-million dollar life insurance policy but to be honest, I don't even know if I agree with it. When I die, I want it to be a real tragedy! I can see my wife crying at my funeral saying, "I'd give ten thousand dollars of it just to have Dan back!
Animals
I love to ride horses and have even artificially inseminated a cow! My favorite animal is my gorgeous, super smart and sensitive, 2½ pound female Maltese dog named Porsche (small, fast and expensive!). She inspired me to write a song, "Dogs Never Lie About Love." The later you are the more excited they are to see you, they don't have to examine previous relationships, they are unconditional in their respect for those who look different than they do, and they love us even though we are losing hair, getting fat and don't always have time for them. I love all animals and do not hunt.
Thrills
There is no enjoyment in flying in a plane that can't go supersonic and turn upside down. Cars are to be driven hard and fast, pushed to the limit in turns and taken to at least 150 mph to validate your calm confidence in a high performance world. I love to ride my 2003 Hundredth Anniversary Model Road King Screamin' Eagle Harley Davidson. As they say, "If you have to explain, they wouldn't understand anyway!"
Of course, none of this compares to eight significant, live, musical concerts that changed my life! I saw: Frank Sinatra - 5 th row; Elvis - 14 th row; Grateful Dead - 10 th row; Paul McCartney - 4 th row; The Rolling Stones - 12 th row; Barbra Streisand - stadium floor; The Three Tenors - stadium floor; and James Taylor with just his guitar - 3 rd row
I have met the biggest names and celebrities in the world, but meeting, interviewing and spending time with real heroes tops my list of thrills! My most memorable: President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan (White House Dinner); Coretta Scott King (shared program and dinner); Colin Powell (shared the speaking platform twice and had dinner); Sidney Portier (shared dinner); Astronaut Buzz Aldrin (shared dinner); Cal Ripken, Jr. (shared program and dinners); Michael Jordan (shared program and lunch); Tiger Woods (shared program and dinner); Muhammad Ali (was his house guest for five hours in 1988, watched his greatest fights on his big screen, we laughed, he did magic tricks, we ate snacks and talked); Dr. Henry Kissinger (shared program and dinner); Larry King and Walter Cronkite (shared program and dinner); Four Star General Hal Hornburg (shared many programs and dinners, dear friend); Charles Neilson, Doolittle Raider who bombed Tokyo to change the outcome of World War II - POW (shared program and dinner); Capt Gerry Coffee, Vietnam POW (shared program, house guest, dear friend); actors Charleton Heston (shared program and dinner); Jack Nicholson (had breakfast); James Garner (was his house guest); Gregory Peck (shared dinner); Jane Russell (shared dinner); and Diamond Dallas Page (shared programs, great friend).
Miller Time
I chill out snow skiing, water skiing, golfing, reading, writing poetry and music, playing my guitar and hanging with my family and friends at the lake.
Politics I don't like to make political jokes. Too many get elected! Bad politicians are elected by good people who don't vote. I am a registered Republican, although I have occasionally voted Democrat when the candidate was a better human being. My Uncle J. Reuben Clark was Ambassador to Mexico and Solicitor General for the United States State Department. My Uncle Ellis Armstrong was United States Commissioner of Roads under President Eisenhower, who developed the Interstate system, and later served as United States Commissioner of Reclamation under President Nixon. Uncle Ellis was the Chief Engineer in charge of building the St. Lawrence Seaway in North America and the Aswan Dam on the Nile River in Egypt. My dad was a State Legislator and State Personnel Director before the age of 30. Me, run for office? Nah! I don't want anyone to know what my GPA was in the fourth grade! Besides, not many would vote for me because among other strong convictions, I believe every young man in America after high school graduation should volunteer two years to public service - Peace Corps, Military, Church Mission, etc., and every female high school graduate to serve at least one year! Think what this would do to strengthen the backbone of our great America, reduce arrogance and selfishness, develop character and discipline and teach that living in America doesn't make you an American. America is an ideal, an ongoing experiment in self-government, a values based society dependent on individual responsibility to do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do! 
Every time I am asked about the military I'm reminded that everyone serving now is a volunteer who joined, knowing full well that they will have to fight. As you read this, let us all remember that right this instant, somewhere in a distant land, a soldier is on point for the nation and deserves all of our support and prayers! 
I love to ride horses and have even artificially inseminated a cow! My favorite animal is my gorgeous, super smart and sensitive, 2½ pound female Maltese dog named Porsche (small, fast and expensive!). She inspired me to write a song, "Dogs Never Lie About Love." The later you are the more excited they are to see you, they don't have to examine previous relationships, they are unconditional in their respect for those who look different than they do, and they love us even though we are losing hair, getting fat and don't always have time for them. I love all animals and do not hunt. 