As Disraeli suggests, we are what we think we are in our personal and professional lives. I realized this a long time ago. Early in my life, I had wonderful thoughts of a family -- a companion and children. I have been married for more than three decades and have a guardian-angel wife and two beautiful sons. These are my truly great thoughts.

Professionally, I had grand thoughts of making a difference as a public relations professional, which I found to be an exciting hybrid of art and science. Along the way I became accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and developed broad experiences providing strategic counseling to clients in a variety of industries including health care, technology, chemical, transportation, and professional services. In addition, I counseled professional and advocacy associations.

To make a difference, I developed professional skills in corporate communications, crisis communications, issues management, community relations, advocacy relations, association relations, program design, publicity programs, media relations, product launches, and trade show communications.

My thinking out of the box has made a difference for clients in a variety of situations including launching an antidepressant in a crowded market, repositioning an anti-anxiety drug, relaunching a migraine pain reliever, launching an advocacy group’s international affiliation, launching the first at-home menopause test kit, and invigorating a medical device manufacturer’s communications function.

Thinking out of the box also has led me to profitably manage and direct public relations operations for regional and national business-to-business and health care agencies. I have trained several young professionals who are developing as the next generation of communications leaders.

One of my greatest thoughts was realized when I successfully operated my own public relations firm (GoebelKirk, Inc.) for several years. At the time, the Philadelphia Inquirer called GoebelKirk the best PR firm in the region.

I don’t keep my great thoughts to myself, and I don’t always profit from them. I am on the board of directors of the Greater Philadelphia American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and I am chair of the board of directors of Mothers' Home.

A postscript to Disraeli’s profoundness: Great thoughts belong to those who act on them. My experience has been that of acting on great thoughts both for my clients and myself.