March Forward! On Mother's B-Day, Make A Promise Day Creator Appeals To Promise Angels For Help

March 1, 2011 - PRLog -- Author and guest speaker Matthew Cossolotto, creator of “Make A Promise Day” (May 4th — May The Fourth Be With You!), today used the occasion of what would have been his mother’s 90th birthday to appeal for help from what he referred to as “Promise Angel” supporters and investors.  

“When I made that fateful promise to my mother on her deathbed,” Cossolotto said, “I knew failure was not an option.  I’m proud I kept my promise.  But now the promise is growing.  I made a public promise on Norm Lapalme's Million Dollar Idea radio show that I would establish Make A Promise Day worldwide as a recognized day of celebration and that I would spread the amazing power of making a promise to millions of people around the world.  Now I’m asking for help.  I’m calling for reinforcements from ‘Promise Angels’ everywhere.  And I can’t think of a better time to make this appeal for help than on mom’s birthday.  Today, on March 1, 2011, mom would have been 90 years old.  And every March 1st I like to encourage myself and others to March Forward.  It's in that spirit that I make my appeal for help today.”  

Cossolotto asked supporters of “Make A Promise Day” and the Make A Promise movement generally for help in five main areas.

1)  Submit your inspiring promise stories.  Cossolotto is collecting uplifting stories for use in his forthcoming books and presentations about the power of making a promise.  If you have a true story about a promise made and kept that you’d like to share with the world, please send a brief overview of the story to: matthew.promises@gmail.com.  Cossolotto will schedule follow-up interviews to get more details if necessary.  

2)  Help spread the word to jurisdictions across the U.S. and around the world about “Make A Promise Day.”  Encourage your town, city, county, state (or province) and country to adopt a “Make A Promise Day Proclamation” similar to the one passed by the Yorktown, New York, Town Board on February 15, 2011.  Here is the text of the resolution adopted in Yorktown that can be adapted by jurisdictions elsewhere:

MAKE A PROMISE DAY PROCLAMATION

Whereas, Make a Promise Day is the only unofficial “holiday” dedicated to personal empowerment, goal achievement and integrity enhancement;

Whereas, Make A Promise Day encourages individuals to turn important goals into heartfelt promises thereby increasing the probability of reaching those goals;

Whereas, celebrating Make A Promise Day will have the effect of enhancing accountability, personal responsibility and integrity;

Whereas, the Town Board recognizes the value of highlighting the power of making and keeping promises on the part of local students, teachers, community organizations, businesses and political leaders;

Now therefore be it resolved, that the Yorktown Town Board hereby designates and proclaims May 4th of 2011 and each year thereafter to be “Make A Promise Day” and encourages local organizations and individual members of the community to celebrate “Make A Promise Day” in a manner they deem to be suitable and appropriate.

3)  Invite Cossolotto to speak to your organization, school, college, corporation, or event about “The Power of Making a Promise.”  Cossolotto also offers other Personal Empowerment Programs – or PEPTalks – including “The Joy of Speaking” and “SUCCESS Is An Inside Job.”  Contact Cossolotto to arrange for an unforgettable and inspiring presentation:  StandingO@ThePodiumPro.com.

4)  Show support by purchasing Cossolotto’s new mini ePub “A Promise A Day – 30 Days to a Promising Future.”  First launched as a series of short messages on Twitter, this new collection of Personal Empowerment Promises (PEPs) is now available for a nominal investment of $4.95 by visiting: http://www.ThePodiumPro.com.      

5)  Provide direct financial support for the “Make A Promise” movement.  Cossolotto is asking supporters to become “Promise Angel” investors.  Send an email to: Matthew.Promises@Gmail.com if you’d like to make an investment, donation, or loan to support this exciting project.  

Cossolotto’s forthcoming book – I Promise! The Two Magic Words That Could Change Your Life and Transform The World – features a foreword by Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. In his foreword to Cossolotto’s book Canfield writes:

"When Matthew first told me about the heartfelt promise he made to his mother and that he was launching a special day called “Make A Promise Day” on May 4th, I was hooked. You could say he had me at “I promise.”…

Contributing the foreword to this book and being associated with Matthew’s inspiring “Make-A-Promise” project is totally aligned with my life’s purpose. I applaud Matthew for collecting and celebrating these uplifting stories about promises made and promises kept."

John Assaraf, best-selling author of Having It All, wrote this about Cossolotto’s “Make A Promise” project: “I agree completely with that there is something uniquely powerful about making a promise that goes beyond traditional goal-setting.”

Here are a few prominent examples of the power of making a promise:
•   Oprah Winfrey made a promise to Nelson Mandela that she would build a school for girls in South Africa.
•   Nancy Brinker, author of Promise Me and founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, promised her sister and breast cancer victim Suzy that she would help find a cure.
•   Bill Clinton made a promise to Chelsea that he would watch his diet and take care of his health.
•   NBC’s Al Roker made a promise to his dying father that he would deal with his weight issues.
•   Kody Bateman, CEO of Send Out Cards, made a promise to his departed brother (and himself) that he would act on his promptings and find a way to help others do the same.  He founded Send Out Cards as a result of this heartfelt promise.

Summing up his make a promise message, Cossolotto uses the following four sentences which he refers to as Matthew's Mantra:  Make A Promise.  Keep Your Word.  Change Your Life.  Transform The World.

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About Matthew Cossolotto: A former aide to House Speaker Jim Wright and Congressman (now CIA Director) Leon Panetta, Matthew Cossolotto (aka “The Podium Pro”) served as a CEO-level speechwriter and communications executive at MCI, Pepsi-Cola International, and GTE. The author of several books including The Almanac of European Politics, All The World’s A Podium, and HabitForce!, Matthew offers a range of executive communication services and guest speaking programs. Please visit http://www.ThePodiumPro.com; http://www.MakeAPromiseDay.wordpress.com; http://www.MakeAPromiseDay.com; Follow Matthew and Make A Promise Day on Twitter: www.twitter.com/makeapromiseday.