About The Author

I was born the youngest of four children to Ginny Shore and Bob Goodman. Growing up in a family of six gave me countless cherished memories, but also deep challenges. My parents’ divorce left our family in turmoil, scattering us into different homes and disrupting our education. Those years taught me firsthand the importance of structure, resilience, and the need to take control of one’s own life—a lesson that inspired my belief in tools like Life’s Calendar, which help people shape their own path.

Despite the hardships, I graduated from Barrington High School in 1985. Soon after, I joined the United States Army Reserve, serving a five-year term that helped me transition into adulthood. At Ft. McClellan, Alabama, I trained as a military police officer, and later my unit was mobilized overseas to Honduras during the Iran-Contra affair under President Reagan.

After my service, I followed my older brother Scott into the green industries, pursuing horticulture and landscape architecture. Together, we built a career as Landscape Architects and contractors, creating beautiful outdoor spaces for families. Eventually, I founded M. Goodman Landscapes, leading a team across Chicagoland to design and install unique projects that became pieces of paradise for our clients. One of my proudest professional achievements was overseeing the relocation of a 65-foot Honey Locust tree for the Chicago Botanic Garden—a feat that reflected both creativity and determination.

Life, however, brought unexpected challenges. During my Army training, I experienced sudden dizziness and paralysis, later diagnosed as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). With therapy and medication, I regained mobility and continued building my career while raising four sons, who are now grown men. MS eventually forced me into retirement, but not before I had the chance to leave a lasting mark in my industry and community.

Today, I live in Carmel, Indiana with my wife Denise, grateful for the journey that has shaped me. My story is one of perseverance—through family struggles, military service, health challenges, and professional triumphs. It is a reminder that while life can be unpredictable, with resilience and vision, we can still create meaning, beauty, and legacy.