About Ralph Marston
Many people are surprised to discover that I am a real person living in the present-day world. So many websites these days seem to be set up to hide the true identity of the people behind them, that folks assume I am some "made-up" persona or some old guy who lived a few hundred years ago. In fact, I am pretty much a regular person with a yard to mow and a dog to walk (she's a Bichon Frise/Lhasa Apso mix).
Some people get confused because I commonly use "Ralph Marston" as my name but the copyright notice uses my full legal name of "Ralph S. Marston, Jr." Yes, my father's name is also Ralph Marston, but he does not have any connection to The Daily Motivator (other than as a subscriber). All the messages have been written by me, Ralph S. Marston, Jr., though I usually just refer to myself as Ralph Marston.
As for me, I am in my early 50s and live in Austin, Texas with my wife of 25 years. We have two daughters -- one in high school and the other at Texas A&M University, which is about 100 miles away from Austin. I am a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas with a Bachelor of Business Administration. I am also a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Although it didn't start out that way, The Daily Motivator is now my full-time job. Back in 1995 I started writing the messages as part of another website. Within a few months, the response was so positive that The Daily Motivator took on a life of its own. After five years or so, subscription sales and book sales were providing a modest income, and since that time the website has grown to the point where I am able to devote all my working hours to it. Which is a good thing, since it requires a good bit of time and I thoroughly enjoy it.
I have always been interested in personal development, and have studied hundreds of books and tape programs over the years. I have applied many of the concepts I've learned, to my own life and business, and have developed a "real world" knowledge of what works and what doesn't. Many people are curious about my religious affiliation. I am a Christian (member of the United Methodist Church). Although The Daily Motivator is not intended to be a religious publication, my writing is certainly influenced by Christian teachings and concepts.
Since starting The Daily Motivator more than twelve years ago, I've been amazed at the tremendous positive response that it has received. People from all over the world, in all walks of life, have a sincere interest in living lives of meaning, caring, dedication and fulfillment. I am extremely grateful that the technology of the Internet affords me the opportunity to share my work with so many people.
Beyond the website, I have several other things which keep me busy. I devote at least an hour each day to exercise, usually alternating between three kinds of workouts, each of which I thoroughly enjoy. In the summer (which here in Austin means late April through early October) I like to swim laps in our backyard pool. One of my favorite times to do this is just after sunset, when I can watch the stars come out while swimming. When the weather is cooler, I enjoy walking through our neighborhood and the greenbelt area that adjoins our property. If the weather is rainy or cold and windy, I usually work out on a recumbent exercise bicycle while listening to personal development audio programs. I also like to go hiking in state and national park and wilderness areas as well as local parks. Sometimes I just like to lay in my hammock with a good book while the deer roam through the back part of our yard.
To provide energy for all that exercise, I must eat regularly, which is most definitely not a problem. I enjoy backyard grilling, particularly salmon, shrimp and chicken. Also have a fondness for interior Mexican, Tex-Mex and southwest cuisine. Recently I have discovered (Asian) Indian cuisine and absolutely love it. And then there's wine. My taste at the current time runs toward white Burgundy, New Zealand Marlborough Savignon Blanc, Texas Viognier, California Zinfandel, and Spanish Rioja Crianza. A year or so ago, I made my own batch of Semillion-Savignon Blanc and it was absolutely wonderful as well as a delightful experience.
We are very involved in our daughters' lives, though now that our older daughter is off at college she's doing her own thing most of the time. Fortunately she gets home about once a month or so, which makes it an ideal arrangement for all of us. Our younger daughter plays lacrosse on her school's team, a sport that we previously knew nothing about, but we're learning quickly. It's a great game, and we're enjoying being involved with the team and the booster club.
We enjoy traveling as a family, particularly to tropical beach locations. Closer to home, in the high-tech mecca of Austin, there's something going on all the time: street festivals, live music, dining on every kind of cuisine imaginable, sailing, water skiing and much more.