The 8 Life Missions of Dave Cook

I still recall where I was when my wife Janine texted me on the morning of September 21, 2016.  I was in a meeting in Folsom, CA when I received her message along the lines of: “Hey not to alarm you but Dave hasn’t checked in when he said he would”.  My friend Dave Cook was climbing the three 14k+ foot peaks in the Aspen, CO area.  He exuded excitement and confidence as we talked about his upcoming climbs at our sons’ soccer game the Saturday before he left for this adventure. 

I was headed out on a business trip to California so, even though mountain climbing wasn’t my thing, I felt a bit jealous at the contrast in purpose of our respective upcoming travels.

After the game, Dave took both our sons back to their place for some swimming and we said we’d meet up the following weekend when we were both back in town.  That was the last time I ever spoke to my good friend.

Tragically it turns out there “was” reason to be alarmed.  Then, to be panicked.  And then, to be grief stricken.  Officially, Dave “went missing” on Monday, September 19^th, he never returned and has never been found.  We all experience loss, however, when we lose someone close to us with so much life yet to live, the resulting emptiness seems so much worse.  

I had the great fortune to get to know Dave over the course of 15+ years.  As our families grew and grew up together, we shared many memorable events.  Our weddings, the birth of our children, vacations, baptisms, holidays.  It would be disingenuous to suggest we shared some tough times – there just weren’t many of those.  He was an awesome friend, a devoted and loving husband, and an incredible father.

Dave was also a really driven dude.  In 2013 he and a partner started their own company, Right Sized Inventory (RSI).  Leveraging his supply chain knowledge, natural salesmanship, and gritty determination, Dave willed RSI into existence. Today, Right Sized Inventory’s patented predictive analytics inventory planning and optimization technology is helping dozens of partners across a multitude of industries to make smart inventory decisions. He leaves a legacy of leadership and an abundance of optimism for RSI’s team members.

I believe success, in life and in business, starts by living with intentionality.  Dave, a former Marine, so deeply believed in the value of living life with intention that he wrote down life missions that formed his core beliefs.  It’s one thing to write down the values that you want to guide your life.  It’s quite another to truly live those values each day.  Dave did just that and it’s my privilege to share them with you here.

The 8 Life Missions of Dave Cook

1. Have a positive attitude

It’s no exaggeration when I say Dave is the most positive person I’ve ever met.  I never once saw him frown.  I’m sure he did, but the lines creased into his face seemed to suggest that perhaps he was not physically capable of frowning or scowling.  His big, unguarded smile was nearly ever present.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that this was the first mission Dave chose to write down.  Positive thinking can form a tremendous foundation for daily success and happiness.  According to the Mayo Clinic, there is research that suggests that positive thinking may provide numerous health benefits.  Dave lived a healthy and active life, no doubt bolstered by living this mission every day.

Optimism breeds confidence and confidence breeds success.  Dave never seemed to retreat or allow setbacks to deter him from his life plan and goals.  If you’ve ever tried to start an entrepreneurial venture, you know how many trials and tribulations cross and alter your path.  Dave persisted through all such challenges, not primarily because he was smart, knowledgeable, and determined.  Sure, he possessed an abundance of those traits, but he continued to move forward most especially because he maintained his positive outlook on life.

2. Physical Training (PT) and live healthy

I imagine it’s difficult to climb nearly fifty 14,000+ foot mountain peaks.  I can only imagine because I’ve not attempted to climb even one (nor am I likely to).  Dave did just that in combining his passion for mountain climbing with his dedication to living an active, healthy life.  

He’d sometimes ride his bike to our kids’ soccer games.  This despite having a perfectly good truck he could’ve driven.  Weird, right?  It’s a credit to Dave that he didn’t neglect or sacrifice this part of his life, despite always being super busy with work and family priorities.  I certainly can’t say the same thing about myself.  The modern world makes it easy to use time in many ways that help to allow us to avoid physical activity.  This was never the way for Dave.

Dave’s first two missions created the internal framework for him to be the best he could be for the benefit of others.  It’s extremely difficult to consistently help others if your own internal health (physical, mental, emotional) is not firing on all cylinders.  Taking care of Self is foundational before care of others can take place.  Dave knew and role modeled this well.   

3. Motivate yourself and others

Dave didn’t have difficulty motivating himself.  One couldn’t simply accomplish all the things he did in life without having a strong sense of purpose and drive.  I believe self-motivation involves a robust love of learning.  Dave was an avid reader and life-long learner.  He told me that at one point he had learned to take a combustion engine apart and rebuild it…and then he did it!

If I were to name Dave Cook’s school of thought, where motivating others is concerned, I think I’d call it “SMILE”; or Speak Memorable Information with Logic and Entertainment.  Ok, the name is a bit of a stretch but whatever…it was effective.  I think Dave missed his true calling as a salesperson, although he did  sell to many others (IE: clients, partners, investors) on the idea behind his company – RSI.    

I never saw Dave use the common blunt instruments of “motivation” (like coercion or trickery).  As it turns out, sound and logical ideas can be quite appealing when delivered by a pleasant, smiling human.  Odd that more people don’t try that approach.   

4. Earn respect

During the times I worked closely with Dave, when our careers would intersect at Intel, he earned respect and trust through his command and control of his “shop”.  In other words, he and his team knew what they were talking about and consistently delivered top notch results.  On the rare occasion things went south, he’d fully own the situation and communicate what changes were going to be made to avoid similar issues in the future.  

Expertise + Accountability = Earned Respect

This is a deceptively simple equation.  That’s because it takes dedication to develop expertise in any subject matter that is truly important, and it takes courage to accept responsibility for mistakes, even if they are made by others.  Dave understood this.  Putting this mission of his into practice was built on years of learning, doing, and owning those domains in which he wished to succeed.  

5. Set goals

I can recall talking with Dave about his goal to start a venture well before he actually began working on RSI.  This goal was not one or two years down the road.  He was thinking well beyond what most people would consider the foreseeable future.  I’m a big proponent of creating a plan with goals that help guide our behaviors, decisions, and future actions.  Dave’s eye was on creating something different, something beyond the work and success he had during his multiple careers.

Dave’s commitment to goal setting extended beyond the idea of creating his own company.  He had a goal in place to climb all the 14k foot mountain peaks in Colorado.  Setting lofty goals is an important step.  Attaining lofty goals is something altogether different.  Dave came very close to completing this daunting personal objective.  RSI is thriving, due in no small part to the vision he willed into existence.

Without goals, it is difficult to know where we’re going.  But without action, goals never evolve beyond dreams.  Dave approached his goal setting with clarity, and he followed that up with bold action.  

6. Live with integrity

The primary dictionary definition of integrity is “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles”.  I’m certain Dave didn’t need a dictionary to form  his ideas on what it meant to live with integrity.  It would be a gross understatement for me to say that I never saw Dave behave in a way that was dishonest.  The strong moral principles that underpinned his entire life were obvious in the way he loved his family and friends, the way he treated his employees, and in the way he conducted business.

I also like the secondary dictionary definition of integrity which is “the state of being whole and undivided”.  This too can describe a person who is of one-mind and is focused on living a life that is consistent with their beliefs and values.  Dave lived with little space between what he said he believed in and his actions.  Nobody is perfect.  But people like Dave who strive to be better by using a strong moral compass to guide them are at least on the road headed toward perfection.

7. Mentoring

Dave strongly believed in helping others.  Mentoring is another word for teaching with patience and vested interest.  The best mentors provide more than subject matter expertise.  They put that expertise in context for the mentee in a way that greatly increases the probability that it will be helpful. Throughout his life, I know many people sought Dave out for his knowledge and ability to transfer that knowledge in a helpful and productive way.  

Some qualities of good mentors include expertise that is useful, enthusiasm for sharing that expertise, a respectful approach, and an eagerness to invest in others.  Dave possessed these qualities and I know that he gained back so much more in his pursuit of mentoring others.  Some will say that knowledge is power.  If that’s true, then Dave freely shared the power he accumulated with other people.  

8. Have fun

Now we arrive at the last and possibly the most visibly apparent of Dave’s missions.  In addition to his ever-present smile, hearing Dave laugh is the strongest mental image that I carry with me.  Hard work is no excuse for not having fun and Dave definitely lived by that philosophy.    

We shared many good times together despite the long hours that work always seemed to consume.  One of our favorite annual events was the National Fiery Foods & BBQ Show that’s held in Albuquerque every (non-COVID) March.  This event boils down to eating really hot stuff while trying (in vain) to quench the heat with a cold beer.  We went year after year and I witnessed Dave eat some truly horrific sauces just this side of pepper spray.  There are too many stories to capture in the space of a single blog, but I’ll leave you, dear reader, to imagine what consuming tons of near hallucinogenic pepper sauce and copious amounts of beer might lead to in the realm of levity and physical comedy.

Our families enjoyed all the fun events we could from birthday parties for our children, to weddings for friends, to joint family vacations.  But the best times, the most fun times, were invariably the random times that sometimes sprang from the routine of daily life.  Those are the times I miss most with my friend Dave.

Dave Gives Back

In his memory, Dave’s wife Maureen and their children have established a charitable foundation in support of Search and Rescue.  The Dave Gives Back foundation is committed to raising awareness and support for SAR so they can continue to help families who might run into problems in the wilderness, end up with successful outdoor adventures, fond memories, and a story to tell.  The dedicated people of Search and Rescue organizations routinely put themselves in harm’s way in the service of others.  By one estimate, there are over 100,000 rescues taking place in the US each year.  

As we draw closer to the sixth anniversary of Dave’s disappearance, I ask my readers and friends to consider participating in one of their upcoming events or making a charitable donation at the Dave Gives Back website. All proceeds, and donations directly benefit Search and Rescue in their ongoing critical mission.

We might never know what happened to Dave Cook that day he headed out to go climbing in Colorado.  I know I can never understand or make sense of it.  His memory remains with all of those who knew him and who read his 8 life missions.  Maureen and their children (Kate, Ryan, and Sara) embody Dave’s living memory through their resiliency and commitment to upholding his mission within their own lives.  Their strength provides an example of what it means to fully live life with courage and grace.

I’ve heard it said that the best we can hope for in life is to leave a positive impact on those we encounter along this journey.  Dave far exceeded the mark of a life well-lived.  I hope you find value is his example and in Dave’s 8 Missions. I know I do. Dave is missed but never forgotten.  Peace, my friend.

Written by A. Reed

Reviewed by M. Cook & B. Holman