iones focuses on the fragility of our psychological ecosystem--a fancy way of saying we are constantly changing and never know exactly what we are becoming. His writing is direct and organic, no fillers or artificial flavors, like folk medicine.

He stresses the importance of avoiding false values and appreciating life's simple and unadorned truths. Not dark or gloomy, his message is timely and optimistic, but with provisos. While the world may measure the value of a man by the number of zeroes in his bank account, Mr Briones offers another take on what makes people worth knowing and staying connected to throughout the inevitably unpredictable course of life.

His worldview has been shaped by a life spent among all types of people. He was born in 1940 and grew up in rural Mexico. Orphaned at a young age, he worked at a variety of jobs in Mexico and then Arizona, where he is now a builder/contractor. In the process, he came to refine what it means to be a "winner." Success has taught him that winning is not about who has the most points or the most money. For him, life is about accumulating experiences that forge your character and make you the person you were meant to be, something that is often apparent from a young age, as it was in his case.

Mr Briones was born on Christmas more than eight decades ago, and he continues to go to work every day and build character, along with fine homes.