BARNEGAT – Ed Agresta chose not to walk to the front of the room at a recent gathering of the local Rotary Club to command attention. Instead, the Barnegat resident rose from his seat and launched right into a talk that had people laughing, clapping, and even patting themselves on the back within minutes.
“Don’t count the days, make the days count,” Agresta said. “If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. But it’s not easy. You need the ASK philosophy: Attitude, Strategy, and Knowledge. When all three move in the same direction, you get a wow. And wow stands for ‘Watch Out World.’”
At his urging, the audience echoed back a booming “Wow!” – which was a fitting start for a man who has delivered thousands of motivational presentations to schools, corporations, and athletic teams across the country.
A Local Voice With A Big Reach
Agresta’s style is part coach, part comedian, and part philosopher. He throws out phrases like “Squeeze the juice out of life” and “Be where your feet are” with the same gusto he once used in his Union City classrooms during his 50 years of teaching.
But Agresta doesn’t just toss out motivational sayings; he demonstrates them. He had attendees giving each other high-fives, practicing what he called “low-threes,” and raising their hands to mime squeezing an orange. The message was clear: live fully, embrace the day, and stop letting time slip by unnoticed.
Storytelling plays an important role in Agresta getting his message across to participants. He told the group about a high school senior who routinely fell asleep in school. Other teachers saw him as a problem. Agresta learned the boy worked overnight stocking shelves to help his family make ends meet.
Instead of punishing him, Agresta offered a deal. “Do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it,” he told him. “Hand in your assignments and don’t disrupt class, and I’ll let you rest when you need to.”
The student went on to graduate and eventually became a chef in Florida.
“What difference did it make if he slept, as long as he did the work?” Agresta asked the group. “We’ve got to see people for who they are, not just for what they’re doing in the moment.”
Slay The Dragons
Agresta invited the audience to think about how many days he’s lived to reach age 78. The answer was about 48,470 days. He let the number settle before driving the point home.
“That’s not a lot when you think about it,” he said. “So don’t count the days. Squeeze the juice out of them. You have to dominate the day and be where your feet are.”
The advice carried extra weight coming from someone who faced a serious health scare three years ago. The experience inspired Agresta to host an annual “Celebration of Life” party where friends, family, and neighbors gather for food, music, and laughter.
“Why wait until someone is gone to say what they meant to you?” Agresta asked. “We should be celebrating life while we’re living it.”
Agresta used metaphors to make his points come alive. He spoke of “dragons” as nagging green monsters that sit on people’s shoulders and whisper doubts into their ears.
“Dragons suck the confidence right out of you,” he said, brushing an invisible creature from his back. “Whatever your dragons are, you’ve got to get rid of them.”
His advice came with a reminder to abandon the ten most destructive words: What will other people think? What will other people say?
“Once you get rid of those words,” Agresta said, “your whole life changes.”
Recognition And Laughter
Agresta also underscored the importance of recognition. He passed out small tokens, encouraging everyone to acknowledge and celebrate those around them.
“Always recognize people. Always celebrate people,” he said. “That’s how we lift each other up.”
It’s a practice he carried throughout his teaching career, even when administrators accused him of being “eccentric.” Agresta just laughed. “Crazy people get left alone,” he quipped, earning chuckles from the crowd. “But what mattered most was making my students feel seen, supported, and encouraged.”
As he wound down, he reminded his listeners of something uniquely human: the ability to laugh – especially at themselves.
“I can’t tell you how many times I tripped on the stairs in school and sent books flying,” he said. “The world didn’t end because I fell. We’ve got to stop taking ourselves so seriously.”
He asked the crowd to raise their hands one last time, stretching higher than they thought possible. “Always, always, always do a little bit more,” he said. “That’s how you make the days count.”
Rotary’s Invitation
Agresta’s presentation was hosted by the Rotary Club of Barnegat, whose motto Service Above Self mirrors many of his themes. Rotary members volunteer their time and talents to address community needs both locally and globally.
For those curious about what Rotary is all about, the Barnegat club meets Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in the back room of Lefty’s Restaurant at 547 North Main Street. Visitors are always welcome to sit in on a meeting to experience service, camaraderie, and inspiration firsthand.
