True Destiny, If Life is a Journey, Why go it Alone?

Having taken the day off yesterday I am ready to hit the ground running today, and as always looking forward to all the possibilites and opportunities that are surrounding me today. I had an interesting meeting yesterday, with a phenominal young lady, who amazed me with her energy and enthusiasm. We met for coffee, I had my customary tea, and we just chatted for almost two hours. It is such a great feeling to meet another kindred spirit, one who is also interested in helping others achieve success and happiness. I often find myself talking about future plans and aspirations and getting so excited I loose track of time and also forget that I am not the only one having the conversation. I must admit that I have tunnel vision when it comes to my book "True Destiny" and what I want to accomplish once the book is published and out in the general public. My excitement exist on so many different levels it is sometimes difficult to put it into words.

During our conversation we talked about my thoughts on the book, and what I hope to accomplish with it's publication and distribution. Now I am a realist, and I know it is difficult for a first time author to get something published and even harder to get it out there for others to read and learn from. But I also believe that I have begun to walk in my destiny and I believe that destiny has a place in all of this. If I didn't believe that way then I just wasted the last few months writing a book that will only sit on a shelf and collect dust. But let's go back to the level of excitement that I am feeling about what is about to take place in my life and why I think that excitement is contagious.

Many of my friends know that I have had this dream for many many many years. I have fallen prey to fears just like everyone else out there from time to time. I have allowed people to talk me out of things that I desired and wanted to do, because they told me I could not accomplish this or that. I finally got to the point in my life where I could no longer sit back and hope that fate would step in and start this company for me. Now I do not know everything there is to know about running a company. But I do know how to surround myself with highly qualified people who can help me through the rocky times of a business start up. I want people working along side of me who share in my vision and because of that will share in the success of this endeavor. In my discussions of yesterday I told Nola that I wanted to bring people on board to my company to make them successful. But I also told her that anyone working with me had better have their replacement in mind from day one. I do not want a stagnant company and if people sit around doing the same thing year after year after year, it will start to stink after a very short period. Now don't misunderstand me. I want people working with me who want to stay with our company for 20 or 30 years, but I also want people to grow with my company and I want them to be responsible for ensuring other peoples successes. If this company is good enough for them to work for then they should want others with equal or better qualifications to work along side them. And let me say this one thing; if you are afraid to hire someone because they are smarter or better than you, then you need to be shot. I want people who are smarter and better than me working with me. I can't do it all, nor do I want too. I need good dependable people working with me at every level of the company. And quite frankly I want the next CEO of my company to be working with me for quite sometime before I turn the reigns of power over to them.

But lets get back to the excitement I feel right now. I am chomping at the bit to get out there in front of a group of people, and I don't care how big or how small the group is, and talk about success and failure, opportunity and possibilities. I want to speak to each person's potential and let them know that I am there to root them on all the way. If you truly beleive that everyone has a destiny, why aren't you doing something to see that they start walking in it. It is time to pay it forward and do what others have done for you. It is time to take a journey and hold on for the ride of your life. And if you join me in efforts I can guarantee you will never be bored and life will take on a whole new meaning. So lets get started and by all means lets have some fun......

True Destiny, If Life is a Journey, Why go it Alone?

It's a Tuesday and as Tuesday's go, not a bad day so far. I stepped out on my back porch this morning to take in the cold winter chill to wake up, and clear my head for the day. This is a practice I have done for a long time as it allows me to think, and quite often get many of my inspiring thoughts at that time of the day. Today was just a little strange however. Now I am not one to write about Political or Social issues a lot on my blog. I think for the most part they divide people and that is the last thing that I want to do as I write. But this morning I could not get my mind around the many issues facing people today with the economy, jobless rate, and a basic sense of hopelessness for many people. I must say that I have not been immune to the many issues people are facing today with the downturn of the economy. I would love to say that I am making the same money I made pre 9/11, but I can't. I have seen many a downturn in the economy over the last 40 or so years, but never like this one, and never have I seen people as desperate and uneasy as I do now.

I have also be observing various people over the last few days and when I do this trust me I am not judging them, simply making observations. I try to always give people the benefit of the doubt, sometimes easy to do, sometimes not so easy. I am the type of person who believes there is good in everyone. It's kind of like Luke Skywalker when he knew there was good in Darth Vader, but did not get confirmation of that until Vader's death. But there is good in all people, funning this is, some people never display this in their dealings with other people. Now I can tolerate a lot of things in my life, but the one thing that drives me nuts is rude, inconsiderate people who think the world owes them something because of who there are, or what they have, or because of who they know. Let me say this, we are all humans who deserve the same respect as any other person walking the face of the earth. If you want to get on my bad side, and I don't recommend you do since I can hold a grudge, just be rude to others in my presence and I just might come down with both feet on my chest. Now this may seem like a severe reaction, but rude inconsiderate people deserve to be treated with the same disdain they show to others. I can't stand people who walk around with their nose stuck in the air, looking down at others simply because they feel superior. Walk away from me, no run away from me, if I can find a two by four to smack you with I will.

Now I know that a lot of people are going to wonder why this blog took this turn today. I guess maybe because I have seen actions the last few weeks that drive me nuts, and if they drive me nuts then undoubtedly you may feel the same way. Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls we need to give others the same respect we want for ourselves, nothing more and nothing less. We are living in a time where nothing is coming easy for people. Many are facing financial ruin, loosing homes, cars, jobs. Many are at the end of their ropes and sympathy will go along way to helping them survive the current storm. Just put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself how would you be feeling if you were going through some of the same garbage they are going through. I have been through the trying times and I would have given anything to have had someone there to talk to or just put my head on their shoulder and cry a little. Maybe all some of these people need is a knowledge that there are people out there who understand their plight and will stand with them during these difficult times. Take a moment and remember what it was like to be alone and have the feeling that you were alone in the world with no one to help you out. If you can remember how you felt, then go out there and reach out the hand of friendship to someone and turn their day around. If you have never felt feelings of lack, loneliness, or freindless, consider yourself lucky, and count your blessings. Do the right thing today and touch a life. Your actions do not have to be drastic, or dramatic, just heart felt and sincere.

The life you touch today, may be the same life that touches another tomorrow. Think about it.....

True Destiny, If Life is a Journey, Why go it Alone?

It's a Monday and I am so thankful that I get to do it all over again this week. If that phrase is not something you have heard lately, or if this is a phrase you have not used yourself, maybe it's time to reflect on a few things. Number one; if the first thing you think about on a Monday morning is that you wished it were Friday, maybe just maybe you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing. If you don't get up on a Monday morning thankful that you get to go to work again, and maybe just maybe you would still be working even if you weren't getting paid, chances are you are doing exactly what it is you are supposed to be doing.

I know so many people who are working for a paycheck and not for the love of what they are doing. Working a job that you love is more of a vocation than a job. Sure there are ups and downs in any job out there. But we need to know that there is more to a job than just putting in the 40 hours a week and collecting a paycheck on Friday. I've had so many people who have asked if they could work for me. I am starting a company and of course friends and acquaintances come out of the woodwork wanting a job. Many of them are set back a bit when I tell them "No" to working for me. If you are working for me you are working for a paycheck, I don't need that and I don't want that. On the other hand, if you say you want to work with me, well that is a horse of a different color. Working along side of me is taking up my vision for the company and that is what I want on my team. You are far more likely to enjoy the position and with that comes more productive time and of course for me that means a better more fine tuned operation, and that can only benefit the company in the long run. Working with me is a vocation and not just a job.

I see companies who have so taken advantage of their employees that it makes me want to vomit. If you can not provide a great atmosphere to work, great pay and benefits, well I will show you a company with massive turn over and lousy profits. Show me a company where workers are eager to be there, would not leave to see if the grass is greener somewhere else, and only have positive things to say, then I will show you a prosperous company. Gee are you beginning to see the picture I am painting. Why is it that certain companies prosper and others fail? The answer is pretty simple, and I for one want to be on the winning side of things. Not sure there are all kinds of reasons that companies fail, many reasons are outside of our control, economic conditions, trends, etc, etc, etc, but most of the time a company can not remain competitive and if you can't make money you can't keep the doors open.

I would love to be the owner of a company where I have satisfied employees, and a line a mile long of other people wanting to work with me and the other members of my team. Word of mouth is the greatest advertisement anyone could ever hope for. If I have people contacting my company to come to work because of all the good talk they have heard about it, well I must be doing something right. Truth be told my co-workers are doing the right thing and I am just along for the ride. I would be a fol to think that I am the reason for success. Without my fellow workers my company would be nothing and I would be just like everyone else looking for a better place to work. Ladies and Gentlemen this is not rocket science. I see companies all the time who have forgotten what made them successful. I pray to the Good Lord that if I ever forget who the true backbone of the company is, that I get hit beside the head with the largest two by four you have ever seen. You can not loose touch with what got you where you are. If you do your success may feel good for a time, but it will be short lived and I for one will not shed a tear for you.

It's time we do what is right, and what is right is creating an environment where people can flourish and prosper. One more note; if you work for a company you best have your replacement in mind. I have seen people so worried that they will be showed up by someone they would like to hire, that they do not hire them. That is stupid with a capital "S". I want people who are better than me working with me. It is a win win proposition. You have a lot to think about, and there are people out there with a lot to offer. Why not take them up on it. Think about it..........

True Destiny, If Life is a Journey, Why go it Alone?

If I have learned one thing in life it is that there is only one constant in the universe, that being change. We've all heard this before and most of us cringe when ever the topic is put on the table. I am not immune to hating change, but at the same time, I have grown very accustomed to it in my life. To say that my life has taken a complete 180 degree turn over the last few years is the biggest understatement ever made. I will not bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say I am not where I was 3 years ago, and I'm sure I will be in a different place three years from now. Now let me say that change is not always bad, but then again it's not always good either.

I spent a career in the United States Air Force and grew very accustomed to change having moved numerous times during a 16 year period. Truth be told we used to call it "Wander Lust", looking forward to a move every three or four years. Problem is, when I finally retired from the Air Force I found myself looking to move every three or four years after that. I am happy to say that having spent the last 22 years in Maine I think I have finally out grown the Wander Lust, and am very happy to stay put. But change is change no matter how you look at it, and often change brings discomfort and uneasiness. Change is something that very rarely do we have any control over, as a matter of fact, most times we run from change and only bow to it when our current situation becomes so uncomfortable that we are forced to give in to it. Those are the times when we feel it the most, and quite frankly fear it the most. I would much rather institute change in my life on my own terms as opposed to someone else's. But once again change is generally on someone else's terms and not our own.

How we handle change in our life is what separates the men from the boys, and please excuse the gender classification. We all experience change without regard to gender. We can either embrace change or run from it. Running from it will only waste time and energy. Embracing it will take time and energy also but in the long run make life much simpler. When I made the transition from Military life to Civilian life it was a huge change, but it was a change that I embraced and was eager to make. I made the decision to retire and although there were a few bumps in the road along the way, it was a change that I was very glad to make. There have been other times in my life when change just happened. I was not prepared for it and it was far from welcome. But I had to choose to embrace the change or remain miserable and that would have lead to an early grave, and that my Friends was not an option. Choosing to accept change, whether big or small, is never easy, but often in the best interest of everyone.

You've heard me say before that I do not believe in coincidence. I believe that things happen for a purpose, and generally after the change has taken place and the dust settles we realize that it was for the better of all concerned.

I encourage all of you to embrace change and not run from it. Sure it may stink during the process, but after all is said and done you are in a far better place. Think about it........

True Destiny, If Life is a Journey, Why go it Alone?

Each day brings challenges, some big, some not so big, but challenges none-the-less. How we go about handling each challenge is totally up to us. I would like to think that most people will rise to the occasion when a challenge is in front of them. But the simple truth is, many people have been so beaten down y life they do not process the energy to cope with even the simplest of challenges. There have been times in my life when I wanted to quit and just throw in the towel. I can remember a time when I had lost my job with a very large company after nearly five years and went from making very good money to making none at all. I had taken my savings down to zero, had to use retirement funds and when that was gone had no idea what to do next. It would have been easy to just say "nuts" to this and give up. But those that know me know that is not really my nature. I had to do some real soul searching and determine what was important and what was not. I knew I had friends and loved ones who supported me, and that support was the only thing that got me through those difficult times.

When you are facing a challenge it is time to put your pride on the shelf and seek out assistance from those you trust and admire. I've said it before and I will say it again the only shame in asking for assistance is not asking for assistance. I have been so guilty of trying to do everything by myself, and more often than not falling on my face and wishing I had taken the opportunity to ask for help. In my book "True Destiny" I talk about the individual who is lost driving and refuses to ask for directions for fear of looking foolish or appearing to not be in the know. He or she can drive for hours instead of taking the 30 seconds to stop and ask directions. We have a tendency to waste more time trying to do it our self than just asking for help and getting things done. We have to realize that it just isn't in most of our natures to ask for help, and we need to get to the point where we stop this madness and do what is responsible. Trust me when I say I have been in this position more times than I would like to admit and for what ever reason I always seem to resort to the same old reaction of doing it all by myself. Ever hear the term "Physician heal thyself"? Well I have to admit my short comings, after all personal recognition is the first step in recovery.

So challenges will come and go, that is a certainty. What we choose to do from this point forward is a new challenge. I hope you will choose to reach out and seek assistance when needed, and when asked for offer assistance back. Even when I have been at the bottom of the bucket in terms of life, I still have the desire to help others in what ever way I can. To me offering help to others is therapeutic, and it often puts a smile on my face and let's face it smiling is contagious. Have a great weekend and let's look forward to all the opportunities that await us in the new week. It's a great time to be alive and a great time to overcome challenges. Remember this, we are all on a Journey to determine our destiny, do you really want to go it alone? I sure don't and neither should you. Think about that..........

True Destiny, If Life is a Journey, Why go it Alone?

What can you say when life throws you lemons. The traditional response is make lemonade, and to a large degree I believe that, but when those lemons are so huge and you can't get your arms around them what do you do. When those lemons are so huge you can't get your mind around them, well that may be the time you want to quit, take your ball and go home. I have been through those times in my life and recently went through a very trying time. I had to make the choice to keep moving forward and try to make the best lemonade on the face of the earth. Was it easy? No, not in any shape, fashion, or form. Would I have liked for it not to happen? Well of course the answer to that would be yes. But it did happen, and I had to deal with it.

We all come in contact with these same issues on a daily basis. Sometimes the fix is easy and sometimes the fix seems impossible. But there is always a fix. It may not seem like it when you're up to your neck in stress and anxiety, but there is a fix. One thing I always want to point out is that you are never alone and there are people out there willing and able to help. Most of the time all you need to do is ask, and that is sometimes the most difficult thing for us to do. There is no shame in asking for help, the only shame is when pride gets in the way and we don't ask for the assistance. I say in my book that successful people realize that their success has been aided by others. You can not reach the top without the help of others. The Bill Gates and Warren Buffets of this world will all tell you that they had help along the way. Sure they did a lot themselves, but they never would have created their empires without the help of countless people. The same can be said about each of us, no matter where life takes you, you can't get their alone. And once again, like the title says, "If life is a journey, why go it alone?".

Take sometime today to look at your goals for 2010, write them out, and try to think of those around you who can assist you in getting to where you want to be. There are so many people out there who are steadfast in your corner and there to assist, motivate, and inspire. All you have to do is recognize that, and accept the offer. It is time to move forward and take the first step toward your True Destiny. Once you have made the decision to move forward the rest will come easier and easier. Have a great day and enjoy the incredible journey that awaits you.

True Destiny, If Life is a Journey, Why go it alone?

Well the Holidays are now behind us and after taking a few days off to relax and regroup it is now time to get things rolling in 2010. I have spent the last few days completing a personal inventory of myself and making some decisions as to where I want to take myself over the next year and the remainder of this new decade. I like most people, do not have a clue as to what the next few years will be like, but I also do not loose a lot of sleep over not having all the answers. If I have learned one thing over the last year it is I do not have a crystal ball and even if I did not so sure that I would use it. I have always said that I take each day as it comes and do not much worry about what happened yesterday. Oh sure there are times when I wish I could change certain occurrences but as I am fond of saying, there's no use crying over spilled milk.

I am so very excited about the possibilities of this new year and I am equally excited that I will finally get o do the thing that makes me happy and that is helping others come to a realization of their True Destiny. I have had so many conversations with people since staring to write my book and I am so aware of the climate in the time we are in. There are so many people who do not have a clue how to achieve the things they dream of. Thee are an equal amount of people out there who can not tell you what it is they are supposed to be doing on a daily basis. It is my goal and dream to help each of them achieve their goals and dreams and ultimately walk in those things that they were destined to walk. Now I know that I will not be able to help everyone since there are people out there who do not want the help. But I have to believe that the vast amount of people searching would gladly accept a hand of friendship and help to get them to the promised land. I have thought about my goals and dreams and it has taken me almost 15 years to get to this point in my life. But truth be told if it hadn't been for a certain mishap I still would be waiting to talk out my dreams. It is my desire that I can help others shorten the timeline when it comes to them achieving their goals and dreams.

So here's the bottom line; I am here to pull out all the stops and get each of you to walk in your destiny. I won't be easy for you and it surely won't be easy for me. But as I have said before if it were easy everyone would be doing it. Greatness is not measured by the car you drive, the house you own, or the clubs you belong to. Greatest is knowing that you are doing what you were destined to do and helping others get to that very same point. So as I walk out my destiny I hope and pray that I can be a source of hope and inspiration to each of you. It is time to take that first step, it is time to take charge, and it is time to move forward and never look back. We can learn from out past mistakes but we can't let those mistakes keep us frozen in our current position.

I am excited and honored that I get the chance to do what is in my heart to do. I am looking forward to the next few years and can not wait to see what great things come of it. So as the Book says, since life is a journey, make the decision to not go it alone. And one last thought for today, have some fun and smile. Laughter works like a medicine and there are tons of sick people out there who need to smile and laugh. Think about that.......