The Path to Greatness
The Path to Greatness
I’ve been working on the web site for the Society of Home Business Owners for months in preparation for a January 1st launch date. The web site integrates a number of different applications together under a single domain name, making integration of the pieces quite complex. To add to the complexity, the source code for the main application is encrypted so that it cannot be viewed or modified.
I knew a paid web site requiring members to login multiple times was unworkable and was able to convince the company that owns the source code for the main application to release the source code I needed to integrate it with the other tools. I’m not a web programmer, but do have experience with programming and took the challenge. It didn’t take me long to determine this task was WAY over my head so I contracted a programmer to provide a solution for me. He “played” with it for almost 6 weeks before finally throwing up his keyboard and telling me he could not complete the project (I’m seeing this a lot).
He provided me with his work in process to pass to another programmer. I took a look and thought “This can’t be too tough, why not give this another go?” That was in SEPTEMBER and this “challenge” has been kicking my you know what ever since. I’ve literally invested 100’s of hours (we’ll discuss how wise this was later) in trying to make it work. Every week I’d get a little closer, providing me hope that completion was just around the corner.
Today the integration is complete and working successfully! There were plenty of low point in the process (yesterday for example) where I was ready to give up and at one point I even got a quote from the vendor that provided me the source code to complete the project – $850 to enhance a solution I only paid $97 to use!
Looking back I’m the first to agree that this was a poor use of my time. My partner and I are in the process of writing not one but two books about working from home, while building a business advisory board to support the members of the Society of Home Business Owners as well as create content for the web site and a monthly newsletter. For those of you that thought “retirement” involved lounging on the beach some place sipping a cool drink – think again!
While completing the web site integration may not have been a smart business choice, it has provided me with even more confidence that I’m able to accomplish EVERYTHING I set my mind to; that I’m only limited by what I ask of myself and visualize in my mind.
It’s freeing to know I can face tough challenges and overcome them with vision, discipline and perseverance. What obstacles have you allowed to block your path to greatness?
What Do You Want?
What Do You Want?
When I was young I made a list of “needs” for my birthday, for Christmas, for the start of school, for the start of summer, for the start of baseball season, for the start of….. I think you get the idea. Children are NEVER at a loss for ways to spend a few extra bucks and ALWAYS have a mental list of desires.
Try it some time. Head to the mall, the grocery store, an amusement park or some other destination where you’ll find kids and an opportunity to spend money. Then offer a completely random child a few extra dollars with which to enhance their experience (with their parent’s permission) and see what happens. I’m betting you’ll see one of two things:
- They’ll head directly to their favorite place and begin the process of fulfilling their desires.
- They’ll ask you what you like and use that in their decision making process to share their new spoils with you – their new friend!
Fast forward 10, 20, 30+ years…
Do you have a mental list of your desires? Do you know what you want? If someone were to give you a windfall of cash today would you know exactly what you’re going to do with it? Would you reach out to friends, family or those needing assistance to share your new wealth? I’ll not provide my answer on the grounds that it may incriminate you!
Most people go through their lives without a true sense of direction, without a list of goals they want to accomplish during their lifetime. Bouncing from one location, job, relationship and experience to the next without a sense of purpose. Wondering if their lives are to have any meaning at all. Wondering what they’ll be given from life rather than what they can make of their life!
It’s impossible to reach a destination unless you know where you’re going!
When getting in your car to leave the house the only thing you need is a destination!! Everything else can be figured out along the way. You can ask for directions, you can buy a map, you can work for gas money, you can sleep in the car but you cannot get someone else to tell you where you’re going!
I’ve discovered that most adults have a list of what they don’t want, rather than what they do want. When I ask them a question I get a list of “I don’t like…”, “I don’t want…”, “We had this for dinner last night and that for dinner the night before”. That’s not what I asked you. I asked for your opinion, for your desire.
What Do You Want?
I’ve got a mind and I’m not afraid to use it. When asked of my desire, I provide it. When asked for my opinion I share it in a manner that protects their honor and dignity (most of the time). I know what I like, I know what I want and I know that I’m entitled to receive it.
Hey Rick, where’d that one come from – “…I’m entitled to receive it”? I’ll save that for another post.
Why not view the world we live in as one of absolute abundance? One in which our creator is ready, willing and able to provide for all our desires. Provided….We know what they are!!
Get out some paper and a pencil, open up your laptop, flip open your PDA and start dreaming again. Go back to the days of your youth when you truly believed that you’d get everything you truly desired. Let your imagination soar. Dream BIG!
What’s the best that could happen?