Archive - My Story RSS Feed

What are you, some kind of idiot?

By on August 14, 2010 in My Story 10

I know I have done it. I bet you have too. You’ve stood in front of the mirror and asked yourself why in the world you are doing this ‘self employment’ thing. Regardless of where you are in your business now, at one time, you were frustrated by it. Chances are a lot of the time it’s a love/hate relationship even now.

Maybe you lost a big job that you were pretty sure would push you out of business if you didn’t land it. Maybe you knew that you weren’t going to get a paycheck for the next couple of weeks and when you did get a check it wasn’t going to make up for the last two you missed. Maybe you’re sick and tired of your family taking a back seat to that client you don’t really even like but he just keeps calling at the worst times and you can’t afford to tell him to just go away, forever.

So, what do I tell myself that keeps me going? I tell myself it’s going to be a cool story. I guess it’s supposed to be more philosophical than that. Sorry, for me, it’s really quite simple. I want all of this to be a really cool story that people want to sit around and listen too.

I just started the book A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, by Donald Miller. I’m on page 19 and I can already tell I’m going to love it.

I’m realizing that for the last 20 years of my life I’ve tried to live in a way that will make a great story. I’m certain it’s because I have a pretty strong imagination. I fantasize about the level of success I’m going to achieve by never giving up and staying the course. I imagine groups of people wanting to sit around and hear the story of how my wife and I couldn’t have kids of our own so we became foster parents, a few left but two got to stay and we adopted them. How we got pregnant and had two more daughters immediately after adopting our first two. I’ll tell the story of how my business should have gone bankrupt but I fought my way through to the other side. I’ll tell of how God aways provided for us, no matter how bleak the future was looking.

Don’t you want all the hard stuff you have to go through to end up being a great story that  you can tell? One that will encourage and empower others to have victory over their challenges?

So, what do you tell yourself that keeps you going during the down times?

My first interview!

By on July 25, 2010 in My Story 2

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Brent Green of the “Pursuing Meaningful Work” podcast. We had a great time before, during and after the interview.

Stop by his site and enjoy not just my interview but many others!

http://pursuingmeaningfulwork.com

Big Dogs Are Scary

By on May 24, 2010 in Blue Collar Business, My Story 0

As my blue collar business got busier in ’05, ’06 and ’07 I started doing things on my own with no real accountability. The results were very destructive.

I’ve spent the last 2 years re-connecting with some extremely (that word still doesn’t cover it) successful men I used to hang around with. It’s an Eagle’s Club to say the least. Their wisdom has really helped me make up for some lost ground. It’s also helped me feel stupid. No one has called me that and, as far as I know, no one thinks that either. It’s just how you can feel when you sit there, surrounded by unbelievably successful men and they are chatting about business concepts that are new to you but seem like old news to them.

I have also made some new connections both online and in person with some other very successful men. Eagles, all of them.

It’s not an easy process. In fact, it’s terrifying.

I’m barely a fly on the wall to these new connections. They are successful and it seems like everything they touch turns to gold. The best ones, though, will make sure you understand that it doesn’t all turn to gold and especially doesn’t at first.

I know the big dogs are scary but get off the porch and follow them anyway. If you do say something dumb (and you will) it’s okay. They are so busy that in a week they won’t remember anyway.

Page 3 of 3«123