In our lives, opportunities come and go. People come and go. Things sometimes work out exactly the way we imagined they would. At other times, things get in the way and we have to navigate around those obstacles.
Imagine a little brook coursing down the side of a mountain. Its water trickling and swelling as it flows downhill. Rocks and rubble don't stop the flow of water, they just divert it. Water is fluid. It flows over or around those rocks and obstructions when it meets them, but, it just keeps going. And so it is with life.
I had a job that I quit one time because I was ripped off by a person who stole two $5000 sales from me. I lost a lot of commission on those sales. I handed in my keys and drove home. In ninety minutes I had a new job (inventory analyst in a 500 million dollar corporation). A decade later, I was laid off from that job. A brilliant leader in the company died of cancer and through a series of blunders by other management I watched the place continually struggle and never recover. That one man kept the company profitable. With his passing, the decline began and one fateful day all but a handful of people were laid off.
I found work in about two weeks. I took a job with an e-commerce company-- really, it was just for the health insurance because my wife and I were planning a move across the country to Idaho. Well, that deal evaporated, so, I took the gig locally in order to have health insurance.
In recent days, that e-commerce company closed its doors.
I started my job hunt Monday morning. I had a job lined up before I took time out for lunch. My new job starts today. It's another inventory analyst position with a major corporation that shall, for now, remain nameless.
Life Really Is All About the Journey
My recent history has had its blessings, to be sure. I have met a lot of nice people who worked hard and put a lot into what they were doing. There were a lot of young, talented people with great potential. There were also people who really didn't care to work.
What many people never figure out is that THEY are the captain of their own destiny. THEY build opportunities and open doors for themselves.
If I can give that whole group of people advice, I would tell them to never stop dreaming.
Dreams Are the Seedlings of Realities
Your journey will be smoother and you will have direction in your life when you dream about the good things to come. But you have to believe that you can have them. They are not FREE, but they are meant for you. They are waiting for you to reach for them.
What you need to reach the richness of life that you really deserve is to believe in yourself. You need to be confident. Then, set your goals. What do you really want from life? Write those goals on paper and read them first thing every morning.
I'd love to live long enough to watch every one of you reach the pinnacle in life-- to see your journeys all take you to the highest peak where you can watch the sun rise over this beautiful planet upon which we life. Welcome the dawn with a smile on your face and take a moment to gaze at it in wonder.
Your destiny still lies before you, but it's the journey that really makes you who you are. I am happy to have traveled with you as our paths came together.
May you all be blessed.
