ASPIRE

PowerPoint, Steak, and Re-wearing the same suit for 3 days

2010-09-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

We had management presentation practice on Monday & Tuesday, then the first of the real presentations today. I thought I knew a thing about attention to detail, but I had no idea until this trip.

It is a 60 page document that takes 4 hours to present, and probably had 100 man-hours already put into the detail of it. Over the last 72 hours, we put another 100 man-hours into it. We are literally on version 130 of the presentation. On the surface, the changes we made shouldn't take long, but the format is so key, so important. Target had the work smarter, not harder rule, but this new gig appears to be the other way around. I understand that the work is important, that every detail should be in line, everything should be consistent, etc. But I really do hope that I can rely more on the word-processing area in the future to make sure everything looks clean rather than working through turns (changes) at 1am and receiving couriered copies of the books at 2am.

Another challenge was that I brought 1 suit with a change of button up shirt. That was already a stretch to make sure I didn't have to check any baggage, but when the trip got extended to 3 days - whew! I can't wait to get into a fresh set of new clothes!

This may seem like a bit of a rant, but in reality it was a good trip. I had filet mignon two straight nights, and that's hard to beat. Also, getting into the same room with the management team, asking questions, and hearing the private equity group asking questions really sheds a lot of light on the company and its processes. That is where the excitement truly happens for me. And I cannot wait for the next trip to learn more about the next company...find out how the next management team drives results.

Now it is time to sharpen the saw by sleeping in my own bed.

Day 4

2010-09-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

Today I continued the rock crushing, but it ended up being a short day. I left at 845, and could have left 2 hours earlier, but worked out and did some research instead.

As I understand it, the stressful time is during pitch season which is generally February. In the meantime, I am going to work hard, dig into models, and try thinking like the client, the potential buyers, and our MD's.

The most interesting bit of today is how stressful each email is at this point. Since I am not 100% confident on style, preference, expectations, or where the information is coming from--I scrutinize every last detail. Nothing feels natural yet so I feel like a rookie NFL quarterback. Everything is moving fast and nothing is white noise. That keeps the mind challenged, but surprisingly sleep has been hard to come by.

I could blame it on the thunderstorms, but really it has been my inability to turn my thoughts off. tonight I am targeting 7 hours but I will need to work hard to make that happen. The excitement of the first week and all the new information must be making the neurons keep firing?

Rock Crushing

2010-09-01T20:15:00.001-07:00

As my good friend Brian Murphy always said, there are many great phrases, similes, and metaphors in I-banking. One of those is "Rock Crushing." Essentially this means doing grunt work that is actually very important, but not necessarily mentally stimulating...unless you are really applying yourself.

Today I learned about rock-crushing that was all about.

It started with a vague request that seemed innocent enough, but ended up taking more than 4 hours. I get the feeling that these requests are common, and ultimately the same thing will take me 45 minutes down the road (at least I hope). But I am reveling in these opportunities to learn from every tiny little task. I really think that is the key to getting the most out of this experience. As with anything else, your attitude and approach make all the difference in the world.

I am not sure how long I will keep up my daily post, and I am not sure how well written they are considering the time of day--but hopefully they are interesting to read.

Cheers!

Sushi and Traffic

2010-08-31T21:14:00.000-07:00

Day 2 also started off slowly when my typical 20 minute commute turned into 80 minutes due to a car fire on 394 that brought the road down to 1 lane. As I sat in traffic, I looked up MN Pass, and I just might make the purchase for situations like this...the express lane was in great shape.

Today was exciting because I got up to speed on another deal and was included in 5 conference calls. It was interesting to listen to the senior team members ask the critical questions and discuss the key dynamics of a deal. That big picture perspective is where the learning happens so I am trying to absorb it all.

To cap off the night, 3 of my teammates and I went downstairs for all you can eat sushi before heading back to it. It was delicious, convenient, and cheap!

So far I am extremely excited and it has surpassed my expectations regarding challenge, learning, office culture, and benefits. I am sure there will be many tough days ahead, but I am happy to enjoy this "honeymoon phase."

1 in the bank!

2010-08-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

Day 1 was off to an inauspicious start when I couldn't get my dual monitors to work. 30 minutes later it was good to go! The next exciting bit of action was that I had to drive home in the middle of the day to get my passport for the purpose of proving my eligibility to work.

By late afternoon I was getting at it, working on my first deal, and my first assignment for that deal--exciting stuff!

I feel more lost than I did going into Target, but hopefully it is a matter of me forgetting what I didn't know going in. There is an overwhelming amount of information on each deal, and I have to somehow become an expert at it. This will certainly be a challenge!

Day 1 Jitters

2010-08-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

In less than 12 hours, I will be starting my new job as a financial analyst in mergers & acquisitions for Houlihan Lokey. I feel like it is the day before school starts: I can't sleep, I am procrastinating, and I am worried about how things will go. My plan is to go in with a great attitude, ask questions, and get things done. I also hope my ability to communicate upwards and manage workload can maximize my effectiveness and prevent unnecessary re-work.

I plan to keep this blog updated for the first time in a couple years with information on my experiences and learnings on the job. I hope you find it interesting, and please comment or question anything you see!

Degree Justification

2009-03-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

I have helped my fiancee study for school on numerous occasions, and I keep coming across the same theme. It seems that writers of anthropology, human rights, and history articles are desperately trying to justify their expensive degrees with the language they use. As an example, in an article she was reading in preparation for tomorrow's midterm, the following sentence was found:

"Precisely because secular Time was its presupposition, logically speaking, or its signified, in semiotic parlance, the new discourse had (with exceptions to be mentioned later) no need to thematize Time."

Are you kidding me? I like the philosophy that a master of a particular subject can explain complex ideas with simple words and language that even a child could understand. In other words, you are probably not an expert at anything unless you can get somebody with no experience in the subject to understand it very quickly.

I am certainly no wizard of words, no Ernest Hemingway. However, these types of papers are ridiculous. If the purpose of a class or an article is to introduce new ideas to somebody, teach a student a new concept, then it is the most inefficient method I have ever seen. With this type of language, no wonder the cost of education is increasing. An entire class on "big words" is necessary before you even begin to approach the ultimate subject matter.

I am trying to find other reasons for why this is so common. Beyond justifying their degrees...maybe the authors truly do not have a grasp of the subject matter they discuss? Maybe it is not their fault? They simply are passing on the information that they were taught, so the only way they understand it is via the complex language originally presented to them?

This began as a rant, but now I am curious. I would like to explore this further...maybe it is a representation of larger issues?

Mom's First Solo Workout

2007-06-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

I talked to my mother today, and she informed me that she completed her first workout without me there last night! This is an excellent first step. I'm sure it will easily lead to a habit as she enjoys the benefits of working out (endorphins, general sense of accomplishment).

One hiccup did occur. Apparently I missed a copy of the "count" in the cd I made her. Basically, it skips from the last exercise description of the circuit to the intra-circuit break. It is a learning process for both of us.

The next challenges on my side are to direct her diet and to create the second phase of her plan. I'm looking forward to more.

Also to come are the trials and tribulations of my girlfriend and I changing our eating habits for the better...

Personal Trainer - First Assignment

2007-06-24T16:11:00.001-07:00

As I began to re-evaluate my passion and future with physical fitness, I have been given an opportunity to sharpen my pencil. My mother has decided to proactively improve her health. This is a huge thing that I have been looking forward to! Further, she has asked me to be her personal trainer. Of course I said "yes" without hesitation.

There certainly are hurdles to this given that I currently am taking classes to finish up my undergraduate degree at the same time as I am working 55 hours per week. The solution is that I am spending one day per week working directly with her. The rest of the time, she is following a program I put together. The key to the program is that it includes website links to show her how to properly perform any exercise. On top of that, I've recorded instructions, along with counts for her workouts that she can play on a cd while she works out.

To cover her diet, I've instructed her to record everything she eats on http://fitday.com, a free website that acts as a convenient food journal. I will be reviewing her diet periodically to comment and guide.

In the weeks that come, I will comment on more details regarding the struggles and triumphs of my mother's fitness overhaul via a semi-long distance personal trainer relationship.

Any comments and suggestions are more than welcome!

Exciting News!

2007-06-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

My parents have created an excellent website with multiple purposes. See the mission statement here for details :

http://extramoneyforall.com/

"Our mission is to bring you all kinds of money making ideas and links to money making websites. We'll link eBay items that we have currently listed. We'll link sites that can be accessed to earn extra money. We will even list some fun sites that we access for those leisure moments or the pursuit of our various hobbies."

I strongly recommend checking the site out even if you aren't interested in making a little extra money from home. Included is an insightful blog regarding topics from fantasy baseball to poker to life and attitude.

Also, you will find links to some interesting items for sale on ebay. They include antiques, glassware, nick-knacks, and many hidden treasures that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else!

Please post comments on the site or here if you like.

Sharpen the Saw

2006-06-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

Most of us want to do big things. We want to accomplish so much, and spend all our time doing the things that are important us. The net result is that we do not have time to refresh ourselves, and we lose our effectiveness.

Stephen Covey – renowned author and planning specialist talks about “Sharpening the Saw.”

Picture a lumberjack. He uses a saw to make his living. The more trees he cuts down, the more money he makes. That money is very important…let’s say he has a wife and kids. A lumberjack’s life is not luxury, so every dollar, every tree counts. This motivation could easily inspire a lumberjack to take his saw and cut down every tree in site. The faster he works, the fewer the breaks he takes, the longer he works, logically, the more trees he cuts down right? Probably not.

At first, the strategy might seem to pay off. However, pretty soon, his saw will become dull, and it takes more effort and more time to cut down each tree. So now, the more he works, the worse off he becomes. He is no longer succeeding. He is no longer helping his family at the highest level.

If instead, he takes some time each day or each week to sharpen his saw, he can accomplish a lot more. He might not directly see cash or reward while he is sharpening his saw, but overall, he can cut more trees down each day, each week, each year when he keeps his saw sharp.

All of us are like that lumberjack. Our bodies and minds are our saws. If we do not keep them sharp, there is no way we will accomplish all that we hope to. Mr. Covey likes to divide sharpening our saws into four categories, and I don’t feel qualified enough to offer up anything to the contrary, so here they are:

Physical: exercise, eat better, sleep more/less, etc.
Social/Emotional: hanging out with friends, family, etc.
Mental: read, do puzzles, etc.
Spiritual: prayer, go to church, bible study, etc.

The moral of the story is that it is really easy to get caught up in trying to do as much as possible each day in order to attain your goals, but without sharpening your saw, you are only limiting your potential.

One thing I try to keep in mind (because I am guilty of it) is that life is not a competition about how busy we are…there are much more important things to think about.

The Value of Friendship

2006-02-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

“In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post-office. You may depend on it, that the poor fellow who walks away with the greatest number of letters, proud of his extensive correspondence, has not heard from himself this long while.” – Henry David Thoreau

I think what Mr. Thoreau was writing about here is pretty relevant. There are two messages that immediately struck me: (1) life is not a popularity contest and (2) you cannot solve all your problems by looking externally.

(1) Having a lot of friends can be a wonderful thing, but it should not be a social goal in itself. Quantity should never make up for quality. It is essential that we are able to connect with people at a deeper level. We need to disclose our passions, thoughts, hopes, and fears. Without the outlet of a close friend (or other loved one), we are simply left to dwell on our anxious thoughts, or celebrate accomplishments with ourselves.

Think about your closest friends for a minute. The odds are that they know a good deal about your history, motivations, pre-occupations, and philosophies. Now imagine you just accomplished a longstanding goal. Maybe you just got the phone call indicating you successfully landed your dream job. What is the first thing you do? Do you find a random person on the street and tell them the great news? Do you make sure you call Jill, Bob, Steve, Sue, and John, etc. who are always part of the happy hour crew, but you don’t know at any significant level? If you are as lucky enough to have parents like mine, you call Mom and Dad. But, likely the very next thing you do is call your best friend. Because that friend probably knows everything that built up to this moment, they have taken the journey with you. They can truly share in your joy, because they are right there with you the whole way. They understand the foundation of the pyramid, so they can really appreciate the pinnacle. Now imagine that you can hear the smile in their voice. It probably broadens your smile that much more.

These are the kind of relationships that I value and strive for. I would rather have just one relationship at this level than two hundred-fifty “surface friends.” Sure, such a large number can boost the ego, and bandage up any self-confidence issues, but it will not satisfy the deeper need. This is not to say that you can’t have dozens of excellent, close friendships, but at some point time restraints set in, and quality suffers.

(2) If we are having inner struggles, whether they are physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, reaching out to friends can only take us so far. They do know what makes us tick and can provide an objective opinion, but if the problem is internal, we should probably look inside ourselves and duke it out a little bit. Maybe we can write in a journal, play music, exercise, pray, meditate, whatever gets us to a focused state of mind.

With everything that draws our attention, from school, traffic, work, instant messaging, and our iPod, it is easy to find a cluttered mess in hour heads at the end of the day. If we find the right activity or medium through which to clean that mess, we can put things back in order. It is only at this point that we can hope to solve or cope with the inner struggles. It could be the mess itself was causing the problem. In such a circumstance, that Yoga session will have you back dancing away with your iPod while messaging on Myspace in no time!

A Mirrored Image

2006-02-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

“Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics; to congratulate each other on the ever glorious morning? I do not make an exorbitant demand, surely.” - ‘Life Without Principle’ by Henry David Thoreau

Dyspeptic – Of or displaying a morose disposition.

Eupeptic – Cheerful; happy.

I have had a request to produce a more upbeat, light-hearted post. I hope this does not disappoint.

It is interesting to me that Thoreau, the critical author that he was, made such a positive statement. In fact, it was made at the end of the essay, and I found it to have a lasting effect. Throughout the piece, the reader travels through the investigation of his or her own life’s purpose, meaning, and drive. The reader comes to question whether they are putting their energy in the right places. They come to question whether they are living with Principle. It seems to me that the above quote is the measuring stick by which we determine the answer to those questions.

When we wake up in the morning, how do we feel? Is it a glorious morning, or is it a just another day in the rat race? Maybe if we were living as we were meant to we could always claim that the day was beautiful, and life was grand? Maybe it is the rat race that has us down? If we could just get out of that race, we would be basking in the magnificent morning rays!

However, I propose that it is not our circumstances that drive our emotions. Sure, if we had that dream job, perfect family, strong faith, optimal health, and security it might be easier to smile at 5:30 a.m., but that perfect situation is certainly not necessary for happiness.

As cliché as it is to say, attitude will take us there. There is a lyric from Relient K in a song called "High of ‘75" that puts it eloquently, “Its funny how you find you enjoy your life when you’re happy to be alive.” So simply appreciating life for what it is and for the blessings around us puts a nice little spin on things. When we have this view, everything else is literally icing on the cake.

If we investigate further, it gets even better. Take music for example. What would life be like without it? I cannot even picture it, but I think it would be a bit boring. Strike that. It would be like black and white television, or worse. But thankfully, we don’t have to dwell on that. We have music in all its many forms, tones, motivations, and volumes to add to the beautiful colors of life.

If we are truly blessed, we have people around us that we can take joy in as well. Think about the times with your family, friends, or significant other when you simply cannot stop smiling or laughing. How awesome are these times? No matter what is going on in the world, these relationships shine on, and produce our most treasured moments.

Thoreau’s quote sends a pretty simple yet powerful message. The affect and reaction to a smiling face or a chipper comment is usually a mirrored image. The attitude is infectious. In fact, I owe a good deal of inspiration for this post to a particular rhyming friend of mine. This individual recently became a eupeptic-to the extreme. He seems to have a new perspective on life, and it resonates through his words, his appearance, and his actions. It definitely has had an effect on me, and I can see it spreading slowly through the people around him.

It is up to us to be that person, to facilitate that attitude, and pass it along to others. Even on a local scale, it comes back to us like two sets of mirrors with the reflection perpetuating back and forth, resulting in a magnification. So it begins now. Let's take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. To quote another lyric—

“I'm not gonna waste this time, this light that burns will keep on fading. I'm not gettin' up off this ride, I'm holding tight, til I can feel alive!" - Mae

Passion and Work

2006-01-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

(The first of many blogs inspired by Henry David Thoreau)

“If the laborer gets no more than the wages which his employer pays him, he is cheated, he cheats himself.” –‘Life Without Principle’ by Henry David Thoreau

I would be willing to bet that this is a subject that many have thought on, especially during the beginnings of adulthood. The quote itself can be inspirational yet grim to think upon. That is unless you have achieved the situation that Thoreau’s words suggest.

I myself find it difficult to think about. I am tempted to quell all thoughts regarding the subject and end the blog short. However, instead let us delve into it. I find myself working in an accounting position in corporate America. I have always had a fascination with the success of businesses, and have strived to reach success as well. I enjoy the competition of it, the negotiations, and analyzing the end result. Nevertheless, I cannot confuse this enjoyment with passion. Maybe it has to do with my current job responsibilities, but I do not find myself getting pumped up to write an annual report, compile a budget, or even calculate commissions on a large sale. I do not find myself fervently delving into the technicalities of the Sarbanes-Oxley act or losing myself in the 2006 book of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

The question becomes, “am I cheating myself?”

Am I cheating myself by not pursuing a career in personal physical training? After all, I do find myself getting pumped up to put together new exercise programs for myself, and my friends. I do find myself fervently reading about the science behind plyo-metrics and explosive strength during my lunch break. People actually make money for helping others improve their athletic performance, health, and overall quality of life! This just happens to be the subject I cannot get enough of. It seems simple then doesn’t it? Quit the corporate job, and start certification towards personal training?

That may seem to be the case. However, there are other things to consider. (WARNING --the following could potentially include some serious rationalization.) There are the current relationships I have formed with my co-workers. There are the comforts of a steady paycheck that pay for car payments, health insurance, retirement planning, a mortgage, etc. There is the potential for advancement to other, more stimulating positions at the current company. There is the ‘worst-case scenario’ of a luxurious retirement in 40 years. So how do you quantify, qualify, or analyze the trade-offs? Maybe you don’t. Maybe you do not want to admit your career choices thus far have been for naught because you are not doing that which you do or would do anyway, without payment? Maybe you are content with your current job and lifestyle? Maybe you feel you are blessed with being able to live as you do, to enjoy your friends and family as you do. But maybe you could continue to enjoy those things and more with a move toward your passion?

It certainly is a question worth considering…

Dangerous Headlines

2006-01-16T17:06:00.000-08:00

Wall Street Journal headline: “Low-Calorie Diet Can Slow Aging of Heart, Study Shows.” That’s just what we need – a bunch of “newly-educated” people that are starving themselves for the sake of a healthy heart. It goes on to say that a very low calorie diet can slow down the aging process of the heart. So the individual that doesn’t read the entire article (and there are a lot of them…I often find myself not reading complete articles), are convinced that its time to cut calories. This is obviously very dangerous. So the solution is to either have a society that reads only complete articles, or to have more socially responsible headlines.

Further along in the article, the studies author recommends a moderate calorie reduction for normal western consumers. Also, the study was focusing in on people that eat a very Mediterranean diet full of vegetables and olive oil while avoiding empty calories found in soda, deserts, and other processed foods. This diet in itself is obviously conducive to a healthy heart – especially with the benefits to your cholesterol from the olive oil.

But wait, its not that simple. One of the main goals for media is to get people to read, view, and interact with their material. Thus, they need a creative headline or hook to bring the reader in. So I’ll get off my high horse here and say that it is a moral dilemma not unique to this particular situation. Basically we need to assume that our society is full of capable, competent individuals that will not make decisions based upon one sentence. Otherwise we will be paralyzed…incapable of getting anything accomplished because we would first have to okay it with every board, every association, and put warning after warning on whatever it is we are doing.

The moral of the story is that we do not need to starve ourselves to have a healthy heart. We do need a balanced diet, and enjoy food in moderation. A little olive oil never hurts either!

Power Cleans for the Brain?

2005-12-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Per a recent article in Wall Street Journal “Even Old Brains Seem Flexible Enough to Enjoy a Workout,” in order to improve and grow, your brain requires a ‘new workout’ every now and again just like your body. It makes sense doesn’t it?

If you get into cruise control, or if an activity becomes mental white noise, then you don’t have to exert yourself any longer. This has long been known about weight lifting. A general rule of thumb is to change up your routine every 6 weeks or so. If you do not do so, your muscles and nervous system adapts, and it becomes white noise. It is really easy to do that same superset program with the thirty-second rest period week after week after week. However, after the first few weeks, your gains plateau. Your muscles need to have to struggle in order to improve. In other words, they need to focus in order to get better.

Obviously your brain works the same way. Thus in order to stay mentally strong, improve functionality, and stave off Alzheimer’s, continuous crossword puzzles is not the answer. You need to change up the program. Do some crossword puzzles, and then switch to Sudoku’s or other word puzzles. Maybe you could try video games. It might seem very clear, but it was an eye opener for me.

McFlurry - The anti-motivation

2005-12-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had that friend…you know the one I’m talking about? You are trying to stay clean with your diet, to “stay on the wagon” so-to-speak. You are working hard, impressing yourself with you dedication and commitment. Everyday of solid eating is a victory. Then you are eating subway with that friend. He sees the McDonald’s sign, and craves a McFlurry. Then of course he asks you if you want one. Then he tells you that you want one.

These are the tough times. You think you finally have yourself in a rhythm of health. You have conquered your inner cravings and then that friend creates a new craving. These are the tough times. But, you must get through them. Maybe you explain the science behind it to your friend. What you are really doing is further convincing yourself why you don’t want to have a “cheat” meal. Keep the goal in mind. If you need a picture, go to men’s health and see those cover models. With everything we do, we need to keep the end goal in mind. Whether its abs of steel or traps’ that women will swoon for, you need to keep the goal in mind.

There is nothing wrong with not having these goals, but if they are important to you, they need to be incorporated into your life everyday in order to be achieved.

Think About Your Pecs.

2005-11-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

Need more motivation to workout? There are more benefits to exercise than simply the physical.

Let’s think short-term. What are the benefits of an individual workout? Many might argue that it will promote physical fitness. While this is true, I think the more important benefits of the short-term workout are mental.

Working Out as a form of Meditation

One way to utilize the benefits of a workout is meditation. It is described nicely here. Imagine that you are doing some interval training on the stationary bike. You have your I-pod playing inspirational ambience in your ears. You can completely internalize. Your focus is on yourself. The rest of the world fades away into the background until it eventually disappears. Think of the simplicity! You might call it chi, you might call it biology, or it might be simply mental, but with this type of experience, your body is allowed to optimally heal itself and better itself. There is focused blood flow, energy, and a chance for the nervous system to relax.

Working Out as a way to Relieve Stress

Maybe you do it through meditation. You had a stressful day at work. You had an argument with your Significant Other. You can’t seem to stay on top of your fantasy football league! You might meditate away that stress to the point where it doesn’t exist. Another avenue is taking out your aggression or frustrations on the exercises themselves. Imagine you are doing a set of squats. As you get down to parallel, you might pretend that your frustration is underneath your heels. Thus, you can squash those frustrations as you push back to the top. This works threefold. It figuratively reduces the frustration to mush, it drastically decreases your aggression, allowing you to solve any problems with a clear mind, and it even helps you physically by potentially allowing you to “push more weight.”

Life is Epic

2005-11-15T19:26:00.000-08:00

“The first half of life consists of the capacity to enjoy without the chance; the last half consists of the chance without the capacity.” –Mark Twain

Why not prove this wrong. Many people simply focus on getting to retirement so they do not have to work, and so they can enjoy life. However, you might say that, as we age, we cannot do all of the things we would like to do. The causes might be health, or even motivation. This is why we need to plan for a life of retirement, not just a career.

There are two aspects to this:

I. What type of physical condition (capacity) will you be in upon retirement?

Many people have dreams of spending retirement doing wonderful things such as traveling to Europe, going on Safari, whitewater rafting, or even hiking in the Rocky Mountains. These ideas are all valid and likely very rewarding. However, do you think you will be able to live them if you are in poor health? If you have a lack of stamina or brittle joints from years of going home to the solace of your couch and prime time television, then that hike in Denver is bound to be more painful that fun.

Luckily we have a choice. If we begin today and be proactive with our health, we give ourselves the capacity to realize our dreams.

II. What are your passions, and will you be able to pursue them during retirement?

Still other people think they will be satisfied with a chance to relax upon retirement. Their visions are of time spent staying at home, sleeping in late, and enjoying prime time television. However, is that what you truly want? Will that be enough to satisfy you? A wise man known to me as Mahler put it best when he said the following:

“Our journey through life is much like that walk through the orchard. Our goals and ambitions can be like the fruit on a tree. Some of us don’t climb to the top to get to the choicest fruit. Why? We fear that we just can’t make it that high. We worry that we might fall. What if we get hurt? The risk is just too great…So, there are those of us who walk the orchard and never look up. The fruit on the ground has caught our eye. It’s there for the taking and so easy to get to. So what if we have to settle for something that is less than the best. It was so easy to just pick up and eat that it was worth it. Right? It required little effort and is almost as good. Don’t fool yourselves. Sooner or later, while you are leaning back against your tree eating the fruit you picked up, your eyes will spot the guy climbing the next tree, going for the fruit at the top. You will look at the fruit in your hand and suddenly lose your taste for it and perhaps toss it aside. Where are your goals then?”

For some of you, the fruit at the bottom of the tree (read-prime time television) will taste juicy and sweet, but for the rest of you, don’t you wonder what that fruit on top of the tree will taste like?

In essence, we need to plan. What are your active goals? What do you want to be doing with your free time--that after all--you earned?

Increasing Your Odds

2005-11-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

Increasing Your Odds—One penny at a Time

“If time be of all things most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality, since lost time is never found again.” –Benjamin Franklin

prod·i·gal·i·ty
Extravagant wastefulness.
Profuse generosity.
Extreme abundance; lavishness.

A life without direction is one full of prodigality. You can have all of the good intentions in the world, but without goals or plans, you will simply be treading water. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can gain footing and make progress.

At one point or another, we realize that action is needed. The first piece of any action is to have a goal in mind. Why not write it down along with the steps you need to take in order to get there?

I realized at a young age that I didn’t want to work forever. I decided that I should retire early and live. Live. However, I treaded water for 4 years (what prodigality!). I didn’t know how I was going to realize this goal. So finally, I began to put it down in writing. From there, I began to put the pieces together—the steps that I would need to take in order to retire while I was young enough to enjoy it.

Since I have done this, life feels more focused, more fulfilling. I can track my progress, look ahead to where I am going, and look back to where I have been. I know that I will simply put my foot on that next step to proceed, and that I will reach the top of those stairs if I continue.

“This is the only chance you will ever have on earth with this exciting adventure called life. So why not plan it, and try to live it richly, as happily as possible.” –Dale Carnegie