Be Brave Not Safe

It is now time to go on summer break. The 3rd annual…

During the prior 2 years this break ran from July through August, until I was pulled “out-of-the-woods” to attend to a new client project.

This year’s break has officially begun!

And, what is best: there is no required return-to-work date 🙂

Why am I writing about this? NOT to brag, I promise!

The goal is to reinforce, and provide a concrete example of, what can happen when one sets goals, focuses on these (for years), works hard and smart, continuously invests in oneself (thru ongoing training and education), saves, saves, saves and maintains a balance. On doing so, freedom and flexibility “can be” the outcome! And, this can happen well before retirement age: I just turned 51. Still just a youngster 🙂

Many years ago I heard similar “tales” of people who were NOT of retirement age but were able to work only part-time or go into early retirement. It seemed like such a long ways off. Maybe even impossible…

Again, quoting a pioneer in the field of personal development (Earl Nightingale), who says:

Don’t worry about the time that will pass to achieve your goals. The time will pass anyway.

How true!

We can literally be, do, have ANYTHING (maybe not EVERYTHING) we want, if we simply go for it. And, NEVER give up!

If I were on my death-bed and was asked: “What is the one piece of advice that you’d give someone at any point in their life?” My response would be quick and simple.

Listen to the audio program: Lead the Field, by Earl Nightingale several times EVERY year. If you do this, and apply what you learn, you can achieve the life of YOUR dreams.

The program is well balanced as it covers many aspects of personal and professional life!

When I first began listening to this and similar programs (in my mid-20’s) I often thought: “What difference is this really making? Am I wasting my time and money?”

I can now look back and clearly acknowledge the fact that this one activity is the primary catalyst which catapulted me…

From being a long-haired, glassy-eyed, data-entry clerk, who only wanted to be left alone in his cubical, totally afraid of getting up in front of a group of people to speak, over his head in debt, with a failed first marriage (we were way too young, party animals), who kept getting himself into various forms of trouble.

To being a father of 4 fully-enabled young men (ages 18 to 25), husband of 26 years to an awesome woman, self-employed, debt-free, with the flexibility to do what I want, where, when and with whom I want to do it 🙂

I can’t say it was easy. But, it was simple (not rocket science)…

I just did the work and made some choices that have provided flexibility. The flexibility to release the ball and chain.

You can too – if you decide.

How, you might ask?

If you haven’t already done so, acquire and then listen to the audio program: Lead the Field, by Earl Nightingale several times EVERY year. Simply click on the title above and you will be transported to Amazon.com…

And, while you are awaiting delivery of the program feel free to scour this blog for tons of information that builds on what I’ve learned from this and many other programs, as well as through personal experience.

So, what is on the docket for this summer? We begin with our first trip into-the-woods, on Monday, as we return to Mooselookmeguntic Lake, which we found and visited 3 times last summer. Hopefully, I’ll catch the prized trout this year before my wife…

We’ll see what unfolds from there 🙂

All the best! And, stay tuned…