He had to be in his late fifties, he was reasonably well kept, dressed in the company provided uniform and he wouldn’t have looked out of place in many different service companies. He had greying hair, a full beard with some of its original reddish orange color peaking out amidst the grey.
Most importantly, he wasn’t happy. He didn’t smile, he didn’t laugh, and he obviously just did his job. He was also probably very good at it; it appeared he had been doing it for a while, so this is really an assumption on my behalf. The striking part of any of this is how common place it is and how it’s just part of our normal day to see people like this. Perhaps you have seen him every day and didn’t even notice anymore? Maybe you work with him, or worse yet, you are this individual?
Think about how often we meet or see people in various jobs working away just because it pays the next mortgage payment, next car payment or perhaps more commonly the next rent to own payment for the big screen TV? What happened to their dreams, their goals, and their aspirations? Or worse yet, what if they never had any and this is all that they know?
Goal setting and dream achievement isn’t exactly given high priority in school, it’s all about get good grades, get a good job, start a career. But what if you hate your job, or just don’t enjoy yourself? Welcome to the trap of the rat race.
This is kind of a personal retrospective right now as Karen and I are both trying to refresh our dreams, our life goals, our “Belize” to quote Don Campbell. Karen’s doing great as she has several goals and aspirations that have just exploded into her vision of what she wants to do, where she wants us to be and is busy working on how we will get there.
Me however, I’m struggling. It seems like I have lost some of the clarity I used to have. Don’t worry, I’m not the grumpy old man working behind a counter yet, I can work anywhere!! If you are reading along and this is really hitting home perhaps you need to work on your clarity and goals as well.
I know I am on to something as I have just been reminded for the third time in the last month how important it is to have some type of plan for your life. Twice in books, once in a podcast, and all from successful people, hmmm maybe its true success leaves tracks!
What are your thoughts do you have a purpose you are striving to fulfill? Do you have a “Belize” you are working towards as an end goal? Or are you just working for the weekend? I’d love to hear what some of you think about this. If you want to leave a comment great, but even an email to me would be wonderful.
Just don’t tell me you were that grumpy older gentleman, or I will be left with the impression these posts aren’t helping anyone!
Great topic Bill. You definately struck a nerve for me. My only saving grace is I seem to transition between careers quite easily but don’t seem to stay long. I am possibly embarking on another…Funeral Director. Maybe this will be the one!
The difference for me is I have worked a high stress job and I am definately enjoying the freedom I have now. I feel like I am established as far as my home and my awesome wife Sylvia. Money is not abundant but I get by. Lifestyle seems to outway the big money at this point.
Who knows what the future will bring.
Hey Dave,
Sometimes we have to be reminded of what we have going on in our lives. I’ve already had a few people comment in a similar vein. As for what the future can bring, that is where having a goal so you know where you are heading comes into play!
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I need to have some ideas on how to make new goals now that my life has changed significantly………………….. help is always appreciated.. as are ideas…
Many thanks for the opportunity to vent…. always good reading Bill…..
Hey Bill,
Up and Down Mood Swings and Motivation have been the story of my life for the past year and a half for sure as I kept the ship afloat in 2009 without having to get a part or full-time job so overall it was a huge success and I learned so much with having to go through the headaches of evictions and the RTDRS process that I know will save me hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of dollars in other areas of my life and business down the road.
After returning from a much needed and almost forced vacation to the Dominican Republic (thank you my love) … I’m starting to feel more clarity and that the world is not caving in on me but rather starting to open up and I have new Real Estate strategies that I would love to put in to play that would increase my current portfolio’s performance but also allow me to grow my portfolio with less worry of over-extending myself while also getting away from the “landlording” parts of it but am struggling to push off myself and get started … I just don’t feel like doing it alone.
I have a great support network around me so I am not completely alone but I dream of having a co-captain to bounce my ideas off of and be my checks and balances and work on these strategies together.
I’ve moved to Edmonton after finding an amazing woman to share my life with and realizing life is too short and to enjoy it and have balance so hopefully my dream will realize itself in time but most important I know who my true friend and family are now and at the end of the day, if I still have them no matter what … that’s all that really matters.
This morning is moment of clarity … this afternoon or tomorrow may be a different story … I still have my mood swings and grumpy moments but they are becoming less and less, especially now that the favourable weather and my sports car are out.
I Love Real Estate and the Freedom it provides me.
Trevor Adams
I’m reading a fantastic book right now called “Mastering Life’s ENERGIES – Simple Steps to a Luminous Life at Work and Play” by Maria Nemeth (Also the author of “The Energy of Money”) that provides clear, concise and simple action steps and exercises that are helping me ground and organize my thoughts and feeling to make the things I currently feel are “work” to me more like “Games Worth Playing and Goals Worth Playing For”.
This is the “personal growth” book I’ve been looking for that allows me to work on this on my own, on my own terms and focus 100% on me … I’d highly recommend it to anyone!