This is going to be a difficult yet at the same time exciting post to write as I am laying the cards on the table. 2009 has been one of the most difficult and challenging ones in my life. I have experienced marital separation, a financial burden that at the present seems insurmountable to the point I am struggling with the thoughts of bankruptcy and legal issues I could have never imagined. Yesterday I felt like I was walking in the shoes of George Bailey in the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. You might think a lot of my recent troubles have been brought on my the current economic crisis but that is not that case. I could attribute them to personal fears, unfocused thinking or rather thinking to big but it’s no time to second guess myself. It’s time to realize that life has it’s bumps and challenges and I need to tap the same energy and drive I had that made me stick with it to earn the rank of Eagle Scout when I was a Boy Scout, the first in my immediate family to go to and finish college, the man who taught himself technical skills from photography, Photoshop, Illustrator, podcasting, web design, video production as well as computer repair and networking.
The morning I was very inspired by a fellow local business man and friend, Kamran Popkin who published a blog post this morning called, What’s in a Title? Kamran recently started his own business, Swag Club, Kamran sells but most importantly advises his clients on the best promotional products for their business. I first meet Kamran a while back as one of the first people who told me he was an avid reader of this blog and he has been there since to listen over lunch and to share ideas and thoughts with fellow business people at some of the local business networking events, GSATC to name one and one I am actively involved with working thanks to another great encourager, Phil Yanov. I could write more about how I was inspired by the above blog post but instead I encourage to read it for yourself and also read what fellow bloggers, Olivier Blanchard and Jim O’Donnell had to say.
I was inspired and reminded of my inner strengths and what I am passionate about in my work. I’m going to seriously think about what I read on the three links blog posts above and how I can take better charge of my skills, business and life direction in 2010. What are your thoughts?
Filed under: branding, Innovation, Upstate,SC Tagged: | branding, Innovation
Bro, I know EXACTLY where you are. With 3 kids, 2.75 dogs, and one duchess, I quit a ‘job’ working for ‘the man’ and was scared absolutely shitless. And also scared into action, some of which have seriously paid off, others not so much.
In this time of Christmas reflection, I challenge you to hear the same advice I heard from one of my mentors on this trip. He said, roughly, ‘there are no debtor’s prisons anymore, go for it!’
Figure out what you want to do to change this broken world, find your tribe, and go make it better. You can do it! Don’t let any past losses hold you back- learn from them. Do you know how many darn setbacks Abe Lincoln had? Fool just kept on, and he changed our world.
Like you will.