[It hasnt always been awesome... but its all been worth it] I am so grateful for my life right now, my growing companies, and my higher purpose path - and even more so for my incredible relationships, all the love and support and mentorship and camaraderie. I’ve had some people tell me something along the lines of ‘I wish I had your life’ and also share their challenges with me, personal and entrepreneurial. I’ve had others tell me I’m lucky. Thank you - I am *very* fortunate and grateful, but before you talk about “luck” in the traditional sense of the word, let’s talk about what you haven’t seen... Most people have not seen… - When I was using credit cards for payroll, not knowing if my bank account would overdraft that week. Going 5 figures in debt *while running what was supposed to be a successful company* … having no one to talk to, embarrassed to tell a mentor or a friend, scared to let an employee find out. - When all my friends and family didn’t believe in me and tried hard to talk me out of my delusional dreams of financial and personal freedom, especially when I first started on this path. - When my professors, who I respected greatly, told me to drop my dreams and aim for a decent job - When I have been stressed to tears because employees personally betrayed me and took advantage of my kind heart and trust - When I poured thousands of dollars into hopeless dreams that would never work, but were a part of the growing experience - When I spent my college days studying personal development and business instead of partying or “having the college experience” - When I started waking up at 7am each morning immediately after graduation to work on my dreams - When months before graduation, I was secretly looking at job offers on Craigslist, feeling so unsure of my future - When I did anything to convince myself and justify my continued actions and investment in myself even though I was more and more broke each month - When I had to start consciously cutting relationships with the people closest to me in my life, accepting their life choices were bringing me down. - When I’ve paid my staff way more than I pay myself (oh, that still happens - but they deserve it!) - When my boss, and others who wanted to ‘control’ me at the time, told me that I was a quitter and wouldn’t amount to anything - When I had to battle self-doubt and ego every day just to keep on what seemed to be a blind path of the vision for my life - When, after I was somewhat ‘successful’ I crawled under my sheets many times, head in my hands, not knowing what to do about all the challenges and stress in my life and business (thank you Ally for dealing with me and supporting me through such times) - When I’ve berated myself, more than anyone else could, for greatly underserving my purpose and potential with my daily actions. Before I learned to fully love myself, when I used self-hate as a primary source of motivation for achievement. - When I started pursuing a greater purpose instead of just working to make money, and all the pain, growth, and transformation that came with that path, a path that still doesn’t really ‘make me money’ in a direct way. The leap of faith I make everyday in pursuing my expanding vision for the world, believing that the abundance I create for the world will come back to me tenfold - and being willing to go for broke if it doesn’t. And that’s just a small taste of the last several years and college… not counting immigration, growing up fatherless, severe bullying, exclusion, attempted suicides, depression, gang violence, and so much more in my childhood and teenage years - which is all for another story. These are just small pieces… and don’t get me wrong, this is no sob story. Many people far more successful have had to overcome much greater obstacles, whether internally or externally, but it’s a part of my story. Just as much a part as the magical and inspiring pieces. Yes, I am extremely grateful. Yes, I have been extremely fortunate. Yes, I have incredible people who have pulled me up, pushed me forward, and love me deeply and support me. But like anyone, I’ve had, and still have, challenges, obstacles, limitations - and it’s how I deal with them that writes my story. It’s how I’ve dealt with my past that has brought me to the magical life I get to live now, and it’s how I deal with today’s challenges that will bring me the life I’ll live tomorrow. If you want something in life, go after it. Let go of your excuses. They’re too easy to find, and they NEVER define you. Believe. Persevere. If you’ve made mistakes, make better choices today. Rewrite your mistakes into lessons. If you’re lost now, and don’t know what to do, DO SOMETHING in the direction of your dreams. If you’ve given up, pick back up. If they don’t believe in you, believe in yourself. I believe in you - and if you think I don’t, prove me wrong. [Day 24 - skipped a couple of days, back on track now]
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 23:43:24 +0000
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