A number of years ago on my original channel, I published my blog post “A Space Oddity.” SEE [HERE].
In doing so, I described the Audi Super Bowl 2016 Commercial which serves as tribute to David Bowie through it’s incorporated use of his song “Starman.”
This ad [RIGHT HERE], perfectly identified my mood at the time … I was spent and had no purpose!
My dream had been to go to work in China. And, I achieved this goal. I became International Sales & Legal Counsel for a huge real estate developer located in China’s most beautiful city – Hangzhou!
But my dream, while far from being a nightmare, WAS – like all jobs – NOT PERFECT!
So, now well over a decade and a half ago, when my contract came up, my Chairman and I both knew that renewal was just not going to happen.
My wife and kids returned to our stateside home of Seattle and we got our eldest enrolled in kindergarten, I foolishly sought to yet work in China. [And on another day, I might share some of the “Laverne and Shirley” chicanery that entailed.]
The fact of the matter was that I came back hope and I had no idea what to do for several months. And then, when I figured out that “hell, I have to do something!” … I opened up my own law firm.
Ladies and gentleman, that’s not something that is easy to do. What’s more, those who do this often will do so only so long as they need to until they find more suitable work.
Well, headstrong as I am … and not wanting to be under anyone’s thumb, I continued to stick it out.
Curious thing about entrepreneurship though, … when you no longer have “a” boss, every single person in your life is a boss.
- First and foremost, All of your clients.
- Of course, opposing counsel attempts to boss you around as much as they can.
- Every once in a while when you actually get into court? The judge? Check!
- Your vendors? Well hell, you don’t have any negotiating power. Yay or nay pal.
- And then there is your family, hey your job is to produce!
And, when you are so incredibly clever as to pick one of the most emotionally hostile. And quite likely the most inane arenas of law – boundary dispute law – well, it just wasn’t pretty!
What kept me going for all of that time though? PURPOSE!
My purpose is to help people to come to peace with themselves and their neighbors.
Now that is a lot different than my vision though.
VISION, for me, was to democratize the law and promote peace by visually depicting the law.
Now, that’s heady stuff, and I am not going to go into the details of it here … unless you want me to? No, just kidding!
The fact of the matter is that my purpose and vision are what sustained me in my absolute hell.
And hell it was! I got to the point that I needed to go to 3 different church services on Sunday to raise my spirits enough to go back to the trenches on Monday mourn. (yeah, you got the pun!)
Finally, it became too much and one night I finally had enough and pulled my office apart and out of its tenancy and returned home … totally dejected!
What did this do?
Well, it helped me start to get out from under a purpose which was auguring me further and further into hell.
But, that just meant that I was without any purpose … complete and absolute nihilishm!
Folks, I do not recommend it. If suicidal ideation had been part of my life previously, it certainly was not gone now!
Mentor Bob Proctor identifies well (though without reference to biblical chapter and verse) the notion … ‘Without a Vision, the People will Perish!”
So, and here we must resurrect the spirt of Chris Farley’s Matt Foley …
“For the love of God …” get in touch with your Purpose and get clear on your Vision.
My friends, if you don’t have this … you are not being Wise!
Photo Credit: Molly Hashimoto [a Wise Owl] from “Winter Birds: A Holiday Card Assortment.” I just posted this one down to the Napoleon Hill Institute’s resident, rocket scientist Gary Glass.
He just started the Pacific Coast’s 5:30 AM Self-Confidence Boot Camp this morning. Ground control: “WE HAVE LIFT OFF!”
Contact me if you want to also be part of the “PAYLOAD!”
Cheers! BZ/JUSTICE SMILES, pllc