Today I turn forty-six (and still feel 26). Following are some unplugged thoughts I had this morning. Warning this post is probably rated like PG-13. I decided to cuss a little like I do in real life.
1. I want world peace (no really I do). On my birthday even I get to be idealistic. I spend the other 364 days a year being an optimistic realist. I vow to spend today dreaming big dreams. Dreams so big I am sure (at this moment) they can’t be obtained. You know why? Because what the mind of man can conceive he can go onto achieve.
Let’s stick with that world peace theme for a few more sentences. Why the hell can’t we all get along? I’m a Jew and “my people” have endured horrific treatment at the hands of others not for decades or centuries but for millenia. Yet, I am able to sit down with people of every possible race religion and political belief and get along with them as people. So, how about we try remembering that on the other side of the issue are people. Living breathing people just like you and me. Oh, and here’s a little gem for you – treat them the way you want to be treated.
2. Let it go. Whatever is holding you back, just let it go. Get the ____ (rhymes with firetruck) over yourself. Someday I’ll share in great detail the hole I had to crawl out of over the last two years to be the man I am today. The hole that I dug and put myself in. I blame no one. Not even myself. As my very good friend Keven Kocher had to remind me often last Summer, “Jim, put the baseball bat down, you’re all done beating yourself up time to start growing.” I’ll never forget that phrase and I remind myself of it often. All happiness starts with forgiveness and forgiving yourself really is the hardest part.
3. Just Do It! Life’s too damn short to sit back and wonder. Take a few chances. Put yourself out there. Hell ya, you are going to get hurt sometimes. You are going to fall down, you are going to fail. At the end of all of it you will look back and say ya, but I lived. Mixed in with all the hurt and failure (life’s lessons) will be a few successes to expand upon and make your life richer.
4. Be minimalist. Know why I didn’t buy an iPad day one (besides it not really being in the budget)? Because I don’t need more shit in my life I need less. Simplify, reduce, reuse (oh good God I sound like a liberal) and travel light. It’s a lesson I learned from all the travel I do. You have to keep track of each and every item you bring along so the less you bring the less to keep track of and lose. If you stop and think about it, the same applies to life.
5. My secret to success. Written on the first page of my Moleskine “Planning Book” is this: Each Day; 1. Read; 2. Write; 3. Tweet;, 4. Communicate with customers; 5. Sell something. There’s more detail than that and yes number 3 really is Tweet. Twitter and the interaction that occurs there has changed my life. Like all things Twitter is what YOU choose to make it. Want drama? There is plenty there (I filter it out). Want happy upbeat inspirational people? Tons, I’m telling you tons of them with more love in their hearts than you can imagine.
I’ll finish with a quote from Thomas Jefferson whom I share this Birthday with.
“Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not, then, an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men, setting out in life, it is their only capital.”
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/good-karma/652486713/
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Happy Birthday Jim!!!
And I personally really love your point #3 – Just do it! So good to remember that at some point we have to get out there and just do it – and when it doesn't work out as planned – that's okay too – it's all taking us one step closer toward a deeper understanding of ourselves and toward the success that is out there!
Lance, Thanks for the birthday wishes, stopping by and taking the time to comment! Comments like yours make all the writing feel even more valuable.-Jim
Happy Birthday Jim Raffel of JimRaffel.com! (I never get tired of saying that). I love that you have “Tweet” on your to-do list. It changed my life too, so it's written on my 'moleskin in my mind' if you will. Thanks for the reminder to 'let it go', be minimalist, and also to be positive. There is drama everywhere, and tuning it out is good for us. Great post, I love the stream of consciousness style writing (thought you still organized it well!).
I love the way it sounds too Anne, so please never stop saying it! glad you found the post useful and thanks for the 'stream of consciousness style of writing' phrase. I needed that to understand why posts like this are so much easier to write. I've changed my site tag line and may be writing like this more often (minus the cussing that's a once a year thing).
I read this blog today: http://tiny.cc/vq0c2 and point three reminded me of you. Be true to you and everything else falls in place. You echo this point: Read to improve yourself because renewing yourself is a important habit. On your birthday, be proud that you have inspired others (me).
Hey Sherman – Penelope Trunk is one of the bloggers I love to hate and also try to learn from all at the same time. The third point of that post was a good one. Thanks for sharing my friend.-Jim