However long and hard the road my be.


In May 1940 Winston Churchill went before the House of Commons in the mist of a Nazi invasion and war and said "...You ask, What is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory-victory at all cost, victory in spite of all the terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be."

This should be the aim we all have in business and in life. Now victory can mean different things to different people. Some may see victory as have money and lots of it, some may see victory as simply getting there degree, and others see victory as providing for there family. I am of the latter, my personal victory when all is said and done is to be there for my family, to give them all I can.

As I have gone down my path in life, the one constant is at times the road gets a bit rough and times can be hard. In those moments you may think giving up my be the easiest thing and provide rest. The truth is if you give up you will be in the same place that you wanted out of, and things won't be any easier they will just be a different type of hard. The best thing to do is dig deep and move forward, at some point you will reach the summit. Trust in yourself and most importantly trust in God, and you will get there.

Win/Win

This is a concept from the book 7 Habits of Highly effective people. By Stephen R. Covey.
This concept is one I think would be the most beneficial in our personal life, business life, and even in the nation. must people selfishly think "How will I benefit from this move." With out any regard to those around them or there thoughts. I once knew a manger who wouldn't let one of his employees move up in the company, simply because this employee was doing a good job, and if he moved up it would hurt the mangers department and maybe he would't look as good. This is not a win/win.

It takes great integrity on both sides to have a true Win/Win concept work in business. Why handicap your success by keeping it all for yourself? This doesn't make sense. I think the mane reason this practice is slim out there in the world, is most people don't want that kind of accountability, and courage is a factor that scares even the biggest employer.

So what to do about this? Simple stand tall be the one to have the win/win attitude, and bring others with the same mentally along for the ride. Together you can have more than just have success.

"The height of a man's success is gauged by his self - mastery; the depth of his failure by his self - abandonment." - Da Vinci

When I think about the different paths in life, and what can make a person successful, I think of the path of self - mastery as the most important of them all. Each one of us have moral agency, we are agents unto ourselves, and have the ability to act and not be acted upon. When someone says I couldn't help my self, I think, do you know what your saying? If this is true than no one is truly free. It's like when someone says they fell out of love, as if love is not a choice and being in love has no barring on the people involved it just kinda happens.

This is in it's self false and a bit foolish. Each of us everyday have the ability to choose right or wrong, good or bad. Ultimately it is up to us. When I look at myself as I choose my path in business, I have some rules and standers I will not break and always follow. If I choose to break these rules, I can not say this is how the business world is I didn't have a choice. I will always have a choice. My success in life will be in who I am and what I have become,

What truly matters most on your journey.....

I want to focus on what matters most this week. I think when most people look at there life after collage, and as they start up a business, the money, and personal achievement is at the forefront of everyone's mind. wanting to be successful isn't a bad desire, but I think we need to keep a little better perspective. I was watching a video this week and there were different age groups questioned. The age group over 60 was asked about things that matter in business and life. I will periphrases what was said, because I don't remember the exact quot, but it was something like, what did I do that mattered, did i make a different, and who did I love, and who loved me.

This is some profound thinking. When we are young our thoughts are not to the end of life and what matters most. It is the now, but now is only a short time and then it is the past. No one wants to look back with regrets and realize they could have been more, or could have done more. When I deiced to go back to school it had nothing to do with getting a better paying job, but everything to do with being a better husband and father. Education and my degree will give me the freedom to be there for my family and that is what I believe truly matters most.