Monthly Archives: September 2013

An important meeting tomorrow and another Quest

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Tomorrow, I have an important meeting – a 3rd interview with a firm I approached about working together.  The first two meetings were conducted over the phone, but this one will be face-to-face.  I’m looking forward to it.

Every interview is a vetting process whereby both parties evaluate the other for fit and probability of success.  My previous two meetings gave me a good feeling about those two criteria.  Tomorrow, I’ll get to ask about what it’s like to work for and with this company, and why I should give my time to them.  After all, for many of us, we sell our time – our life – to the companies for whom we work.  They will have an equal opportunity to make the same judgement call about me.

I’m viewing this as a small Quest.  No dragons to slay.  This is really about making sure I don’t create a dragon today that I’ll have to deal with in the future.

Today I was someone else’s Hero

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The more I learn about life and myself through this process, the more I realize that small moments in time are the stuff of life.  Yes, big events and changes are, too.  But, most lives, I think, are made of small moments and they are what add meaning to our lives.

Today was a case in point.  I was my wife’s Hero today, and it was for a small job that I completed around the house.  I fixed up our back deck.  It has been in need of repair for a while, but this weekend I completed the job – 100% from start to finish.

It truly was not a grand adventure, nor was it a life-changing task.  But, I’ve been thanked numerous times for doing this job and finishing it, too.  I did the job in service to my wife, and that’s heroic, too.

Small moments are the stuff of life.  Now, where’s that job list?

Personal observations gained from writing about, and living, Myth Hope and Life

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I have been writing about Myth, Hope and Life for more than 45 consecutive days.  The experience has been humbling to say the least.  I’ve noticed changes in my thinking, my behaviour and I’ve seen life patterns start to emerge.  By no means do I believe that I’ve arrived as an enlightened, fully engaged hero of my own life.  However, signals or nuances are playing out in my life, and I’d like to share them with you now.

There are some things I’ve learned about myself, and others that I’m starting to perceive; the nuances I mentioned above.  Over the past few days, I’ve pulled together a list of changes.  I’ve summarized them here in the hopes that they will continue to help me focus on becoming all I can be, and to also, hopefully, offer some useful info to other heroes seeking to find their way in the world.

Continue reading →

A mini-quest and a chance to re-connect

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I know I was going to write about what I’ve learned thus far from writing about Myth, Hope and Life.  However, I want to first write about a spontaneous chance to go on a mini-quest and to re-connect with my daughter.

My wife was out tonight, and that left my daughter and I as free agents.  Once our daughter returned home from a hang-out with friends, the adventure began.  Well, an adventure for us, even if it does not look like a grand adventure here!

At 10 pm, we set out in search of ice cream, and eventually found a shop that was open and could help.  Along the way, we played a mobile app called Akinator, which asks you to select a person – famous or not – and it asks a series of questions in an attempt to guess their name or connection to you, if personal.

Then, we went home and watched episodes of Modern Family till mid-night, and had a ball.

As you can imagine, when you have a teenager, they have very little time for their parents.  At that age, it’s all about friends, school, and for us, drama!

But, tonight, we hung out, and laughed, and talked.  The best night ever!  A return to an old Friday-night ritual that we had lost for a couple years.

Sometimes the quest before us seems like just another day.  However, those mini-quests can make all the difference, for the moments they deliver.  I’m a grateful man tonight.

And, another step

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Today, I had a critical interview with a firm that has a position within my field of expertise – sales.  It went well, and at the end of the call, we both decided that we wanted to move to next steps.  Next week, I’ll do two more telephone interviews and one face-to-face meeting for this opportunity.  They are keen to ensure a good fit, as am I.

The step I took today was to approach the call as a dual interview.  The first half was focused on their questions for me.  The second half was me asking a lot of focused questions about what it’s like to work at this firm.  I was equally interested in culture, and fit, and wanted to ensure I had a good feel for the nature of the relationship I would have, if I joined.

I obviously have to earn a living, but now I’m as interested in knowing I’ll enjoy the experience, and also that there’s alignment with my goals, and passions, too.

That’s a key learning for me, and I think it has been affected by my efforts on this blog.  In fact, tomorrow I’ll write about the personal insights I’ve gained, up to this point, from writing this blog every day for the past 44 days.

This is a process, but I’m already excited to share some small & large learnings.

Another step forward

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Today, I took another step forward, and cast a wider net in my search for my next excellent opportunity.

I stepped outside of my comfort zone, and identified a couple firms that are not currently seeking to add to their teams in my area of expertise.  I reached out to them, and suggested a quick chat in order to determine if there were possibilities we could pursue.

My intent is to determine if I can structure a working relationship that goes beyond the usual employer / employee relationship.  I’m seeking something more entrepreneurial, and I’m willing to share risks and rewards equally with them.

So, I took a step forward to the Call today.  Let’s see where it takes me over the coming weeks.

I took at step forward today

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Yesterday, I mentioned that I would take a step today – any step – in the direction of my passion and dreams.

It was a small step, but it helped.  I found a company that is doing great work helping entrepreneurs to leverage their results from their business.  My small step was to evaluate them, and formulate my contact plan.  I now have that ready to go.

The end result of this step was that I settled into a calm in which I knew all would work out.  I knew that the path I’m currently on was the right path.  It fits.

Action is the key, when not knowing what to do.  I still feel empowered – an after-effect from that small action taken many hours ago.

Still here …

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Well, I got through the day, yet do not have any more clarity than I had yesterday.

However, I’m not giving up just because I don’t know how to proceed.

The dragon is still there and the quest is still calling.

So, I’m still here, but not sure where to go.  Tomorrow, I’ll take a step forward – in any direction as I’m sure that’s more useful than doing nothing at all.

Let’s see where that takes me.

Standing at the crossroads

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I’m standing at the crossroads these days – today – now.  The quest is calling to me, and I’ve verbally said: “Yes”.  But, I don’t know where to go with it.

I feel the need – a deep desire even – to find an opportunity, that to use terminology from my sister, keeps me away from “the dark side”.  The dark side is what I know.  It is comfortable.  I will not say it’s easy.  It gave me heart disease, and two stents.

But, it’s what I know.  However, I also know it’s not where my passion lies.

The dark side allows me to solve a financial problem I have today.  And, I may have to take that path for a few years, until I figure out – somehow – where my light side is located.

Writing this feels like a total cop out, and it is, I know.

I have to find the strength to keep moving along the path to the light side.  It’s time for this hero to be brave.  The dragon is breathing down on me.  I can feel its fire on my body.

The decision is to be my own hero, or become a serf in someone else’s story.

I want to say that I’ve decided to be a hero, but I’m at the crossroads, and feel a strong pull to turn and run away.  The dragon is winning … tonight, it’s winning.

One step forward, two back

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Today was a challenging day for me. I felt that I made little progress, and it was quite disappointing.

However, as so often happens, a new tool arrived to help me. A book called: “The Art of Non-Conformity“, by Chris Guillebeau.

It promises to help me, and I quote: “Set your own rules, live the life you want and change the world”.

On a day where it feels like I went back, and not forward, I’m grateful for his insight.

I’ve struggled with having the courage to live life on my terms. I’m hopeful this book, and the ideas found within will help show me the way.