Tag: life

Chasing money

What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?
What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? – Mark 8:36

As a competitive, ambitious, frugal, investor-minded individual who comes from humble beginnings, this graphic speaks to me.

The competitive side of me wants to be in the top 1% of everything I do (including financial-related goals).

The ambitious side of me wants to prove to myself, my family and friends, my acquaintances, etc. that I can do anything I set my mind to.

The frugal side of me wants to have the financial security money can bring.

The investor side of me hates waste and focuses on being as efficient as possible (like investing in assets and having my money work for me).

But when I think about what’s really important in life and what brings me the most joy, it’s not money…

I’m happiest when I’m hanging out with family – whether that’s at home, going on mini adventures to the zoo, watching our kids hang out with their cousins/aunts/uncles/grandparents, or going on our yearly trips to Mohican, Hocking Hills, or the beach.

I’m happiest when I’m working out and competing with friends at the gym (whether or not they know I’m competing with them is up for debate).

I’m happiest seeing friends and playing board games with them for game night or going out and grabbing something to eat.

I’m happiest finding people homes to live in or to invest in and negotiating the best terms for them.

And when I think about all that makes me happy, I realize that I don’t need to always be chasing 💸…life is easier with money, to be sure. But as long as I’m keeping things in perspective and still able to enjoy life while pursuing money, that will be enough for me.

Don’t lose your family, friends, or health chasing money. Because in the end, what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

How to succeed when dreaming BIG

Anything is possible. You just have to set your mind to it and avoid distractions. What is the most important thing that I need to accomplish today? What actions do I need to take to accomplish that? What resources do I need to accomplish that? If I’m unable to accomplish it on my own, who do I need to connect with to help?

Once you figure all of those questions out, go out and do the one thing. But don’t get complacent afterwards…instead, figure out what the next most important thing for you to do is and start the process all over again.

The universe rewards action. It’s not what you know, it’s what you do. Who cares if you have the knowledge but don’t do anything with it?

Dream big. Don’t dream for just an above average or realistic goal. What would your best life look like? Why not try to accomplish that instead?

Think about these things everyday

Think about these things everyday.

1. Have I made strides towards my goals today? Did I help or hurt myself physically, mentally, spiritually, relationally, vocationally, and financially?

2. After my encounters with others, do I generally make them feel better about themselves?

3. Did I live with integrity today? Did I do the right things, say the right things, and act according to my values?

Leadership and making mistakes…

Give people permission to make mistakes and the obligation to learn from them. ​
Give people permission to make mistakes and the obligation to learn from them.

We all make mistakes – always have and always will. Think back to a time when you were young and impressionable, when you were inexperienced at something…when you wade a mistake, did your teacher/mentor/parent berate you for making a mistake? If they did (and you consistently received this negative feedback), you may still carry some of that baggage with you today. You might be too scared to take any chances at all, for fear of “messing up.” But if you never try anything new because you might make a mistake, you’ll severely limit your growth. You are capable of so much, but you will often have to try and fail many things before building off of those experiences.

If you’re in a position of “power,” whether that’s being an employer, boss, manager, parent, mentor, role model, teacher, coach, etc., make sure you let those around you know that it’s ok to make mistakes! They shouldn’t be happy that they made a mistake and should always try to learn and grow from their mistakes, but despite their best intentions, sometimes they still will slip up. (We all do.)

Make sure you’re creating an environment that knows people have permission to make mistakes, but the obligation to learn from them.