EP46: How Far Can I Go?

Have you asked yourself this question?

“How far can I go?”

Isn't that an interesting question?

It was one Dan Sullivan pondered, at age 11, while walking along a field stepping on corn stalks underfoot in northern Ohio, during the 1950s.

I grew up in central Indiana myself. I was born in 1959 and lived there until 1978.

I can remember, what felt like a miserable existence at the time (to me). Jobs there were hard to come by in the small community of Cloverdale Indiana where I lived.

So at the young age of 17, I decided to escape the world I occupied. [How many of you would like to do that from time to time?]

I dared to wonder how far I could go.

So, before turning 19, I enlisted in the US Navy. I was accepted into a six-year commitment that would train me in Advanced Electronics, and accelerate promotion in the military.

I was told that I could be anything I wanted and pursue any military career, with one exception. I could not enter the Nuclear field. Which was fine for me. REALLY, who needs to glow? [Seriously, those guys wear radiation detectors (TLD Monitors) 24/7.]

I was excited to start my new life.

Yes, I knew I was leaving behind everything and everyone.

It was exciting and scary at the same time.

I had only lived in Indiana my entire life, with exception of a 6-month short stint in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a kid.

So being transported from Indiana to Illinois, for boot camp and then my first electronics school, was beyond my wildest imagination. Then, later, off to California for another advanced electronics school.

This was the path I chose for myself.

It was my way out.

or, so I thought!

Dan Sullivan was asked at a crucial point in his life a powerful question.

One you may need to consider one day yourself.

He was struggling at doing something that he felt was too difficult. So he sat down, too tired to go on, thinking he could not continue.

Here comes the question.

“Is this where you stop?” he was unsure how to answer and said, “What do you mean?” The person replied, “Everybody stops somewhere”.

“Is this where YOU stop?”

Was that decision, I made at age 17, the right decision?

Would it be the one decision that would control the entire course of my life?

Will there be other decisions I would need to make?

All valid questions!

We all at some point in our lives make choices that will impact our lives for a long time.

Some of these choices are made hastily and some without a moment’s thought.

Other time’s we ponder and struggle over the decision. We treat it as if our life depends on it.

Right now every man, woman, and child is where they are in life because they have walked along a certain path. Some paths are of our choosing, some because we are reacting to extenuating circumstances.

And other paths were forced upon us.

No matter what brought us individually to the place we are presently at, we still have choices to make.

Two choices to be exact:

Number one

How far can I go?

Number two

Is this where I stop?

Depending on the answers we CHOOSE to make, will determine our future course.

Sometimes life can seem quite messy, and the decisions we must make appear to be difficult.

But the truth is this, we already know the answer to what we want.

We have already made the decision.

It is written upon our hearts.

So…

I cannot tell you what choice to make.

That has always been for you to decide.

Sure, there is always someone that will tell you what to do; wishing they could decide for you, bend your will, to take you down their path.

Likely, if you are married, you have had to concede to another person’s will a time or two.

I’m not talking about that kind of decision here.

We are discussing something different.

Something internal.

Something personal to each individual.

Decisions that belong to you alone.

Decisions that should NEVER be manipulated, coerced, belittled, or neglected.

For me…

I choose to see how far I can go.

Specifically, I choose to see how well I can help others.

Not in all things.

But in a specific thing.

Today it involves online marketing.

Tomorrow it may use another “tool”, to accomplish my goal of helping people live their life on their terms.

For me, living a life on your terms is more than just securing independent income from an internet-based business.

Living YOUR life on YOUR terms, allows YOU to have real freedom, to enjoy YOUR life now, not tomorrow.

It gives you the freedom to live where you want to live, vacation when and where you want, and the wealth that allows you to be free from the worry, of having too much or too little money.

Living your life on your terms begins with a choice.

You must choose to separate yourself from limiting thoughts. You must decide to be better today than you were yesterday.

I know this sounds like a difficult thing.

But is it really?

Is living on your own terms, beyond your reach?

ONLY if you believe it is!

Because belief is the key to accomplishing ALL things simple and hard.

You must believe in yourself. You must believe you can make good and sound choices.

You must believe you can choose the correct path that will deliver the life you choose to live.

Everything we do…

Everything…

Is the result of decisions we have made.

Choosing NOT to decide, is a choice too.

Of all the millions, and billions of people alive today, we ALL have to make our own choices and decisions in this life we live.

To believe otherwise is a choice to live someone else’s life. One made for you.

Too many times, you and I, have allowed other people to bend our will and force us to live a life we never wanted, never intended to live.

Today…

…decide to…

Choose

To

Live

Your

Life

On

Your

Own

Terms

It starts with a decision.

Have you made your choice?

I believe you have!

It ALL begins with the story you tell yourself.

For sure, your story is different than mine.

The struggles you encounter daily are not the same as mine.

Of course, we probably do have similar challenges we ALL face as humans, but the ones that direct the path we are on will be personal to you and me, individually.

No matter where you are on that path, ask yourself, “how far can I go?”

And while answering that question, don't forget the other question. “Is this where I stop?”

Do whatever you can to prevent THINGS around you from forcing you to stop prematurely.

Don't let the world around you, including people, stop you from achieving YOUR dream.

Enjoy the journey.

Grow into the person you see yourself becoming.

Accept the challenges that will surface from time to time.

Do not let them be stumbling blocks.

Instead, see them for what they truly are.

Stepping stones to greater things.

Or another way of thinking about it.

“There are mountains, and beyond it, more mountains”.

Accept them as a means to sharpen your abilities.

Learn from failures.

Fail your way towards success.

The only real failure is the one that keeps us down and the one that makes us stop.

Winners never quit, and quitters never win.

Strive to ALWAYS be a WINNER.

This ends another podcast.

How was it?

Leave comments. They are appreciated.

See you next time.

Until next week, be safe, be happy, be strong.

James "Talking Smack" Brown

P.S. - In the event, you DO find that once an episode has been produced and posted, that YOU really would like more information, just let me know. Use the Podcast Questions link, click on the link here. Or you can just leave a voice message here.