Ready, Set, Go! (Special Edition)

by Rafael Badziag

  - Listening to others could help to clarify that life is not perfect, and interruptions occur like in nature, chiefly in tropical climates and not one can prevent it.

  - If our disappointment or pain from the loss of a boyfriend or something else is the reason to stop us from living, we must say we have got everything wrong.

  - Because life is full of everything and not being thankful for all those past mistakes, we would not have learned to cope with internal waves.

  - Observing trees, birds, and running water, all of them capture our attention in different ways, we just have to observe what life has to offer, not so far from us.

  Like the sea waves retreat after crashing on shore, leaving uncovered, right there in front of our eyes on the sand, all types of things. A natural canvas with lines drawn by water painted full of new surprises to amaze us. If we just take a little time to think, we can compare canvases with a Chinese picture, beautiful and spacious –allowing your mind to wander.

  Open our eyes to uncover the possibilities that life has to offer daily, which can result in a clear mind.

  If we are questioning ourselves and start to concentrate more on what is important in life, taking note of our individual habits in general. Also, the way we perceive things can be changed if we are not satisfied with ourselves. It is not necessary to overdo everything in one day, but taking steps to leave the “human drama” and focus on few simple steps. We must concentrate not on what others are recommending; rather, listen and observe and chose the new paths. Retraining the mind to listen, breathe, and read Nobel books by foreign authors. It’s not only to enrich our vocabulary, but also our life, with knowledge about other countries customs, and traditions—allowing us to understand other traditions. It can untangle or unwrap our daily boring routines, and who knows what else we can discover of what we are capable.

  The sun in the sky,

  Reflecting on all those eyes.

  The sun in the sky,

  That keeps so many warm,

  Transforming many lives,

  The sun in the sky keeps us aware, and our faith alive.

  If our heart is wounded, help it to restore the meaning of life. Not everyone believes in God, but it could be the reason for feeling disconnected or overwhelmed with so much media to absorb, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We are free to choose what we allow ourselves to watch or listen.

  We do have a life to live not to die.

  Daily we hear, “She said or he said this or that.” If we remember our roots and where we stand tall in life like a tree, we understand it doesn’t matter, we do have the power of preventing negative feelings – not easy but possible; it is up to us, not to them. Loving who we are will give us the confidence to visualize new horizons and challenges. It would and it could impress or amaze ourselves and of course those that we call friends.

  Getting up and trying again and again, we will eventually reach what we are striving to accomplish. As an individual we are different and unique absorbing and learning new tasks that can take time. It is okay to feel alone, but feeling lonely is not the right of way of living and feeling beautiful and alive.

  So get out there—find all the wonders to a beautiful life!

  Leave those fears at home or throw them out – have a few bruises and feel the love and pain of getting up again; it is a deep ‘dearie’ in everyone that fails not once and not twice, but it doesn’t matter the count, because that is part of being alive and keep in mind we have . . . “a life to live not to die.”

  About Grace

  You may ask who is Grace Martins? For many around, they know her as a strong character that never gives up, never receives ‘no’ as an answer, and has a strong passion for living a beautiful life. She has always been a strong being from the beginning.

  She grew up in South America on a farm and a very religious and strict boarding school, where imagination and creativity was hidden from most individuals. She later found love that brought her to the United States. She found herself here adopting a new culture and a new way of life.

  As time passed, she had three beautiful daughters. Raising them, she not only allowed them to become free and independent but, also taught them that life has so much more to offer if you just open your eyes and see the beauty around them. Meantime their way of life also taught her that life is not all bills and stress, but rather, together they learned that joy exists even in the hardest of times.

  Now with her children grown up and free time on her hands, she finds herself unable to contain all those wonders in this world to herself. She knew she had not only a passion, but perhaps a talent to express life, thoughts, images, and wonders in this world in short stories as she continues to polish the English language.

  CHAPTER 22

  MENTAL TENACITY

  BY DON LAWRENCE

  I see only my objective – the obstacles must give way.

  ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

  In the 1984 movie, Mask , the leading character, Rocky Dennis, shared a self-written poem:

  These things are good, the rain on my tongue, the sun in my face.

  These things are a drag, the rain on my tongue, the sun in my face.

  And such is the life of the entrepreneur.

  We who have been given the gift of an entrepreneurial spirit know all too well that it is a love/hate relationship. A relationship with highs so high that it seems you can touch the clouds. And yet there are times when the lows are so low you just want to quit, crawl into a hole and hope to find your sanity again. It is easy to go through the fun times, and there are many. The trick is how does one get through the difficult times and find the courage to stay the course.

  Ever since I was a small boy, I was drawn to creating income from nothing. Cutting grass for my church and its parsonage, hauling groceries at the local A&P store, building bikes from old junk parts I found in the county landfill and then selling the bikes to my friends from my backyard – this was my introduction to entrepreneurship. Growing up, I tried working “real jobs” but I always found myself attracted to the

  freedom of mastering my own destiny. I started my first contracting business at nineteen years old and I bought my first investment property that same year. I have been self-employed ever since. Looking back was never an option.

  Tenacity: The Entrepreneur’s Essential Ingredient

  If I were asked the question, “What word would you use to attribute your success as an entrepreneur?” I would answer with, “Tenacity.” Without tenacity, one might as well hang up his dreams of success as an entrepreneur.

  What is tenacity anyway? Tenacity’s root word is “tenacious.” Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary’s defines tenacity as “persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired.” Additionally, Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary uses words such as “courage, mettle, spirit” and “resolution” to describe tenacity.

  Every business comes with its own set of challenges. Entrepreneurship can be a lonely place and it will require tenacity to forge ahead. You must know deep inside yourself that you have what it takes to get through the rough spots to stay in the game.

  As a real estate investor, developer, and contractor, I know all too well what it feels like to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in an instant when the market crashes. I know what it feels like to start a new venture, investing everything you have in an idea you believe in, and after two years of hard work it is not successful. But I also know that success does not find itself, you find it. Entrepreneurship is not without its challenges.

  However, it comes with many rewards. As for me, I know firsthand, it’s worth it.

  For thirty-seven years, I have owned and operated my own businesses and I have concluded that the most important quality a person must possess is tenacity to succeed as a business owner. I have heard it said that a wise man learns from his own mistakes, but a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others.

  I’d like to share with you the lessons I’ve discover
ed in my journey of becoming a tenacious entrepreneur, so that you may have the opportunity to learn from and apply them to your own business path.

  1. Are you in the right business?

  We entrepreneurs can be a bit scatterbrained at times. Most creative people are. We are good at many things and it is like herding cats just trying to figure out what path we should take. You have your skills but the real challenge is finding your gifts and then moving in that direction. When I started contracting and real estate, I didn’t focus on the fact that I love to communicate and coach people. I wasted precious time going left when I should have gone right. I have discovered that my passion is writing, speaking and coaching and I am now moving in that direction. I manage my own real estate and construction businesses not because I love it but because I am good at it. My real gift is the “gift of gab” and now I am living my passion. Don’t do as I did; find your passion before you launch your business.

  Guiding Principle:

  Before embarking on your entrepreneurial endeavor, sit down and ask yourself, what gives me real joy and contentment? What am I passionate about and how may I turn this into an income-producing conduit? Doing what you love will give you the strength to tenaciously stay the course through the tough times. Someone once said do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. Work your passion and live your dream. You will then enjoy a rewarding entrepreneurial journey.

  2. Do you know your why?

  Knowing why you want to be in business for yourself will provide the foundation for tenacity. To weather the storms that will most certainly come, you must know why you would place yourself in this predicament in the first place. When hard times arrive, knowing your why is essential to your success. For me, I do it because I want to help others find their ‘sweet spot’ in business and in life. Few things give me more pleasure than writing a book or the energy I receive when speaking on stage. I do it for personal freedom and I do it to have, be and do whatever I want. I live life on my terms.

  Guiding Principle:

  Whether you are a startup company or if you are thinking about starting one, I encourage you to revisit your why. Your why needs to be so important to you that nothing will deter you from success.

  To achieve mental tenacity, your why must and will be the reason for pushing yourself through the inevitable obstacles. If you desire something deeply enough, then you will have it. Why do you do it?

  Make your list, own it, and make it count. It must come from deep within your soul, and it must be a part of your inner core being to matter in the hard times.

  3. Do you fight or flight?

  At the beginning of our existence, we humans lived in caves and our brains were wired to know when to fight off a predator or run like heck to save ourselves from danger or even death. As an entrepreneur, there may come a time when you will be faced with the prospect of the death of your business. Through no fault of your own, a partner made a stupid decision and costs the company money it did not have to lose. Perhaps the market crashed, you were caught up in the vacuum and now, you are being consumed. Regardless of the cause, when the time comes you must do something about it. It is time to stand your ground and fight with everything you have in you. Fleeing is not an option. Tenacity is the only way.

  Guiding Principle:

  You are a creative person; use your creativity as a weapon. You did not get this far by being timid, scared and unimaginative. Begin to paint pictures of the answers in your mind. When things seem hopeless, you must adopt an “I-will-not-quit” attitude. We become what we think about. If you are thinking defeat, then you are already defeated. Talk to other entrepreneurs for advice. Many times, an idea will flow from them that will rescue you from the challenges you are facing. Learn from your mistakes and apply those lessons to your resolve. The great orator and former Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” You need to reach for that tenacious place within yourself to persevere.

  4. Are you your own safety net?

  It is not always easy for people to accept responsibility for their actions. So many individuals are looking for a bail-out. When the housing crises occurred a few years ago, the government and the American taxpayers bailed out the big banks and the auto industry.

  Whether that was a good thing or not, I do not know. Perhaps time will tell. But one thing is for sure, as an entrepreneur you must stand on your own two feet because no one is going to bail you out. You must expect the unexpected and be ready for the inevitable. Things will go wrong and you will have to be tenacious in your resolve.

  Guiding Principle:

  If you are like most entrepreneurs you are always undercapitalized.

  So, you have to rely on creative ideas and other means to survive.

  Coming up with ideas to weather the storm before the storm hits is always a good idea. Having a “Plan B” is paramount.

  Before investing in a property, I want to know if I can live with the downside. If the downside isn’t significant, I most likely will buy the property. I have lost money on investment properties, but I hold on to the memories of the successful ones. You must always leave yourself room to land on your feet. Calculate the risk before diving in head first. The responsibility is yours and yours alone to protect yourself from failure.

  However, when failure happens as it sometimes will, you must be tenacious in finding a solution. I know of no better approach to solve any challenge but through being tenacious and constantly pursuing a positive result.

  5. Can you do one more rep?

  In the early eighties, I owned two health clubs that catered to the hardcore body builder. In 1989, the health club sponsored a contestant for the “Mr. Maryland Body Building Contest” and he won first place. I would watch Don work out and it always amazed me how he could pack on such large muscle mass on his 5’6” frame.

  I asked him what his secret was. He told me that you need to load the bar with the maximum amount of weight you can handle for ten repetitions and then force yourself to do one more rep.

  While working out in my home gym yesterday morning, feeling tired and fatigued, I reached for a dumbbell to do the last set of exercises.

  Immediately, I put the weight down and said to myself, “Nope! I’m done. I’m too tired.” And, at that very moment, I saw Don in my mind’s eye saying to me, “One more rep!” I found the courage and strength to finish my workout and the feeling of accomplishment was exhilarating.

  Guiding Principle:

  The same lessons may be learned in our businesses and in life. When you absolutely feel you cannot take one more hit or go one more round, you have to draw from a place that keeps you going. You need to say to yourself, “Just one more rep! I’m going to give it one more try. I’m going to make this thing happen if it kills me. I will not quit!” Although the urge to give up may present itself, be tenacious and do one more rep.

  My hope is that the lessons I have shared above will serve as the GPS for your journey as an entrepreneur. I trust you will find that your destination is a successful one and that the lessons learned here will aid you in your endeavors.

  If you can answer the following questions:

  • Are you in the right business?

  • Do you know your why?

  • Do you fight or flight?

  • Are you your own safety net?

  • Can you do one more rep?

  . . . then all that remains is the tenacious pursuit of a worthy goal as a successful entrepreneur!

  About Don

  Don Lawrence, an accomplished entrepreneur since the age of 19 and an over-the-top husband, father and grandfather, lives in Freeland, Maryland where he and his wife enjoy their 26-acre farm. He is the proud father of an adult son and an adult daughter who have blessed him with a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, a 10-year-old grandson and an 8-month-old granddaughter.

  Professional y, Don is known mostly for his contracting business and real estate developme
nt ventures. In addition, Don provides mentoring as a real estate coach and enjoys motivational public speaking.

  With Don’s focus on health, he is a certified fitness trainer and a recreational body builder.

  Don is an experienced lead guitar player and has served as a praise and worship leader for years within the church.

  While a survivor of ulcerative colitis, Don is positioned to share his story of facing only two weeks to live and how he decided instantly to live a full life. Don is known within his professional and personal circle for his passion to share his life’s lessons in an effort to assist others in making significant positive changes to their own life.

  With a focus on getting his messages to the thousands, it is Don’s desire to broaden his audience via his upcoming book entitled, Tragedy’s Gifts .

  You can connect with Don at:

  • contact@donlawrencejr.com

  CHAPTER 23

  GET UNSTUCK … THEN GO!

  BY SHERRYL MELLOTT McGUIRE

  What's holding you back? What's getting in the way of you being the best YOU ever? We all have a life story with beauty marks and warts. Things happen in early childhood, high school, first job, marriage, children … you name it! It's called LIFE, and no one is immune. Things can get stuck in our psyche and our body to give us continuous grief and distract us from our true calling. This can get in the way of a healthy professional and personal life. They do not make up a psychological disorder. You don't have a mental illness or permanent emotional dysfunction. But you are gridlocked. Immobilized. Shipwrecked on your own island. The good news … you can mobilize again … after all, it is YOUR island.

  Tom's story illustrates how we can mobilize to change old habits. It is quite similar to many other clients' stories.

  By all outward measures, Tom was a successful dentist. But it hadn't always been easy for him in high school. He graduated with a B-minus; nevertheless, his parents clearly impressed upon him that he was college-bound. He had trouble communicating, got into fights, and was generally unhappy until he joined a group of guys going to college. Things turned around. He knew he needed to work by himself, because he didn't really understand how to work with others very well or deal with conflict or make changes. In college and dental school, he graduated with a B average. Two years later, he bought a dentistry practice and did well for several years.