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I am writing this post on Saturday, November 8, 2008. I have been watching a DVR recording of MSNBC’s coverage of election night. Being at least a little to the left of center, I have grow to enjoy their coverage of the campaign, and wanted to see what they said on election night. Tuesday evening I was holed up in a hotel room in Shelton, CT on a business trip. My wife and I talked several times that night as the result became increasingly inevitable. I also reminded my children to watch as much as Mom would allow because no matter who won, they would be witnessing history, and that didn’t happen everyday.
Keith Olberman, not everyone’s favorite personality, just paralleled Barack Obama’s moment of victory to the moment when Walter Cronkite tried to describe Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon as being a distinct point in time when our American culture changed instantaneously. I agree, and there are other parallels and one important difference, worth mentioning.
A major parallel is the power that television can have in communicating “now” to millions, no, billions, of people simultaneously. I remember being 8 years old and watching that black and white image descend the steps of the lunar module while uttering the words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” and those words changing everything for everybody. Not only did the race for the Moon give the world the age of computers and ultimately the Internet, but it erased a border for us. We could go outside the limits of our planet and explore, not only with our satellites, but with our own hands and eyes. And I saw that event at the same exact time as many others did, worldwide. Just like Tuesday night.
The second parallel is the magnitude of the effort required to make both events possible. From President Kennedy’s pronouncement on September 12, 1962 that the United States would put a man on the Moon before the end of the decade to that instant on July 21, 1969, thousands of people contributed their knowledge and creativity to achieve the stated goal. Again, from Mr. Obama’s announcement of his candidacy until the closure of the polls in California and other states at 11 PM eastern time on Tuesday, millions of people contributed their knowledge and creativity to achieve the stated goal. Both events were initiated with a bold statement of vision, something all too often lacking in our recent global efforts and financial crisis. Vision crystallizes thought, it focuses the collective spirit, and it challenges the individual mind to find the path from today to the seemingly impossible. Vision is always the cornerstone of transformational change.
This brings me to the one key difference I see between the efforts that culminated in Tuesday’s events and the effort to put an American on the Moon. The videos we see of the Space Race of the 1960’s contain only the images of white Americans and white immigrants. This was no fault of NASA and the contractors who contributed to this effort, but a statement of where we were as a country at that time. The images from Tuesday evening’s celebrations showed the rainbow that now defines the United States as different from the rest of the world. How are we different?
First, we have finally fulfilled the proclamation that we are a melting pot for the World. What we have been is a soup in that melting pot, each component certainly a part of the whole, but each component largely separate from the other. Each noodle, carrot, celery, bean, cube of meat, and onion slice contributing some flavor to a great broth, but separable when convenient. We have all seen those occasions of separation: the images of the civil rights uprisings of the 1960’s, the images of the Los Angeles riots after the Rodney King arrest, and the images after the acquittal of O.J. Simpson. Those and countless other events have divided our soup into two or more parts, each angry at the other for what they thought were good reasons. And each time it took months, years, and sometimes forever for the healing to take root. Barack Obama’s victory and the effort to achieve it have put the blades of a blender to our American soup, and should make it all the more difficult to draw those same tired lines. Every part of our soup worked to get him elected, and each part will have to help to fully enjoy the fruits of this historical event.
The events that culminated in Tuesday evening’s celebration also give much needed credence to a fundamental that each of us needs to keep alive in our lives: Diversity always wins! And I do not mean just racial diversity, but diversity defined by the largest scope of the word.
I was fortunate to begin my professional career with The Dow Chemical Company, and they taught, and I’m sure they still teach, that “diversity” encompassed differences along any axis that existed in the company, or the world: race, religion, education, upbringing, region or country of origin, philosophy, etc. Their desire is for their employees to use every element of each individual’s make up to benefit the company. They believe this is accomplished through teamwork of the utmost degree. Teamwork of the type where people put all of their diverse, unfiltered thoughts on the table in a divergent manner and subsequently work together to converge to the best possible answer in the time allowed. For this to work optimally there can be no individual ownership of the thoughts and ideas on the table or the solution, only group ownership. In that case, upon completion of the task there is reward aplenty for not only those involved in the process, but all those affected by the outcome. It is my sincere hope that our next administration employs this type of process to further our standing the world community. Such a use of diversity and teamwork would set us apart on the world stage, where some centuries old differences, think Northern Ireland, the former country of Yugoslavia and the Sudan, still plague some countries.
Finally, Bishop T. D. Jakes was part of MSNBC’s coverage on election night, and after the magical 11 PM moment he said, “I now know that I leave my son a better country than I was born into.” Agreed, but only if the diversity and teamwork that elected our 44th President is used constructively to help our country solve the problems that plague us.
Until Next Time,
Julius
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tuesday's Hidden Message
At the instant we are born we have infinite potential. It is God’s gift to us. And each second we live we are exposed to other people who also once had unlimited potential. But not a one of them has realized all of that potential. Do I really believe that? It is an opinion, a hypothesis, a belief. Let me explain.
I believe that our lives are shaped by the lives of those around us. If we experience loving and caring each and every day, we will also have those tendencies. If those around us work hard to make a living, chances are that their work ethic will live in us. If they accept the mantle of leadership, we too may be comfortable leading others. On the other hand, if those who raise us are “takers,” it is likely that we will reflect those tendencies. If they are lazy, we might not work as hard as we might. And if they do not set and work toward goals in their life, we too may tend to drift through life without self set direction.
Why do I believe this? Where did this come from? My life. My life has been a series of hills and valleys, with true optimism about my future at the heights and full of despair at the valleys. I have been fortunate to get a college education, and then get the direction to pursue an advanced degree. Upon gaining that degree the world of work was next. Mishandling of finances and personal relationships paved a descent into undesirable lands. And now I am learning some of the things I needed all of those years ago, and am seeing the light at the top of the next hill. One important thing I have learned is that if you feel you are missing something too make the leap forward, go and get some help! There are people out there who can help you see things you cannot see yourself.
One of my objectives for the second half of my life is to prepare our children, as best as possible, for the possibilites the world may offer at the forks in their roads. It's also one of the drivers for "The Wisdom of Age," sharing what we wish we knew when we were younger with those who might actually benefit from it. Lofty? Ambitious? Perhaps, but I can't get past the thought that I would be in a very different place with some additional guidance when I was younger.
So of all of the people born into this world today, how do some become “worker bees” and some become a future President? I have come to believe that as our lives progress we come to forks in the road, where each of the available paths before us will guide us until another fork arrives. If we are fortunate enough to have had wise counsel and a good compass, we make the “right” choice and realize more of our unlimited birth potential. If we are less fortunate we choose a less optimal path and our potential lies dormant, awaiting the next fork. In our fast moving society the forks are many and we all too often don't get a second chance at any of them. All too many leave this Earth with much of their potential left inside of them. Some of us find it only occasionally, making some good and some bad decisions. And some appear to get it right a majority of the time, or at least at the most opportune times, and they seem to get more opportunities at forks. And those who choose correctly become the people we remember for eternity: Michelangelo, Leonardo daVinci, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lech Walesa, Mother Teresa, Ronald Reagan, Orah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and, God willing, Barack Obama.
Finally, I believe that his election to our highest office should inspire all of us to find our hidden potential and find an avenue to let it out and move the world to a better place:
a planet where we always play “win-win,” where we always ask ourselves “What more can I do to unlock more of our cumulative hidden potential?” And to find the courage to follow through, and do what we can to give future generations a world that is better than our world of today. A world where fear can find no ground on which to grow; where hope and possibility are everywhere we look; where every part of God’s rainbow can shine forth and share more of their potential with their brothers and sisters, and maybe even a world that can become Heaven right here on Earth!
Until Next Time,
Julius
I believe that our lives are shaped by the lives of those around us. If we experience loving and caring each and every day, we will also have those tendencies. If those around us work hard to make a living, chances are that their work ethic will live in us. If they accept the mantle of leadership, we too may be comfortable leading others. On the other hand, if those who raise us are “takers,” it is likely that we will reflect those tendencies. If they are lazy, we might not work as hard as we might. And if they do not set and work toward goals in their life, we too may tend to drift through life without self set direction.
Why do I believe this? Where did this come from? My life. My life has been a series of hills and valleys, with true optimism about my future at the heights and full of despair at the valleys. I have been fortunate to get a college education, and then get the direction to pursue an advanced degree. Upon gaining that degree the world of work was next. Mishandling of finances and personal relationships paved a descent into undesirable lands. And now I am learning some of the things I needed all of those years ago, and am seeing the light at the top of the next hill. One important thing I have learned is that if you feel you are missing something too make the leap forward, go and get some help! There are people out there who can help you see things you cannot see yourself.
One of my objectives for the second half of my life is to prepare our children, as best as possible, for the possibilites the world may offer at the forks in their roads. It's also one of the drivers for "The Wisdom of Age," sharing what we wish we knew when we were younger with those who might actually benefit from it. Lofty? Ambitious? Perhaps, but I can't get past the thought that I would be in a very different place with some additional guidance when I was younger.
So of all of the people born into this world today, how do some become “worker bees” and some become a future President? I have come to believe that as our lives progress we come to forks in the road, where each of the available paths before us will guide us until another fork arrives. If we are fortunate enough to have had wise counsel and a good compass, we make the “right” choice and realize more of our unlimited birth potential. If we are less fortunate we choose a less optimal path and our potential lies dormant, awaiting the next fork. In our fast moving society the forks are many and we all too often don't get a second chance at any of them. All too many leave this Earth with much of their potential left inside of them. Some of us find it only occasionally, making some good and some bad decisions. And some appear to get it right a majority of the time, or at least at the most opportune times, and they seem to get more opportunities at forks. And those who choose correctly become the people we remember for eternity: Michelangelo, Leonardo daVinci, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lech Walesa, Mother Teresa, Ronald Reagan, Orah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and, God willing, Barack Obama.
Finally, I believe that his election to our highest office should inspire all of us to find our hidden potential and find an avenue to let it out and move the world to a better place:
a planet where we always play “win-win,” where we always ask ourselves “What more can I do to unlock more of our cumulative hidden potential?” And to find the courage to follow through, and do what we can to give future generations a world that is better than our world of today. A world where fear can find no ground on which to grow; where hope and possibility are everywhere we look; where every part of God’s rainbow can shine forth and share more of their potential with their brothers and sisters, and maybe even a world that can become Heaven right here on Earth!
Until Next Time,
Julius
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Floating Diamonds!!!
As I was meditating this morning, two random thoughts merged into a story of growth and development.
The first was a story I read on the net, where a child complained about having to remove rocks from his father’s field every spring after plowing. He was always giddy with delight that the rocks were gone, only to be mad the following spring when more rocks returned. His father explained that “rocks float,” which bewildered the boy until he understood. As rocks form from some small particles under the surface of the Earth, they are forced to the surface by the smaller particles settling past them. The particles of the rock are “lucky,” because they eventually see the light of day and can be made useful, the young boy learns, to build other things, to be a foundation for other purposes.
The second thought comes from a surprising place. While watching Ultimate Fighting Championship 89 (Sorry, I was intrigued!), color commentator Joe Rogan (Yes, Fear Factor Joe Rogan, but with a full beard!) said “Pressure makes Diamonds!” to one of the winning fighters. And he is right! Millions of years of pressure force coal into the precise atomic alignment that we know as diamonds. Some more precise and beautiful, others less precise but still very useful.
So, consider yourself a particle on the day you were born. You are at the bottom of the heap of humanity with millions of others born around the same time. You have experiences. You take on knowledge. You begin to grow. At the same time, you are surrounded by the pressures of your life. The first day of kindergarten. Your first test. Your first kiss. Your first graduation. Your values and principles begin to crystallize. You acquire more knowledge. You experience more of the richness of life. You grow larger as a person. You face even more pressure. Your first job. Your first tax return. Your marriage. Your first child. And these pressures cause to you to grow in ways you never thought possible. Still more pressure. Financial concerns. Downsizing. Moving your family to a new location where you know nobody. Growth to solve those dilemmas, and others too numerous to mention. Pressure that you could never conceive. And then it happens! You finally arrive at the Earth’s surface! You have been exposed! You are large enough to be used for other purposes: educating the smaller particles about your journey to the surface, building foundations that support other purposes. And you are beautiful! Your vision and values have crystallized in a way that you can peer inside yourself and see your purpose on this Earth. And it is all good!!!
May you encounter particles of growth each and every day of your life! And may that knowledge help you find yourself deep within your crystalline self. I know it is there, because I have finally, at 48 years of age, found the purpose for the rest of my life! And knowing you have found the right thing feels wonderful!!!
Until next time!
Julius
The first was a story I read on the net, where a child complained about having to remove rocks from his father’s field every spring after plowing. He was always giddy with delight that the rocks were gone, only to be mad the following spring when more rocks returned. His father explained that “rocks float,” which bewildered the boy until he understood. As rocks form from some small particles under the surface of the Earth, they are forced to the surface by the smaller particles settling past them. The particles of the rock are “lucky,” because they eventually see the light of day and can be made useful, the young boy learns, to build other things, to be a foundation for other purposes.
The second thought comes from a surprising place. While watching Ultimate Fighting Championship 89 (Sorry, I was intrigued!), color commentator Joe Rogan (Yes, Fear Factor Joe Rogan, but with a full beard!) said “Pressure makes Diamonds!” to one of the winning fighters. And he is right! Millions of years of pressure force coal into the precise atomic alignment that we know as diamonds. Some more precise and beautiful, others less precise but still very useful.
So, consider yourself a particle on the day you were born. You are at the bottom of the heap of humanity with millions of others born around the same time. You have experiences. You take on knowledge. You begin to grow. At the same time, you are surrounded by the pressures of your life. The first day of kindergarten. Your first test. Your first kiss. Your first graduation. Your values and principles begin to crystallize. You acquire more knowledge. You experience more of the richness of life. You grow larger as a person. You face even more pressure. Your first job. Your first tax return. Your marriage. Your first child. And these pressures cause to you to grow in ways you never thought possible. Still more pressure. Financial concerns. Downsizing. Moving your family to a new location where you know nobody. Growth to solve those dilemmas, and others too numerous to mention. Pressure that you could never conceive. And then it happens! You finally arrive at the Earth’s surface! You have been exposed! You are large enough to be used for other purposes: educating the smaller particles about your journey to the surface, building foundations that support other purposes. And you are beautiful! Your vision and values have crystallized in a way that you can peer inside yourself and see your purpose on this Earth. And it is all good!!!
May you encounter particles of growth each and every day of your life! And may that knowledge help you find yourself deep within your crystalline self. I know it is there, because I have finally, at 48 years of age, found the purpose for the rest of my life! And knowing you have found the right thing feels wonderful!!!
Until next time!
Julius
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Challenge of Life: One Man's Opinion
"The challenge of life is not living up to the expectations of our parents. It is living up to the expectations of our children."
-paraphrased from Sam Johnson, former CEO of SC Johnson, a Family Company
Sam Johnson spoke these words during a documentary of his trip that retraced the trip of his father to find new sources of carnauba wax for the family company. While I'm sure that he gained a new appreciation for his father's original trip, I believe that Mr. Johnson learned more about himself and his life.
Many in the psychiatric community believe that our parents play a pivotal role in our lives before the age of three. Many of the values and decision models we use over the course of the rest of our lives are etched into our subconscious in those first 36 months of life on Earth. Our life map.
But what happens when our lives are very different from those of our parents? What happens when our parents lived and taught from a model that no longer exists for us? What happens when our parents never treated each other with respect and love? What happens when we need tools that we never received?
We cannot possibly know how life will unfold for our children. And the more children we have (and my wife and I have five), the more varied the outcomes of their lives will probably be. But there are a few things that we can know with a great deal of certainty:
-paraphrased from Sam Johnson, former CEO of SC Johnson, a Family Company
Sam Johnson spoke these words during a documentary of his trip that retraced the trip of his father to find new sources of carnauba wax for the family company. While I'm sure that he gained a new appreciation for his father's original trip, I believe that Mr. Johnson learned more about himself and his life.
Many in the psychiatric community believe that our parents play a pivotal role in our lives before the age of three. Many of the values and decision models we use over the course of the rest of our lives are etched into our subconscious in those first 36 months of life on Earth. Our life map.
But what happens when our lives are very different from those of our parents? What happens when our parents lived and taught from a model that no longer exists for us? What happens when our parents never treated each other with respect and love? What happens when we need tools that we never received?
We cannot possibly know how life will unfold for our children. And the more children we have (and my wife and I have five), the more varied the outcomes of their lives will probably be. But there are a few things that we can know with a great deal of certainty:
- They are going to need to know how to show someone that they love them and care about them. Not only as a friend, but at a very intimate level. If you never saw that in your family of your origin, chances are you don't know how to do this. And it's not clear to me just where you go to find the instruction manual. If you know, please share the location!
- They are going to need to know to keep learning. The world changes at a very rapid pace. If you don't believe me, check out where the Dow Jones Industrial Average was just a month ago! I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said "Learning is the only true sign of life," and I think that he got it right. I'm currently on my fourth job, and will probably have one or two more before I am done. I've worked on cleaning products, diapers, dusting cloths and now beds. And even with all of that learning, I still have a lot to learn about life.
- They are going to need to know that all of us travellers on the planet Earth are in this thing together, more so today than ever before, and likely less than tomorrow. Technology has made the world a very small place with few secrets. The sooner we can understand each other, the sooner we can help each other make tomorrow better than today. Reading about the collapse of global financial institutions and how we all plan to pay for our next tank of gas leads me to believe that we have a long way to go.
- They are also going to need to know that they can never quit and give up hope. Hope brought our forefathers to this country. Hope mended us after the Civil War. Hope brought us back from the Great Depression. Hope put us all on a rocket ship to the Moon. Hope will help us to solve the incredible problems we face today, and the more complicated, unimaginable problems of tomorrow.
And hope is what drives those of us, like Sam Johnson, who were not given the correct map during the first 3 years of our lives. Hope keeps us searching for answers. Hope keeps us moving along the path to a better life. And hope keeps us working for our children, so we can teach them that even in our darkest hours, there is a better way! And that we will not rest until we teach it to them!
Until Next Time!
JuliusSaturday, September 20, 2008
The Wisdom of Forgiveness
This post was rattling through my head as I struggled to sleep last night. Forgiveness will be one of the three nuggets of wisdom that I include in my personal contribution to the book.
Since Don Henley of The Eagles is a songwriter of some note and one of my personal favorites, I'll start with the closing lyric from "The Heart of the Matter":
There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down, you know they hurt your pride
You better put it all behind you baby, cause' life goes on
If you keep carryin' that anger, it'll eat you up inside, baby
I've been trying to get down to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me
I've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak and the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinkin' about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, you don't love me anymore...
Allowing other people's treatment or opinion of you to "eat you up inside" is one of the worst things you can allow to happen to you, your self-esteem, and your vibe. The key consideration is that they are not you, and cannot understand why you have made the decisions they have witnessed. Many times you will not fully understand your own quick decisions until deeply reflecting on your motivation at that point in time, which will often be tucked deep inside your subconscious mind. If you discover that you indeed have wronged someone, you of course need to apologize. If you have made a mistake that impacts only you, correct it and go on with your life. Should you discover that you were indeed true to your core beliefs, then forgive them for their opinion and get back in the game!
There will also be times when others will wrong you. You can try to determine their motivations, but that is largely wasted time (Whoa, another Eagles song reference!), since they won't even fully understand their actions. You need to find forgiveness in your heart, and live with what they give you!
I have tried to live my life by finding the "good" in people, connecting with that side, and working with what was available. People have variable degrees of "good," which can be defined as that which connects with you. There are very few people out there with whom you will find a total connection, and you will find that they often become life-long friends or even spouses. Embrace them!!! They will enrich your life, give you moments to treasure, and provide the safety net we need as we move out of our comfort zones. As John Maxwell said "If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone." And you never want to stop growing!!!
Until next time!
Julius
Since Don Henley of The Eagles is a songwriter of some note and one of my personal favorites, I'll start with the closing lyric from "The Heart of the Matter":
There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down, you know they hurt your pride
You better put it all behind you baby, cause' life goes on
If you keep carryin' that anger, it'll eat you up inside, baby
I've been trying to get down to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me
I've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak and the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinkin' about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, you don't love me anymore...
Allowing other people's treatment or opinion of you to "eat you up inside" is one of the worst things you can allow to happen to you, your self-esteem, and your vibe. The key consideration is that they are not you, and cannot understand why you have made the decisions they have witnessed. Many times you will not fully understand your own quick decisions until deeply reflecting on your motivation at that point in time, which will often be tucked deep inside your subconscious mind. If you discover that you indeed have wronged someone, you of course need to apologize. If you have made a mistake that impacts only you, correct it and go on with your life. Should you discover that you were indeed true to your core beliefs, then forgive them for their opinion and get back in the game!
There will also be times when others will wrong you. You can try to determine their motivations, but that is largely wasted time (Whoa, another Eagles song reference!), since they won't even fully understand their actions. You need to find forgiveness in your heart, and live with what they give you!
I have tried to live my life by finding the "good" in people, connecting with that side, and working with what was available. People have variable degrees of "good," which can be defined as that which connects with you. There are very few people out there with whom you will find a total connection, and you will find that they often become life-long friends or even spouses. Embrace them!!! They will enrich your life, give you moments to treasure, and provide the safety net we need as we move out of our comfort zones. As John Maxwell said "If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone." And you never want to stop growing!!!
Until next time!
Julius
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
"The Wisdom of Age" Working Format
Hello to All of my Visitors!
As I promised in my last post, I will share my current thinking on the format for gathering inputs for "The Wisdom of Age."
Many times in my life I have been asked and pondered the question "Would you want to go back to being __ years old again?" and without fail I answer "Only if I could know what I know now!"
I realize that capturing a life full of wisdom would fill a book for many people, but may not be very interesting if that life was very different from the reader's. So my current thinking is to solicit input from as many people as I can find who would be willing to contribute. And I am going to try to find people across a broad spectrum of American life, from blue-collar workers, to white-collar workers, to those in between, and to those who are famous: musicians, actors, directors, politicians, business leaders, thought leaders, sports figures, artists, writers, reporters,...you get the picture.
And then, so no single contributor is overworked, I plan to focus them by asking this question:
"If you could go back to being 21 years old today, what three pieces of wisdom that you have acquired in your life would you take with you?"
I realize that this angle might limit the audience, but I figure that the 18 and older crowd would be interested, and their parents might be interested. It might also find some traction in recovery and rehabilitation programs, prisons, schools...
I'm not sure whether the chapters would focus on single individuals, or be grouped by themes. I want to let the input I get drive that decision, and how large the collection gets.
Would love to hear your feedback...
Until next time!
Julius
As I promised in my last post, I will share my current thinking on the format for gathering inputs for "The Wisdom of Age."
Many times in my life I have been asked and pondered the question "Would you want to go back to being __ years old again?" and without fail I answer "Only if I could know what I know now!"
I realize that capturing a life full of wisdom would fill a book for many people, but may not be very interesting if that life was very different from the reader's. So my current thinking is to solicit input from as many people as I can find who would be willing to contribute. And I am going to try to find people across a broad spectrum of American life, from blue-collar workers, to white-collar workers, to those in between, and to those who are famous: musicians, actors, directors, politicians, business leaders, thought leaders, sports figures, artists, writers, reporters,...you get the picture.
And then, so no single contributor is overworked, I plan to focus them by asking this question:
"If you could go back to being 21 years old today, what three pieces of wisdom that you have acquired in your life would you take with you?"
I realize that this angle might limit the audience, but I figure that the 18 and older crowd would be interested, and their parents might be interested. It might also find some traction in recovery and rehabilitation programs, prisons, schools...
I'm not sure whether the chapters would focus on single individuals, or be grouped by themes. I want to let the input I get drive that decision, and how large the collection gets.
Would love to hear your feedback...
Until next time!
Julius
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Background Information #1
The first inklings for the Wisdom of Age came to me several years ago. Despite having successfully negotiated graduate school and obtaining a Ph. D. in Analytical Chemistry from Purdue, things were not going very well in my personal and professional lives. I figured that after 22 years of education I would work for my initial employer as long as I wanted. A downsizing cured that notion, and it took me 12 months to find my next job. A second "rightsizing" from job #3 was followed by 8 months of unemployment.
Needless to say, things were also not going well in my personal life. My wife and I were growing apart on a daily basis, due to my being inept at innerpersonal communications and my mishandling of our financial matters. On top of our five children, I found myself ill prepared for the life I was living. At that time, I began to write down some of the lessons from my life that I wanted to be sure I taught our children before they left our daily care for college. There were quite a few! A new job, a new city, and the activities of a wife and five children put those musings on the back burner, until this summer.
Things have not improved much between my wife and I, and in mid-June, 2008 she relocated herself and the children 700 miles away, near her father and sister. Yes, it was a blow, but about the same time I started a tele-class called "Manager as Coach Boot Camp" led by Tom Heck. The initial classes encouraged us to do some soul searching into our values, and there I discovered my life purpose and the fuel for The Wisdom of Age. I also suddenly had a lot of free time to think, read and learn.
I discovered that my passion was not in the product development world I had been in for 20 years, but instead in teaching and helping others become successful. Curious, but that was the original reason I had gone to grad school 26 years ago, only to become jaded by the politics I saw on a daily basis. Additional reading led to the idea for a book around the Wisdom of Age, with contributions from many successful people. The book will be the financial backer of a move from the realm of working for other people to working for myself and my family. Author, personal coach, adjunct (or better) professor, blogger...? Who knows where it will all end? And if I catch the right breaks with our children, they may have a nice little business to take over some day!!
My next post will share the current proposed format for the book. Thanks for reading! Hope to have you visit again!
Julius
Needless to say, things were also not going well in my personal life. My wife and I were growing apart on a daily basis, due to my being inept at innerpersonal communications and my mishandling of our financial matters. On top of our five children, I found myself ill prepared for the life I was living. At that time, I began to write down some of the lessons from my life that I wanted to be sure I taught our children before they left our daily care for college. There were quite a few! A new job, a new city, and the activities of a wife and five children put those musings on the back burner, until this summer.
Things have not improved much between my wife and I, and in mid-June, 2008 she relocated herself and the children 700 miles away, near her father and sister. Yes, it was a blow, but about the same time I started a tele-class called "Manager as Coach Boot Camp" led by Tom Heck. The initial classes encouraged us to do some soul searching into our values, and there I discovered my life purpose and the fuel for The Wisdom of Age. I also suddenly had a lot of free time to think, read and learn.
I discovered that my passion was not in the product development world I had been in for 20 years, but instead in teaching and helping others become successful. Curious, but that was the original reason I had gone to grad school 26 years ago, only to become jaded by the politics I saw on a daily basis. Additional reading led to the idea for a book around the Wisdom of Age, with contributions from many successful people. The book will be the financial backer of a move from the realm of working for other people to working for myself and my family. Author, personal coach, adjunct (or better) professor, blogger...? Who knows where it will all end? And if I catch the right breaks with our children, they may have a nice little business to take over some day!!
My next post will share the current proposed format for the book. Thanks for reading! Hope to have you visit again!
Julius
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Getting this thing started!!!!
This is the first blog venture for a future author, coach and professional speaker.
"The Wisdom of Age" comes from a vision I have of thousands of successful people sharing critical information with those striving to become successful. The major angle is older people sharing personal experiences with younger folks to help them accelerate their learning curve in order to become "successful" more quickly and with less "pain."
I will share more of the vision and plans in future postings.
Hope that you enjoy my blog!!!
Julius
"The Wisdom of Age" comes from a vision I have of thousands of successful people sharing critical information with those striving to become successful. The major angle is older people sharing personal experiences with younger folks to help them accelerate their learning curve in order to become "successful" more quickly and with less "pain."
I will share more of the vision and plans in future postings.
Hope that you enjoy my blog!!!
Julius
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