An old boss of mine used to repeat an old corollary to the General Managers of our region…he’d say “never mistake activity for progress.”  Although he used it as an encouragement to these managers to not be misled by the busy bees in their respective offices, I’ve, on several occasions, tried to apply it in my business.  The success of such an endeavor can only be measured by real results.

But today, I noticed a much different application.  There is a certain internal drum to which we all march…different for all of us, of course, but it exists in all of us as well.  In my own life, at precise times requiring much of my attention, I have often sought comfort in a variety of things.  Whether it was golf, reading, going to the store, comfort eating, or whatever…these actions were nothing more than my placing activity in the way of progress.  You see, some people can march in a straight line with their personal drumbeats, others…well not-so-straight.

Many of you know the turmoils I’ve been through not only in recent years, but probably the past 20+ years.  How much was true turmoil and how much was a drama that I created and became dedicated to?  I’m not really sure there’s a way to quantify that.  But I can tell you one thing…it didn’t just exist, it was the way I lived.

Just as referring to a map (or plugging in a destination on the Nav system) is determining the roadmap to a destination, this realization is just the beginning of the journey…a small part of a much bigger realization.  To self-actualize dreams of life, we first must submit ourselves to these types of realizations.  And once a turn is noted, we then must leave that spot and continue in a more straight-forth path to the next realization…much like we stop to refill the car on longer journeys.  I now can look back and know that there have already been several pit-stops on my personal journey.  I see the different things I’ve learned along the way, and because of those experiences, I KNOW without a doubt there are activities that have already taken place in my life where I’ve yet to realize the lessons they’ve presented.

I am thankful to children’s movies for inspiring me sometimes…tonight’s was “Kung Fu Panda”.  After the laughing dies down, think of this…the Panda realizes in becoming the Dragon Warrior that this magic scroll that supposedly contains a master secret actually contains nothing.  The Panda’s father reveals that the “secret ingredient” in his famous noodle recipe is….nothing.  The realization at a key point is that there is no special secret ingredient in achieving success.  The only real ingredient is belief in oneself…or better said, faith.

I do believe that a belief in a higher power is a necessity in getting through life.  But even Jesus challenged the believers to have faith the size of a mustard seed, and having such faith could move mountains.  Peter’s difficulty in walking on the water was because he didn’t really believe he could do it.  But when he had faith, he was saved from rough waters.

Often we let fears rule the boxes we live in.  Think about it, every day we go about the things that are comfortable to us.  We may envy some around us who do more, have more fun, have more, etc., but often the only difference is a certain fear we have about actually breaking out of the box.  Often you have heard the first part of FDR’s famous quote, but hear it all the way through (and bear in mind some of the circumstances are eerily similar to today) “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

So when my fear was the greatest, I substituted unnecessary activity.  I became a busy bee.  I watched TV, played on the computer, got involved in games, got involved in other peoples’ problems, or whatever I could do to take the focus off my own issues and essentially hope the things I feared most would take care of themselves.  Distractions are easy escapes, but they cause a great many detours in life.  The most direct path from point A to point B is a straight line…no distractions, no detours.

It’s time to wipe out the fear.  It’s time to have faith.  It’s time to be, to do, to have.  And most of all, it’s time to reflect on all we’ve learned, all we’ve gained, all we’ve been able to experience thus far and give thanks.

The impetus for this email is pretty simple.  Each of you have contributed along the way in some form or fashion.  You know I have loved the theme behind the movie “Pay it Forward” although I never saw it.  I grew up with that concept.  But you know what, as part of being grateful, I think it sure helps to pay it back sometimes too.  Sometimes a simple word can strike up a new realization in someone’s life.  Sometimes, a simple “Thank You” will change someone’s day, perhaps their life.  And as a favorite of mine, Zig Ziglar used to say, you can change the scenery of your life by changing the picture in which you are living.

I am thankful to each of you for being a part of my life, a part of my growth.

Remember, “a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”  What will your first step be?

Best
Tim