Discover Your OWN Direction

I love my GPS, it tells me where to go. [Yes, people have been doing that for years.]
But she [it's a Magellan, so I call her "Maggie"], tells me where to go ONLY after I have told her where I WANT to end up. She never asks me if I'm going to the right place, or in the right direction. She tells me where to turn, when to get ready and where to go to get where I told her I wanted to go. Got it? If i tell her the wrong place, she'll still take me there [I hate when I do that!]. If I change my mind during the trip, she'll change directions, too.
Problem is, my life has been like that from time-to-time. I have found that where I wanted to go in life has NOT always been where I ended up. Also, where I wanted to go wasn't where I needed to be.
Some of that may be Providence.
Some of that may be not realizing where I needed to be.
I call these desert experiences. Like Moses or Lawrence of Arabia in the desert. Not sure where to go, wandering around because of poor choices they or those around them made.
Sometimes desert experiences are there to give you a better perspective.
Sometimes, they are there to teach us a lesson.
These times affect us deeply and hopefully profitably, in terms of our future and our growth.
But we tend to look at these times as NOT so beneficial.
Consider this: Besides Moses [who also spent 40 years in the wilderness, before he led the Hebrews to freedom]the Apostle Paul, newly converted, had to go to Tarsus for 3 years, away from his ministry [3 is better than 40, by far], Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness [he didn't have as much to deal with as we did, he was God, after all.] Every great leader, has spent some time in the wilderness [Abraham Lincoln tried to get elected in the IL "wilderness" many times, and failed, before he was elected our 16th President]. George W was an alcoholic, and had to come out of it, before he was elected President. Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer!

You are in good company if you are experiencing the desert right now [not to mention the whole country is going thru it with you!] So the REAL question (see book "The Question Behind the Quesstion") is "ARE YOU READY FOR WHAT COMES AFTER?" Good or bad, are you ready? If this economy turns around, are you ready to get back on board? Will you start your OWN business? Work for someone else [WHO?]? Get Ready, that's what this desert is really all about. Do what I and many others have done: Stop paying the TV, or the 'moping troll' (you?), and start preparing for your immediate future and your future future. GET BUSY DOING THE RIGHT THINGS NOW!
Thanks, Dan
dan@dancassin.com
Subject: My own Desert
502-554-2397

January/February Recession Blues

We have had a fall recession, reduced Christmas, Jan. ice storm, Feb. wind storm, electrical outage (20+ days since Feb '08), phone outage, DSL outage, layoffs, reduced workload and other assorted problems, not to mention financial woes.
How do you Overcome Your Own Personal Recession? I want to talk to you about this, because everybody I know is dealing with some aspect of the recession and is asking me for advice. So, here goes.
First, let's talk about getting our own act together. Are you up to speed on your business? Up-to-date on your technology, industry and clients' needs? What do you have that you can GIVE to them. That's right; NOW is the time to GIVE your clients' all the help they can use from you. Just think, as this recession fades, they are depending on the only one who was willing to give them help. The only one who was there FOR THEM! Who do you think will get the business when things get better? YOU WILL! Next, What about your Marketing?

I am my OWN person; but are you really?

That's the question I constantly find myself asking even me. "Who am I?" is the original version of that question. The problem with that question is that we have no point of reference to answer it. We didn't make us.
We were created, or if you can believe it, we are an accident. We tell our kids they were never an accident, just unplanned. Then are we all accidents? Who we are is either a product of our upbringing, a product of genetics, a product of our Creator, or of our environment. OR maybe it is a combination of any or all of these?
I have an untested theory (how would you test/observe it scientifically? This is Science's major dilemma with meta-physics and religion: Science is bound by Physics; though theory reigns.): We are alive and have an opportunity to use our talents and abilities (learned or innate? Science doesn't know; theory= yes: know= no.) to discover our OWN way and find our OWN direction possibly planned out for us from that beginning (big bang or creation or both?) Albert Einstein had to agree happened some time ago.
It is that journey I want to explore, because I see so many people (I get there myself sometimes) who seem lost or directionless or "listless". In those times, are we "on hold" or at a plateau, awaiting others or events to come together or "catch up" with us or "the master plan"? I would like to help you "Discover Your OWN Direction"(c).

Discover Your OWN Direction(c) Motivation

Why is Motivation important? It helps us to do the things we need, ought, and/or are required to do, sometimes with fervor, others by necessity, occasionally with apathy, in order to get those things done.
There are many motivators, such as love, hate, freedom, and others. But since motivation is such an important factor in how we find direction for our lives, how do we find our motivation? Where does it come from? Yes, within us; but from where? What truly motivates us?
“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing—that's why we recommend it daily.” Zig Ziglar (author, salesman, speaker)
How does Motivation work? Sometimes we find our motivation, sometimes it finds us. I sing tenor in a large men’s chorus at my church, the Master’s Men. I have for nearly 30 years. Why? My dad sang tenor, in fact he sang the song “Danny Boy” to my mom at a company talent competition, which he won, and where I subsequently got my name.
But I also enjoy singing. So, was it inherited or learned over time? My dad taught me about singing. Did I find it or did it find me? What motivated me? I really couldn’t tell you, but you would be hard pressed to get me to leave that group of singing men. I love singing, and I love those men, and our leaders, two women by the way, Melanie Wood, our Director and Mary Helen Vaughn our Pianist. We live by their lists. Any thoughts? Ideas? Questions? What lists do you live by? I welcome your comments (for non-remuneration publication, I will keep your name confiedntial.) Thanks, Dan Cassin