Of the 53 books I am going to read this year, there may not be a more important book outside of the Bible that I read this year.

If you want to know me, how I think and where I am going you can find me within the 244 pages that Robert Kiyosaki shares in his book The CASHFLOW Quadrant.

I feel particularly inspired to share my thoughts on these three words: BE – DO – HAVE

When I was laid off in January of 2009 all I had ever done was DO. To do is to take action regardless of the consequences, and so many of us fall into this trap. We want to be among those who own a home so we DO it. We want to drive a nice car so we DO it. We want to go on vacation so we DO it and while we are doing all of these things many of us fail to notice that we have to BE something first.

BEing is the act of actually thinking a certain way so you ARE a certain way. I have learned this lesson slowly and painfully and I finally have words to describe that process. This is the example from the book that created the understanding I now hope to share with you (pages 138-139):

Years ago I was in this class on goal setting. It was the mid-1970s, and I really could not believe I was spending $150 and a beautiful Saturday and Sunday to learn how to set goals. I would rather have been surfing. Instead, here I was paying someone to teach me how to set goals. I nearly backed out several times, but what I learned from that class has helped me achieve what I want in life.

The instructor put up on the board these three words.

BE – DO – HAVE

She then said, “Goals are the ‘have’ part of these three words. Goals such as to have a nice body, or to have the perfect relationship, or to have millions of dollars, or the have great health, or to have fame. Once most people figure out what they want to have, their goal, they begin listing what they have ‘to do.’ That is why most people have ‘To Do’ lists. They set their goal and then begin ‘doing.’”

She first used the goal of the perfect body. “What most people do when they want a perfect body is go on a diet, and then go to the gym. This lasts for a few weeks and then most are back to the old diet of French fries and pizza, and instead of going to the gym, they watch baseball on TV. This is an example of ‘doing’ instead of ‘being.’”

“It’s not the diet that counts; it’s who you have to be to follow the diet that counts. Yet, every year millions of people look for the perfect diet to follow in order to become thin. They focus on what they have to do, rather than who they have to be. A diet will not help if your thoughts do not change.”

I have never really wanted to BE anything or anyone in particular, rather I’ve always desired to DO and HAVE things. A lot of that is learned from family, friends and society and now it is time for me to unlearn these things that are so deeply ingrained not only in myself but in a majority of those around me.

I have a lot to learn and one thing I’ve gained without question over the last 15 months is an appreciation of the journey I am on.

BE – DO – HAVE

I hope this finds you well.

~jc

We are incredibly optimistic about what will happen in the future especially when it comes to our own circumstances and how they will improve. This was obviously us and that is why Sar is 39 weeks pregnant. 9 short months ago it was unfathomable that I would still be jobless especially since I would have finished my degree which would open the flood gates of opportunity. Since the “unfathomable” happened we are now looking at the reality that Sar will have to return to work after her 6 week maternity leave (not ideal) and that, for at least one more summer, she will have to work while her seasonal job is on summer break.

So here we are, finding ourselves along the winding path of living intentionally and creating a life that adheres to not only our ideals but also to our financial situation. Not always fun but always learning and growing.

I hope this finds you well.

~jc

I continue to network and will continue to network now and going forward.  I found that Twitter is a great place to network if you can utilize the search properly. Also, I met a lot of great people at Torch a couple of months ago and I am looking forward to their next event. Speaking of networking, is your company hiring?

I started looking for Minnesota startups tonight and I remembered reading Minnesota Business a couple of years ago and seeingSteve Nielsen, a former high school classmate, and his company PartnerUp had been highlighted. I registered on the site and played around but never became a serious user.

Tonight, as I was thinking about how seemingly weak the tech startup scene is in Minnesota, I remembered Steve. I wandered over to the website and clicked the jobs link and to my surprise learned that the company had been acquired by Deluxe. Deluxe is a company that has been going through drastic changes as they were, at one time, a huge producer of paper checks.

The link between the two is solid. PartnerUp has been described as:

“Google and Facebook rolled into one website that’s reserved for small business owners on the prowl for information, contacts and products and you get the idea behind PartnerUp, a free website that allows business members to network easily.”

For Deluxe, PartnerUp provides 300,000 unique visitors monthly that they can advertise to. PartnerUp offers stability and knowledge that, no doubt, Steve will put to great use in his current position as well as his future endeavors.  Although I was unable to find what the company sold for Steve is merely 27 or 28 years old and regardless of the final number he has already accomplished a lot.

He has stayed on as CEO and they actually have a few job opening which I will be emailing him about.

Bowling league tomorrow night, more than likely my last without a child. Awesome.

I hope this finds you well.

~jc

Convinced that the stain would be less noticeable once I got my degree I spent the greater part of 2009 finishing my bachelors degree in business administration (marketing) and cooking up some great business ideas.

I want to do things differently. I believe that things can be done differently.  Yes, I am aware that accomplishing anything that is truly great takes time, effort and maybe a little bit of luck. I’m willing to do those things, willing to make my own luck. I am inspired by people like Aaron, Marijke, and Chad. These people have stepped out of the relative comfort of corporate America, the one many of our parents urged us to jump into and hold on to tightly because there is “security” in it, and are forging their own paths.

se⋅cu⋅ri⋅ty [si-kyoor-i-tee] freedom from danger, risk, etc.; safety.

Corporate America is not secure.

My story is full of dreams come true, selfish ambition and in the end a huge paradigm shift.

The lesson I am learning is a lesson that has been learned by millions of Americans who have lost not only their jobs but their livelihood. We were fed, over and over again, the lie that the American dream is the house, the fence, the kids, the car and at what cost? For some it comes after years of hardship and others it seems to come easily.  I seemingly I belonged to the latter of the two, it was through the generocity of others we were able to save enough money to put a substantial down payment on a home that we built. We both have newish cars and had jobs that were already earning nearly what our parents earned.

Enter the dreaded private meeting.

The axe falls because the giant company I worked for doesn’t need 9 trainers they need 8. For multiple reasons I am the one to go and 60 days later I am out the door. 50 applications and 0 call backs later I realize that I am now damaged goods. School seemed to be a fine alternative. In December I graduated, with a 3.70 GPA, and started to apply with confidence.

That brings us to today.

I believe in myself, in what I have to offer. I am a futuristic, competitive, controlling, communicator. I love branding, public relations and marketing. I love the science behind each of these and what makes people tick.

Jobs don’t fit that description.

As I said earlier I want to do things differently. I believe things can be done differently. Many people go through life letting things happen to them. Very few people live intentionally and that is disappointing. I have made my mistakes and lived life for decades without being intentional. The great part about life is that tomorrow will, more than likely, come and I have an opportunity to  push through these co-created tough times and live the life I desire by making choices intentionally. As my brother-in-law Aaron would say, onward.

I will be a catalyst of change. First in my own life and then in the lives of others.

I hope this finds you well.

~jc