Number One Reason

Last weekend, my son (9) and I were relaxing in our pool at sunset.  I asked him, “You know why I’m working so hard on the business, right”?

“In case you lose your job”?, he said, questioning.

“Well sort of, but not really because of that.  I would like to have more control over the impact one can make on our world.  Being a business owner doesn’t guarantee that, but it sure does increase the odds”.

Reminded him of the power of hard work and how it’s harder at the beginning, in virtually everything, because there’s so much to learn.

Funny thing, for a nine-year old, he gets it.  And it’s easy to see why.

When his Dad became a parent, he worked really hard at the beginning, because there was so much to learn.

PS.  What I didn’t tell him is the “business” is my attempt to help raise enough money to find a cure for his disease.

jungle jeff MBA

jungle jeff MBA.  Who woulda thought, after all these years, I’d be returning to school to get an MBA?

Why do people return to school after decades of real-world leadership experience?  Many reasons to be sure.

The main reason is the pursuit of a better way of life.  Can you imagine, “Nope, heading back to school because I have all this extra time and money.  Plus, I’m bored stiff just sitting around”?.

Dude, seriously, we need to talk.  It don’t happen like this.  In fact, my story is almost a fairy tale of a completely different sort.

My professor is crazy.  He’s cool, but tough.  On the first day, he told me everyone who attends his class has three years to do something that no other MBA requires….

Money, Money, Money….Money

Money, Money, Money….Money“.  The O’Jays, 1974, For The Love of Money.

I want to make a ton of money.  Seriously.  Enough to buy whatever I want.

First on my list:

  1. A Cure for Crohn’s disease

To take action, – to “put my money where my mouth is” – I’ve returned to school to earn my MBA.

Maybe that’ll be second on the list – pay off school loans.

How Important Is Money To You?

Money.  Can’t live with it, can’t live without it.  Money has always been my biggest stressor.

Eventually, I learned a very simple and very profound rule.  It is the first rule that should be learned.

  • Spend less than you earn

What made this most basic of rules so elusive for me, is that I did not subscribe to common sense.  A million reasons for that, which I’ll not even attempt to address.

The second rule I learned is have a business.  After reading “Rich Dad Poor Dad” last Christmas, my whole mindset about money was changed forever….

Ted.com

Ted.com

Ideas worth sharing.

David Hoffman talks on Losing Everything.

I often wonder who I’d be if I lost everything.  Just yesterday, I was tempted (for a very brief moment) to think I actually had.

It was one of the best, and briefest, moments of my career.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂