| As I look at my life today I realize one thing, I am at | | | | from his father has a child he keeps his story to |
| this point/spot in my life because of all the decisions I | | | | himself and a few friends. Can you see though how |
| have made in my life up to this point. It's a fact, | | | | even though he lives 150 miles from his father, the |
| none of us can deny no matter how hard we try to | | | | father still controls the decisions of my friend? |
| but the situation you find yourself in is of your own | | | | Now where I find myself today as I write this is I |
| doing. Nobody made me get in the car on a snowy | | | | acknowledge everything I have done has gotten me |
| day in 1989, that decision broke my back and ended | | | | here for better or worse and after 14 years working |
| my dream of military service. My ex-wife did not | | | | full-time I am deciding to make a change and follow |
| make the decision to give-up her dream of being in | | | | my dreams again. The dream is a bit different than |
| broadcasting, I did! Now I will tell you it's her fault but | | | | when I was younger, now it's to share my story |
| that's crap. Over the years as I drank too much and | | | | with the world about overcoming weight issues, and |
| made bad eating choices like fast food, nobody force | | | | share my vision of "Acknowledge, Decide, and DO". |
| fed me. Society and documentary movies will tell you | | | | So here I sit at 11:00 PM after working a full-day, |
| the restaurants who sell us the food that it is their | | | | having time with my family, and now I work on my |
| fault, but once again that's crap. | | | | dream. |
| When you finally decided to take responsibility for | | | | A funny thing happens when you decide to do |
| your life and the decisions you have made up to this | | | | something based on your decisions, you find energy |
| point on then will things start change. My first real job | | | | where once you were tired, you find ideas once |
| out of college was working for a radio station in | | | | where you found frustration, and the future looks |
| Northern Illinois selling advertising. I landed this job | | | | better. I love my dad and we have a great |
| before I graduated, I was so proud, my parents | | | | relationship but I look at him at age 60 and I say to |
| were, and even my ex was. The only problem was | | | | myself I don't want to be him. My dad always |
| the job was in radio sales and not on-air, and my | | | | wanted to do his own thing, but he never did and |
| dream was to be on-air. However, I compromised | | | | now finds himself at the end of his career with only |
| my dream for our relationship. During my first six | | | | regrets. That is a sad place to see a parent. |
| months there I came out of the gates flying winning | | | | So when you get done reading this look back at your |
| "Sales Person of the Quarter" the first two quarters | | | | life, jot down a few key moments, translate those |
| I was there, but then something happened. | | | | moments into your life today, and then follow this |
| One of my co-workers quit, and another co-worker | | | | simple process. First, "Acknowledge" you are at this |
| got in my head and told me I "deserved" all the | | | | point in your life because of YOUR decisions. I didn't |
| accounts from our old co-worker. You know what? I | | | | say because of your boss or your parents, but YOU! |
| bought it and by month nine I was shown out the | | | | Next "Decide". Decide right now what you are going |
| door. I was 25 years old thinking I knew it all, I | | | | to change. This could be losing weight, quitting |
| "deserved" all those accounts, but I chose to stop | | | | smoking, or starting a business, but whatever it is |
| working when I did not get what I wanted or what I | | | | "DECIDE" what it is. Finally, "DO" something about it. |
| thought I deserved. I was embarrassed but | | | | Write out your goals, find an accountability partner, |
| fortunately for me I landed on my feet again, but I | | | | and tell your friends and family they'll support you |
| was destined to repeat my mistakes because I was | | | | and if they don't find new people to hang with. |
| young and I had not yet learned how to | | | | This has my silver bullet in life, when I follow this |
| acknowledge that my decisions got me fired, and not | | | | simple formula good things happen and I have even |
| those of my Sales Manager. | | | | seen it in my own family. In fact my eight year old |
| You see when you acknowledge that it is your | | | | knows the formula, as parents we don't let her |
| decisions that have gotten you to this point in your | | | | blame other kids for her behavior or choices and it is |
| life, YOU put yourself in the position to decide on | | | | working. A lot of times we go to seminars, courses, |
| what's going to change in your life. Without | | | | or read books on attitude (all good by the way) and |
| acknowledgment of your past decisions you let | | | | do nothing about because who has time to |
| everyone else control your decisions about your | | | | implement all that stuff? Who can't implement three |
| future. I just spoke with a friend today who has a | | | | simple words? When things seem bad just remember |
| great story of overcoming meth addiction, but he | | | | to Acknowledge, Decide, and DO, that's it and things |
| blames his fear of speaking on the abuse he took | | | | will get better. |