WHAT MAKES IT ALL WORK ?

WHAT MAKES IT ALL WORK ?
8/7/07

I’ve had so many successes and failures in my life that I can’t begin to count them. Most successes were small,yet some were very significant. Every time I fail at something I want to refer to some self help philosophy or inspirational quote, but they only serve as mild pain relievers for my open wound. Failure is inevitable if we think we might fail. I always admire and yet question anyone who says,”Failure is not an option.” Failure seems to be a universal, wanted or unwanted option for everyone.

When I look back at my successes I recognize a certain degree of luck was involved. Sometimes I’m convinced a certain degree of divine intervention may have played a hand. I always refer to these past experiences consciously or subconsciously, when I am working on present projects or planning future ones. .

Wise words of advice passed down to me by my father, and given to him by his father were; “Start small and think big.” There is great logic in that statement since most entrepreneurs start off with little money,but have big ideas. At least that is how I’ve started off all my ventures. Some ideas have been a little strange and couldn’t get off the ground, but others have led to successful results.

Of all the advice I’ve been given and success philosophies I ‘ve read over the many years, there are only a few that have remained with me. A few that I continue to use in my daily life with some success. They are the few gems and rare pieces of ore, that have become my most valuable finds, after many years of searching.

The first gemstone I discovered was Persistence. It has given me the unlimited collateral I’ve needed to endure many personal and financial hardships. My second most valuable find was a pure gold nugget of Optimism. It keeps me smiling and relatively happy most of the time. I may appear to some as a cynic and pessimistic, when I feel hopeless,or helpless, or angry. I’m normal in these areas. There is nothing special in my character or makeup to prove otherwise. I may get more angry than some people,but I’ve found that other people can get far more angry than I do over the same issues. I keep Optimism next to Persistence in my mind so I always know where they are when I need them.

My third and most valuable find is illusive, rare and truely priceless. That priceless find is Friendship. I realized long ago that friendships are what make the world go round. Strong friendships are the feeding vines to all successful ventures, in personal and business relationships. I have lost many friends and had long friendships abruptly ended. I have had business partners, wives, lovers, childhood and college friends, etc.. All were important to my personal development and many still are. What makes good friendships so illusive and rare are that they are not always in our control. Friends move away, they get angry at us, or we get angry at them, they get sick, or they die. Lasting friendship is the finest of all rare treasures, and is found only in very small quantities in the most remote regions of the world . Finding a lasting friendship is like finding a rare, multicolored and magnificent shell, washed ashore on an abandoned beach, amidst billions of grains of sand. Often times friendship can be found on remote beach heads after violent storms, or at the top of a summit, or exploring deep, unmapped forests, or torrid,barren deserts.

Rare gems of friendship have great magicial powers, to influence , confuse, or guide us safely through our lives. They cannot be possessed,nor can they possess anyone. Friends never conform to our lowest or highest standards. They have standards of their own. They inspire and encourage . They may disappear for many years and reappear, when we least expect them to. They can become lost to us,as we can become lost to them.

What makes things work is Persistence, Optimism and Friendship. All three working together in unison toward a worthy goal, guarantees anyone’s success and eliminates any option of failure.

L.A. STEEL