Is anything really possible? Can you really have anything you desire? Is the American Dream alive? If it is, can
anyone access it, or is it just for a select few? In all honesty, these weren’t questions that
I ever asked as a child. I grew up in a working class family, and there seemed
to be a certain order to the world. Like all kids, my siblings and I talked
about what we were going to be when we grew up and the dreams we had for our
lives but, as the years went on, we began to realize there is a difference between
dreams and what is actually attainable. Our conversations focused on what kind
of job we would get, what city we’d live in, if we’d still have the same
friends, and would they be our neighbors.
It seems strange now, when I think
back to my childhood and the dreams we had. It’s even stranger to think about
my brothers and sister and the fact that we all grew up in the same home with
the same parents and, yet, our life paths have been radically different. As I
reflect back, I can’t seem to find anything that would have hinted at the
divergence. I didn’t have a secret mentor that gave me access to any secrets of
life. There was no businessman who took me under his wing and taught me the
ways of business. There was just our family, and we all learned the same
lessons, went to the same schools, and even had a lot of the same teachers. Nevertheless,
my sister married a farmer, and they run a good sized farm in my home state,
Montana; my brothers are both steadily employed in our home town, Helena; and I
sit in the back yard of my home in California on a beautiful fall day pondering
how, out of all of us, I have built a business with over 200 employees
(www.myTERRIO.com). I have traveled to a lot (although not nearly enough)of
incredible places but, most importantly, I see so many more possibilities to
explore.
Is anything possible? Sitting here now, I believe that it absolutely is. Can
you really have anything you desire? I have come to believe that you can, given
a few caveats. Is the American Dream alive? There is no doubt! I know because I
have lived it and, yes, it is accessible to anyone willing to learn and grow.
I’ve come to understand that one of my talents is the ability to connect pieces
of complex and seemingly unrelated information and make it useful for others. I
first realized this with my physical therapy patients. I quickly learned that
they weren’t interested in all of the complex anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology,
they just want an understanding of what is wrong and what they need to do to
fix it. I took the path into business of being a really good practitioner of my
skill but, as the business grew, I realized that I wasn’t equipped with the
knowledge and understanding I would need to continue growing my business. To
correct this, I started learning from as many sources as possible: books,
tapes, seminars, coaches, and mentors. I used my talent to apply what I was
learning and continue growing the business through various stages.
With success in business, I have been privileged to join YPO, Young
Presidents’ Organization, and meet wildly successful presidents of companies
from around the world, which has exposed me to even more possibilities.
While the business success has been great, I realized that there were other
areas that needed energy and attention. I have been blessed with an incredible
wife and three amazing kids. I decided long ago that I wouldn’t miss their
sporting events or school programs for business and especially not for any of
my personal endeavors. I have taken the time to coach each of my kids in the
sports of their choice and have enjoyed all of their plays and concerts. Could
my business have been even more successful if I had focused solely on it? Maybe,
but I don’t care because I wouldn’t trade the time with my kids. Could I have
spent more time with my kids? Yes, and I hope that they understand that, when I
did work long hours, it was to build opportunities for them that I never had,
show them what is possible with hard work and determination and, yet, balance
having time with them.
Over the years, I have also become acutely aware of the need to stay
healthy and how not devoting time and attention to this area can hurt all the
other areas of our lives. As a medical professional, I have seen firsthand the
impact of poor health, not to mention the incredible costs associated with it. I
truly believe that health is the underlying foundation of all the other areas
of our lives. Without good health, we do not have the energy to maximize the
other areas. It is vital to make sure that we take care of ourselves so we can
then take care of others. I am also a firm believer that health is not only
physical but also mental and spiritual.
It seems, in this information age or, as I like to call it, the ”age of
distraction,” that our mental and spiritual health is suffering right along
with our physical health. The percentage of obesity continues to increase and,
along with it, chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. But we are
also experiencing a chronic deprivation of spirituality and increasing mental
stress. Our health needs to be a complete package.
Finally, I believe it is vital to get involved in the communities we live
in and seek out opportunities to help others. The world is waiting for people
to step up and get involved, and it’s amazing the difference a little
creativity mixed with action can make. I have helped to start two non-profit
foundations. The League of Dreams, which is a recreational sports league for
children with disabilities (www.ourleagueofdreams.com), and one that we just started working on, the
Nathan Garcia Childhood Cancer Foundation.
It has been an amazing journey so far, and there is a lot left to
accomplish but, then again, that is the path of a Life Pioneer! It doesn’t
matter where you are starting; the most important thing is to begin the journey
and set sail to the edge of possibility …
No comments:
Post a Comment