Pressing the Launch Button

"Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off." - Author Unknown

I have always wondered what it would be like having control of the "LAUNCH" button. There it would be, right in front of me as I sat in a spaceship, ready to head out into space. I know that all of this is computer controlled, but wouldn't it be cool to have the big green button to push.

Could I wait long enough?

Ten, nine, eight....hit the button!

Would patience on my part prevail on such an important occasion?

It is in patience that wise decisions and successful accomplishment are rewarded. It seems the excitement in getting on with life breeds most of our impatience. When we start our journey towards a goal or new place in life, it starts with a first step and then many more.

The number of steps we need to take fuels that impatience. We want to jump past steps two through nine hundred ninety-nine and go directly to step one thousand.

But if we skip those steps, we skip the most enthralling piece; the journey. For you see it is in the journey we learn, grow and live. It is in the journey we find our greatness.

So patience with the "LAUNCH" button; lift off will occur soon enough. Have patience with the ride because the journey is going to be great.

Stay inspired my friends!

The Journey There

“Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome. Not everyone can be Number 1.” - Arthur Ashe

Each of us has the ability to determine how successful we are.

A man with very little can consider himself successful if he is happy and content.

A man with much can feel himself a failure if he is unhappy with how he got there.

So much of what we consider success is dependent upon you. Be successful in how you feel about yourself. Know that getting to a point of success is more important then the actual achievement.

Be successful in the doing. The trip there is just as fun as arriving.

Stay inspired my friends!

It Will Be Fine

"What it all comes down to, is that everything's gonna be fine, fine, fine."
-Alanis Morissette

Despite all that you have gone through this past year.

Despite all that you will go through in times to come.

Everything will be fine.

Keep your head up and know that it is a journey filled with learning and lots of living.

So stay inspired my friends.

Courage to Journey

"Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose." -Tom Krause

Amazingly we find out in life that there are no guarantees. We are suddenly shocked to find that a great relationship, great job, great car, great home, lots of money and excellent health are a given. The dreams we have for success and accomplishment sometimes do not happen.

What we do find out is that life is just life, happening all around us and only giving us opportunities to achieve our dreams. We also find out that life creates challenges to confront and confound our efforts.

Either way, we have to keep trying.

We need to have the courage to step out into that world every day and work towards our dreams. It means overcoming the hurdles placed in front of us; of combating those things which could keep us from achieving those dreams.

It also means never being satisfied with partial success. When we achieve a small amount of success, there is a tendency to "rest upon the laurels", which means to be satisfied with a small degree of success and refrain from any further effort.

We must also be aware of the hidden courage that exists within each of us. It is the courage one needs to pursue our dreams. We go forward with the unspoken knowledge that we may never achieve it.

It is this hidden courage that keeps us moving forward.

What you will find is that most of us do attain our dreams. The results may not look exactly as we first envisioned. Just know it is the journey that becomes the accomplishment. If you give yourself the courage to take that journey, then you will achieve great things.

Stay inspired my friends.

Power of the Journey

The Hero's Journey and the Five Rhythms"

"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are." -Tobias Wolff

Anything we do in life is going to have some level of resistance. This resistance will come in many forms that place obstacles to completing that which we want to accomplish.

Think of the mundane things we do such as driving to work each morning. The varying traffic can be an obstacle to overcome in getting to your place of business. Or possibly the check out line at the grocery store with a long slow moving line.

There are also much larger or more important things in life in which we work to overcome. A job advancement goal that you might be struggling to grab hold of. In all of these things we do, persistence is your greatest ally.

In a book I wrote, I went out looking for stories of 'change' from people in all levels of life. Average everyday people to the famous and powerful people have been contacted. This can present a problem in that you are asking people to open up to someone they do not know. My persistence was in knowing there are people who really want to tell their story.

There were of course some that did not wish to participate and I can fully respect those decisions. The varying letters of rejection were sometimes amusing, while some were very blunt. There were of course letters that provided me with great encouragement for success. And each of those letters, regardless of the response, told me that I was connecting with people.

It is this connection that gives me the encouragement to persevere in my efforts. It is a strong belief in connection that can cause influence in their lives. It provides me with motivation to keep me pursuing my goal. The same can be done by you in the journey you are on.

Obstacles represent opportunities to assess and find new paths to those goals. Motivation is the culmination of things or reasons why you are on your particular journey. Perseverance is key to continuing on that journey and never give up; once again, never give up.

The journey may change, just don't give up on the journey. Stay inspired my friends.

A Bridge To Cross

"I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment." -Patti Smith

For twenty-one days, the church my wife and I attend are participating in a fast. Now you and many others will have differing opinions and ideas about how one should fast and for what reasons. I am no different in that, but I tend to believe it is meant to help us redirect our focus and allow us more time to reflect, pray or meditate.

I see it also as a time to rethink or readjust our own attitudes. You see for me, I want for you the same things I want for my life and that would be a great life and great success. It sounds simple but each of us have a vision for our own lives and now would be a good time to adopt a stronger belief in that vision.

As I write articles each day, I am writing words that are meant to keep you on your path to accomplishment. The articles are also meant to serve me for it helps keep me corrected, encouraged and believing in achieving even more in this life. The path spoken of is the one you journey on towards dreams.

Just remember that when I talk of change, you have to understand that change in itself is only the first step. Taking that first step means you are going to 'change' your life. From there, it is a matter of one foot in front of the other, leaving your baggage behind and willing to experience something new.

Life may seem to stay the same around you. It will remain the same where you live and work. That is unless you change your environment. The real work will be to change that environment and change the aspects of your life which are keeping you from achieving your dreams. It is a hard process and can be discouraging at times, but keep on your path, keep on believing.

So join me as begin our walk across the bridge to something new and greater. I'll take you as far as I can but much of the work will be yours to complete. Let's get started and take the first steps together.

And should we happen to approach the Bridge of Death on our path, be sure to know something about birds.



Stay inspired my friends.

Dreams Become Real

"Vision, it reaches beyond the thing that is, into the conception of what can be. Imagination gives you the picture. Vision gives you the impulse to make the picture your own." -Robert Collier

As you dream at night when nothing else can interfere and in some cases these dreams can be remembered during your waking hours. Some of these dreams are horrible or confusing with no meaning to be found. Others are of a yearning, a vision, that you want for your future. But dreams are only an undefined mound of wet clay, waiting for you to form it.

As you begin to take hold of your dreams, trying to remember the details, it is your imagination that will start to mold the dream. You will mold the clay into something that only you can create. It may change from what you first dreamed, but it will start to take shape and become a clear thing for your life.

As your dream becomes more real, you have to apply vision in order to move towards the dream as a tangible part of your life. It prods you to walk through the open door and begin a journey. A trip that begins with movement.

Allow yourself to dream big things and let vision push you towards it. Go beyond what currently surrounds you. There is a large life out there waiting for you.

And stay inspired my friends.

Overcoming Obstacles

"Joy is of the will which labours, which overcomes obstacles, which knows triumph." -William Butler Yeats

I have faced obstacles in my life, challenges that could have stopped me dead in my tracks. There have been the moments of complete frustration when a car broke down, no money to pay for repairs. There was a time when I was stocking shelves wondering if I could ever do more.

There has been illness, death, divorce and a list of others obstacles placed by circumstance in my life. Each one of these seemed insurmountable at the time. Each might as well have been a deep canyon separating me from where I was to where I wanted to be.

What first?

Well into my years when these obstacles appeared, I fretted and worried tremendously about my abilities. I questioned myself, I blamed others and felt like giving up. What I immediately failed to realize each time, is that I had overcome so much before.

I started to ask myself why it is I always went immediately to defeat. Doing so only made the obstacle bigger, giving it more power over my life than it deserved. So believing that "this too I shall overcome" became the first thing to tell myself.

What next?

I began to tell myself that I will make it through, over, by, around, or anyway I could. As humans we are innately creative in finding ways to overcome and survive. And that is what you do, you poke, you prod, you explore every option.

Eventually you will find a way to climb the mountain or to walk around it. You might even find a way to move the mountain out of the way. What ever method you find, keep pursuing, keeping pushing through and you will find that the obstacle is not insurmountable.

What is behind you?

As you move past the obstacle in life, go ahead and look back, but only once. Look back to see what you accomplished. Look back and tell yourself that you did that, you can do anything. But do not dwell on it too long.

Many will stop and admire the accomplishment. They will marvel at the success while all the time failing to continue their forward progress. Use the experience as a means to carry you forward. What you have learned from the experience will prepare you for the road ahead.

What lay ahead?

What lay ahead? Life of course. Your future, more circumstance, more unforeseen obstacles, more effort. But a great life and success also exists out there in front of you.

The journey we take in life is going to be full of many different experiences. Some of us reach complete success, but do we really? Most times the success is the journey itself, always moving forward, always living life.

Keep overcoming, keep moving forward, and stay inspired my friends.

Turn Goals Into Action

"Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it." - Anonymous

I have talked to many people over the years regarding what they want to achieve in life. They will tell me their visions for success and how they plan on achieving it.

I will listen intently and offer words of support and agreement. Everyone should have a dream for success. Everyone should wnat to achieve their best life. But after they have told me all they have to tell, I ask them one question.

- What have you done to actually move towards your goal? -

Many people will write down those goals on a dream sheet. They will speak in great length about what they wish to achieve in life. The lists made are taped to their bathroom mirrors, maybe up on the refrigerator or attached to the computer screen at work.

The hard truth is that many of those same people will never actually do anything. They will look at those lists every single day and tell hundreds of people about their dreams. But dreams do not come to realization automatically, we must create movement in order to accomplish anything.

In fact, it takes hard work to achieve our goals and visions. You have to actually get up and do something about it. Talking about those goals will only result in talk.

• Goals without actions are only scraps of paper.
• Goals with actions will produce results in your life.

So once you start making movement on your goals, make sure you have one or two people that will keep you accountable to working on those goals. These are people that can offer advice, keep reminding you and also give you encouragement. Without accountability, we will fall prey to failure.

Secondly, do not try to accomplish your goal in one gigantic step. It is impossible to lose 100 pounds of weight in one week. It happens in smaller steps of one, five, or ten pounds at a time. If you are wanting to walk a thousand miles, it starts with mile one.

Lastly, mark off each small step as a successful accomplishment along the way. Remaining positive in spite of setbacks that may occur is important. Reward yourself appropriately with each success and keep your attitude positive along the way.

By following these simple steps, there will be success in your life. The object is to have your best life. Getting to that point will take a lot of little steps in your journey. Now that you have written the destination (goal) on a piece of paper, it is time to get up and put it into action.

Enjoy the journey, enjoy the success and stay inspired my friends.

That Old Car

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." -Greg Anderson

Recently one of my boys left Phoenix, Arizona on a car drive back to Atlanta, Georgia. The vehicle he is driving leaves me somewhat suspect but adventure was on his mind. He had choices and decided that driving back in his marginal car would be just fine.

I can remember in my younger years that I would have probably embarked on a similar journey. Adventure and possibility were the driving factors in doing what older people may have considered differently. Now, I am one of those older people.

I'm not certain when I lost a bit of that adventure and invincibility. But I work on it daily and push myself to understand that possibility exists at any age. The road ahead can be as long and far as we want it to be. No matter the distance, what really matters is what happens along the way.

Your own journey will look different from others. You will encounter many different sights, sounds and circumstances. The important thing to know is that a journey can be started at any time, any place or any age. Don't limit yourself just because the timing isn't perfect or you have a sub-standard car. Just get up and start moving down the road.

The scenery you encounter will be the most important part of where you are headed. The destination may be the ending point where your goal exists, but how you get there is the exciting part. Enjoy the journey, enjoy the possibility and crank up that old engine and get moving.

Stay inspired my friends.

Rolling It Up The Hill

This week we are sharing some older posts that received attention by many of my readers. Here is one from July 28, 2010 titled "Journey Onward".

"The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success." ~David Sarnoff

In Greek mythology Sisyphus was a king whom was punished by being made to roll a huge rock up a hill, only to watch it roll back down. He repeats this throughout eternity.

The shear will to keep performing this task has many different meanings but maybe it is in the struggle itself towards greatness that is enough to fill your heart. In other words, maybe it is the journey that should be enjoyed.

We persevere throughout our life to reach a goal, dream or final destination in life. What we fail to do many times is to enjoy that wide spectrum of activity between starting and achieving. It can be in the doing of life that provides us with the most enlightenment and enjoyment.

The achievement itself is wonderful but many times it simply becomes another step to something even greater. The journey continues beyond the achievement and it is perseverance that will keep us moving forward.

Enjoy your journey and persevere throughout the process which will be difficult at times. Achievement will only be temporary, the real reward is in the journey itself.

Peachtree Roadrace Finish

"Finishing races is important, but racing is more important." -Dale Earnhardt

It was a particularly warm and muggy day to be running in the 42nd running of the Peachtree 10K Roadrace. This race is held each July 4th and is an Atlanta tradition. With over 60,000 runners, the heat pushed the tempo down for the regular runners but the elite runners always finish in fast style.

What I like about the roadrace each year is the excitement leading up to the start. You work your way into your starting section and wait patiently for the staggered start. You meet new people, you see people from previous runs and you see the mass of people out there in front of you. You also know that a mass of people are behind you as well.

This running race reminds me alot about life and the paths we choose to take. One could argue that the 6.2 miles of asphalt in front of us is the journey we are travelling. The START line is where we choose to begin, filled with excitement and expectation. Everyone around you are encouraging, all knowing that the FINISH line is at the end of the course.

We begin and things go very smoothly as this course starts on a short slope downward. The elevation then deceives you. After the first block you begin a slow uphill run for the first mile. It can quickly take the 'fun' out of the journey. The first water stop refreshes you and you catch a breath.

For the next two miles its a long descending stretch and things are going pretty well. Life is pretty good and you're feeling that the FINISH is going to come quicker then first anticipated. Yet life has a way of jumping in the way. The next one-half mile is called Cardiac Hill, a rise of one-hundred ten feet that takes its toll. Appropriately Piedmont Hospital lay at the top of this hill.

The remaining miles are what you would expect. Upward, downward, upward and again downward. The course toys with your mind and body; that is if you let it. I will definitely say that when you come down that gradual slope of 10th Street to the FINISH line, there is no greater view.

There are people lining the streets, cheering you on, encouraging you and helping you with shouts to pass under that sign. From START to FINISH, those people are there along the course of our lives. We may not always hear them. We may become so focused on the run and ignore the chants and cheers.

Yeah, I would pretty much say it isn't strictly the FINISH that matters in life. A goal achieved, a vision caught or a journey completed is a great and enduring thing to hold in one's hand. But the journey getting there is just as important.

Meeting a few of the 60,000 people along the way, seeing the costumes and hear the music matters. Waving to those ringing the cowbells or clapping in return for the encouragement matters. Stopping to shake the hands of those in wheelchairs come out to cheer you on, it matters.

To live the race, your journey is as important as the finishing. Don't miss any part of it even though the course may try to take it away from you. Know that the journey will be tough at times, but also know that there will be so much missed if you ignore what is along the side of the road.

From START to FINISH, there will be things not quite so enjoyable. But those moments will be great if you allow yourself to experience the great things along the way. Run the race of your life. Reach out towards the FINISH line. But enjoy the race as well.

Your Journey

"Cross country skiing is great if you live in a small country." -Steven Wright

How you get to your destination in life can take many different forms. The road may be smooth or muddy. The wind might blow in your face or carry you in its arms. It is impossible to predict what type of journey it will be.

The point is to carry on with your journey. Make a choice to pursue your dreams, your visions, and your goals. How you get there is how you live your life. Know that you will never get there by allowing grass to grow long and tall around your feet.

So instead of standing still, I write this blog and books. Attitude in Words, Changed Lives, and Live the Journey were never meant to change the world. They were meant to energize my journey and help chart a course of advice for my children. The pleasant surprise became the impact my journey has had on other people.

The wake of our own life spreads to others far beyond what we would expect. That is what I find so amazing about our lives. The road we take to reach some destination is filled with all sorts of surprises. Some of those things will be (simply put) absolutely rotten. Other encounters will be truly delightful.

No matter what type of circumstances you encounter on your own journey, enjoy and learn from each of them. Holding regret and pain only keeps you in one place. It prevents you from moving forward to a new and better place for your life.

And while I am not the most inspirational or motivational person, I am a person that wants myself, my family, my friends and you to have a great life. It may not be the life you first envisioned, but it will be your best life.

Keep moving forward, whether it be in the old broken-down jalopy or cross country skiing across a very small country; your journey is and will be amazing.

Beyond the Headlights

"It's like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." ~E. L. Doctorow

Any journey in life can begin with planning, lots of planning. You can make plans over and over again "til the cows come home." Yet, once out on the road to your dreams, there will be unknowns that arise in the distance. There is only so much or so far that you can see down the road of your life.

Not knowing what lay beyond the gate or around the next curve doesn't keep you from continuing. The boldness in your heart keeps you moving forward toward the destination. With each successive minute, mile or accomplishment, your confidence grows in strength.

It is almost a certainty that circumstance will create obstacles along the way. As you crest one hill, you may find the valley below flooded. It may delay your progress but do you sit along the shore waiting for the water to subside? Or do you build a boat and continue?

You may never see all that lay before you, but do not let that uncertainty keep you from moving forward. As Doctorow said, "You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

Yes you can. "Live the Journey", which is your life. Keep moving, keep dreaming and achieve it.

Fast Forward

“Wouldn't it be nice if our lives were like VCRS, and we could "fast forward' through the crummy times?" ~Charles M. Schulz

There was a wonderful movie a few years back called Click that was described by IMDb as "a workaholic architect finds a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Complications arise when the remote starts to overrule his choices."

The reviews were a bit harsh about the film, but the underlying lesson was actually pretty good. I won't spoil the film for you but the idea of having a remote control with a fast forward (FF) button is probably intriguing to you. It is likely that each of us probably wish we could FF through various parts of our lives.

There were times for me when going through divorce, the deaths of a sister, mother and brother that I might have wanted to FF through at the time. Its a selfish thought for sure and in retrospect, I am glad that I couldn't push that button on my life.

For you it might be the same things or even events of lesser degree. Maybe an upcoming test at school, job interview or tax season. There are so many things we would probably grab the remote control and press FF if it were possible. But then look at what you would miss out on.

Through death and the events surrounding it, we learn about our faith and strength. In sitting with my mother before she died I spent seven wonderful days with family and hearing her stories. When my brother passed away, I had the opportunity to see what a fantastic life he had built for himself. Even in divorce I learned more about myself then I had ever known previously.

I wouldn't be so bold as to say the experiences were or are easy. Yet life isn't always easy. Things happen, circumstance occurs, life just gets in the way of those smooth sailing plans we make. Every experience is something to cherish and hold onto. Yes, even the heartbreaking ones.

A FF button for your life may seem like the quick and simple solution. But look at all you will have missed. Life flows much too quickly as it is. A quick paced river flowing from its beginnings in Gougane Barra to where it empties into the Cork Harbor is your life. The vast eternity of the Atlantic Ocean awaits its end. Yet we need to enjoy every part of the river's journey.

Put down the remote control and leave that FF button unused. Enjoy the ups and downs and even boring parts of your life. The journey is your life. Live each and every part of it.

First Interview

"Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music." ~Ronald Reagan

To start out the new year, I was honored to be interviewed by WEEKEND EDITION host Rick Probst on Atlanta radio station WNIV-970. This past Saturday, January 1 the segment aired. Wow, what a way to start the year.

My first real interview, a bit nerve racking, but Rick made it a great experience. Maybe the first of something new, taking those first steps into something greater. So thanks to modern technology, I present to you the interview in its full length.



Its January of 2011 ... so get it started folks. There is a lot to do and a lot of life to live.

Live the Journey

Over the course of our lives, there are the naysayers that enter into our world. Those are the people that seem to always be negative and have a negative effect upon your life.

Why not try getting around some positive people that will lift you up? Why not try some encouragement? Why not read some stories that will inspire you along your journey to a great life?

My newest book, LIVE THE JOURNEY is a roadmap of stories to help guide you. Every day it will inspire you to take one more step.

If you believe in achieving a great life, then act upon that belief. You can and will realize your best life. LIVE THE JOURNEY can change the way you think about yourself, your life and those around you. Live the journey of a great life and find out just how much you really can achieve.

Live the Journey

I'm pleased to announce that my third book titled "LIVE THE JOURNEY" has entered into publication. More information and availability along with a promotional video will be coming soon. Thanks to everyone that have supported me. "LIVE THE JOURNEY" can help change your life as you seek your best life.

Cheers To Your Journey

"Is fhearr fheuchainn na bhith san duil." ~Irish saying

Translation: It is better to try than to hope.

We each live our lives the best way we know how. Today there are students at a bible school that are headed out on The Journey. It is a program that will help them discover more of whom they are. Each knows that there will be difficult obstacles to overcome this weekend, but each knows that there will be great mountains achieved as well.

The journey of life itself provides different outcomes for different people. Each of us will find something inside that either we didn't know existed or were too afraid to let out. But isn't that really what all of our lives are about? Isn't our own journey about getting beyond our fears and concerns in order to get on with a greater life?

The potential in each of us exists and yearns to be released. We can sit silently, hoping that the greatness comes to us. All the while the greatness is inside waiting to be let out.

As the Irish say, "it is better to try then to hope." So let go and make movement in your life. Get out on your journey to greatness and "Slainte" (cheers) to you as you live the journey which is your life.

Journey Home

Phil Richards - Long Journey Home

"When we are sure that we are on the right road there is no need to plan our journey too far ahead. No need to burden ourselves with doubts and fears as to the obstacles that may bar our progress. We cannot take more than one step at a time." ~Orison Swett Marden

When we start out on a path towards something new and exciting in our life, it appears a thousand miles long. We even wonder if we are on the right path at all. The questions cloud our mind and cause us to second guess our ability to even proceed.

It is a cruel trick we play on ourselves that is called self doubt. Self doubt is the "ball and chain" attached to our life that prevents us from proceeding with the journey. It slows us and attempts to hold us in one place, never to find what is at our journey's end.

You can rid yourself of this self doubt and continue your travel. But the path may create indecision when a crossroads appears before you. Now you have to make a decision to go left or go right. Do I take the well worn path or the road less taken? Indecision will try to stall you and keep you from moving forward. But you can overcome it by simply choosing and taking on your decision with excitement of the unknown.

We all learn eventually that our journey of life is pretty much an unknown. It is how we choose to travel along the path that will dictate if it is an enjoyable or miserable one. And our paths are so different from each other, we have to love our own path and not covet the other.

When we finally settle into our journey of life, the excitement of where it will end up is replaced by excitement of the journey itself. At that point, we come to realize that the journey is really a journey home. Whether 999 miles remain to be traveled or only a single mile, enjoy every step along the way. Know full well that home awaits you.

Begin to enjoy the travel, step by step, mile by mile to the journey's end.