Monday, April 8, 2013

Passion PArty # 481- A Sense of Adventure


It has been almost four years since I began pulling myself up from the depths of the “mortgage meltdown”.
And it has been 5 years since I took a major vacation.
So next week I leave for a 12 day trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos.
We are doing a hiking “adventure travel” trip.   Adventure travel is the fastest growing sector of the travel business.
Whenever we get an email update from our tour company they always close with “Make sure you bring your sense of adventure!”

So as I look at the mortgage world today,
I realize that I am in the adventure travel business:
You have to be flexible and open to change.
There’s always something new around every corner.
The itinerary might say we are going to fly, but be ready to get on a boat instead.
You plan for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Before the trip is done, you are bound to experience something you never thought would happen.
There may be turbulence, but as long as you stay in your seat, you will get to the destination.  Just don’t jump up and start trying to fly the plane yourself!
And bring your sense of adventure!

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Passion Party #480 - Confidence Box

There are days when I get so beat up
 I begin to doubt myself
my knowledge turns to dust
I get defensive, angry and ready to quit.
 
I feel like a faker,  a fraud,
and I lose any sense of self-worth.
 
At times like this I need my Confidence Box .
Hidden in the back of a drawer is an old cigar box
filled with mementos -
my back-stage pass from when I was a touring rock 'n' roll musician
the gold ring my Dad gave me
A picture of the Dodge Van that brought me to California
a picture of my wife and kids
my largest paycheck
a photo of me playing music with world-class musicians
a list of upcoming vacations for the year
the photo of me hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, fit and healthy
Small photos of my mentors and heroes (Charles Ives, Lincoln,  ...)
Thank you notes from home buyers that I have helped
a list of the 10 things I most want to do before I die
 
And suddenly, life does not seem so bad
this too shall pass
my worth in confirmed.