Do You Really Want It?

"If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way.  If you don't, you'll find an excuse."

This quite has been attributed to a few people, however I'll give credit to Jim Rohn, who is credited with saying this the most.

Before

After

In 2014 I made a trip to Peru where a friend and I spend 2 weeks riding and exploring the Andes Mountains.  By the end of the trip our riding boots were coated in dirt and dust from the ride and they needed cleaned before packing them up for the trip home.  We headed to one of the business districts near where we were staying as a "fleet" of shoe shiners spend the day cleaning an polishing the shoes of business people and tourists alike.  The gentleman that began working on mine did so with enthusiasm and detail.  

During the "cleaning" we had a talk about how long he had been working and what he typically made in a day.  I found out he'd been shining shoes for over 25 years and his annual income was higher then the average resident of Cusco, including many educated professionals.

This gentleman knew what he wanted in life and found a way that many would outright reject to get it.  He seemed to love what he did and was quite willing to talk about it.  He was meticulous in his work as my boots hadn't looked this good other then when they came out of the box for the first time.

So when it comes to adventure or anything, for that matter, how bad do you really want it?

Les Gold - How Bad Do You Want It?

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Self-Help Books Work, But There's A Catch

Year after year self-help books are one of the top selling book categories.  Some people are helped, while most read the book they've purchased and throw it in the bookshelf or throw it away.  Many of those who are not helped will buy another self-help book and likely another after that searching for "THE ANSWER".  That's why self-help books keep selling.

The ironic part to all of this is that most, if not all, self-help books work and give "THE ANSWER".  The reason many people keep buying these books is because they're looking for a different solution, one that doesn't exist, one that's easy.

"THE ANSWER" that's described in most, if not all, self-help books requires the reader to do three main things.

The first is to decide on what you want.  This sounds easy, however it's the most difficult part of the process and many people drop out here.

The second is to take action and move toward what you want.  This takes effort, risk and opens the person up to criticism.

The third is to be grateful for the things you have and grateful for those around you.  As easy as this sounds, it takes more thought then you realize and this is why it works.

There is no easy fix, however by working on the three things above, with the help of the information in any self-help book, the results will happen.  All it takes is effort and time.

My favorite self-help books are "How To Stop Worrying And Start Living" by Dale Carnegie, which was first published in 1944, and "The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield.  Both have helped and continue to help me.

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker