What is in your back pack

I am out of here, adios my friends, and peace out as you kids would say. I have had it with my lack luster career life and the time has come. Before starting to write my blogs my head felt that I had nothing to say nor did I feel that anyone would read my stuff. Well being a person who every once in a while needs a push (ok a good kick) I received that kick in the, well never mind, this week from Mike Faber. Mike is a professional speaker and he talks about leadership and has a book on it as well. He is also a member of the National Speakers Association and I met him at the Colorado Chapter. I can not tell you that the hour I spent with Mike (http://www.mikefaber.com/) and explaining to him how I was frustrated receiving job notices from people who wanted me to start my own insurance office. My heart is not into job searching day in and day out. Mike was wonderful at listening to what I want to do. What do I want to do? If you saw the movie “Up in the Air” with George Clooney as the character “Ryan Bingham” who travels the country firing people. Ok this is not what I want to do. Clooney’s character also does a side business as a speaker AND that my friend is what I have want to do. Mike was able to help guide me to creating baby steps to get my goal started.

The next phase is to start a business plan and set some goals for me. For example get in front of groups no matter how small but get speaking and practicing. Another part to this is my branding and no not the type that is very hot and hurts. I am talking about naming the business and starting a website. I have a simple idea that I want to use so please stay tuned for that. Please understand that this IS going to happen.

I am still going out on job interviews (as few as they have been coming in) and with that there are two lessons I learned that I want to share with you. The first lesson is to bring your “A” game everyday of your life. Here is my example I want to give you (someday this will cost you) for free. I am a person who usually over prepares for job interviews and not saying that is a bad thing but I enjoy bring; writing examples, Power Point’s I have created, and recommendation letters. I did not bring my “A” game yesterday and part of the reason was that my mind set was more of a sensation of not feeling a awareness of positive energy from the company. I had a phone interview set for a specific time and the person was 15 minutes late for the call along with no apology. Maybe I am picky about common courtesy. However I did get a face to face interview and as I was sitting there I was thinking that my examples would have been great to of had with me, not to impress but more of a point to show professionalism.

The second life lesson of what I learned about myself yesterday is simply, my passion right now (even not bringing income) are my blogs and the potential of having my own speaking business. I get a sort of giddiness when I was at the Colorado Chapter of the National Speakers Association because I am in a ballroom with people who are doing what I want and will be doing. This is my point to you and that is WHAT IS YOUR PASSION? I am sure you have heard this question many times and that is “What job do you want to do if you did not get paid to do it?” Friends we need to take back ownership of our lives and this is the day to do it because tomorrow never comes. Think about what you rather should be doing and write down the “How’s” of getting there. Find people who are doing the thing you want to DO. Look on the web, go to the local library, attend meetings, network, but stop wishing and find your true passion. I am going to tell you or I guess more of a warning to you and very soon I am going to ask for your help. I know there are business clubs, social clubs, or even a family event and what ever it is I want to speak at your events. I want to show you in person my passion and motivation to be who I was meant to be in THIS life time. Please think about this and let me know how I can be a part of a group meeting you will be having. Please contact me and really let’s help each other out. You can contact me at: thomasmaloneyjr@yahoo.com Operators are standing by, ok not really but you never know.

Right now I am going to take some poetic licensing and if you have seen the move “Up in the Air” you will get it. You have a back pack, and in the back pack there are all of the reasons why you can’t or won’t follow your passion. What is in there? Look in the back pack and stick your hand in it, reach in and pull out the first excuse, look at it. You now have two choices of what to do with that so called excuse; First place it again into the back pack OR throw it away, so what is it going to be? Keep reaching in and keep picking out excuse after excuse and when you are finally done “What is in your back pack?”