Can there be any other way to open up Episode One of a blog based on a Christmas Carol with other than Bah, Humbug! We have probably all heard someone use this expression in some way, manner or form, right?  Don’t we all understand what is meant when you say Bah, humbug? This seems to be a perfect saying when we want to express extreme contempt for something or maybe to utterly dismiss something.   

Cranky, cantankerous, soleless, sour, odious, and generally just unhappy is how most people see Ebenezer Scrooge. I will save my vision of him for a bit later but for now I will agree that these terms all describe Scrooge. From the limited perspective we are provided, we can only assume Jacob Marley was of similar ilk. We know birds of a feather flock together.  How would people describe you? We will touch on this subject in a future episode so put this in the back of your mind to ponder.  It is a generally well held belief that we become similar to those we associate with. That is why all the life coaches and self-development books tell you to look around at who you spend time with. If you are the smartest, the richest, the fastest… then who are you going to chase and who is going to be your role model and target?  Bah Humbug… we all find ourselves in a bad place at some time. That is not an issue. The challenge is to learn how not to stay there and how to move forward to a better place and that is the aim of this blog.

This Week’s Talk

We have to start our journey together someplace so I decided it seems to make the most sense to understand that starting is the hardest part for most people.  There are always excuses about no time, no money, don’t know the right people, don’t have the skills…Among the life lessons I have learned, the following one and its derivatives have really stuck with me. You have to begin with the end in mind. If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.   Avoid as many dead ends and wasted trips down bumpy rut strewn roads as possible. The journey is long and there is no reason to make it longer by not having a clear destination in mind.  It doesn’t matter where you start, just start and start with an end goal in mind.   Remember that much of success comes from just showing up… and a balance of inspiration and perspiration.

For me, I have discovered that the real joy is the journey not the destination. Not just the journey but the whole process of planning, pondering, imagining, getting energized by new goals and discovering a new part of being me. The destination will just be a resting spot until you chose a new one. Life is like most plane trips today. You have to have connecting flights. There is a destination but there are stops along the way.  Most of us don’t know what we are really capable of but if we start moving toward something we are sure to at least be closer than if we didn’t do something. Always keep moving. 

As part of this lesson you will do well to remember, the end does not justify the means. Translated, how you get there will speak loudly of you, so tread carefully. Begin with an end in mind. The clearer you know what you want to achieve, the easier and faster it is to get there. 

This Week’s Assignment

This week, your assignment is to think about what your end game is… make sure it really is YOUR end game. Not what you should do. Not what society, your family, wife or friends want for you. What do YOU want for you?

See you next week.