I'VE MESSED UP!

It’s still early in this new year and as such I am still putting various pieces of my plan for 2012 and beyond into play. Some of you may know that I just turned 50 this month; so as you can imagine, I really want get things together you might say. Well in doing so, I came upon a startling and jarring realization… that I have - MESSED UP! That’s right, I have - MESSED UP!

Well those of you who know me might be saying, “Whatta you mean Jaymes, you’re a good person. I don’t think you’ve messed up!” Well let’s take a look at where I am and what has been going on in my life. In the last six years, how much money have I saved and invested. The answer is Zero! In that area, I have - MESSED UP!

How many books have I read in the last 90 days. The answer is Zero! I call myself a reader and a life-long learner, but my answer is Zero! Wisdom of the world available, change my life, change my future, develop any skill I want, earn the kind of income I want, have all the treasures I want, all the equities I want, the relationships with family and friends that I want, and the wisdom of the world to get it, yet I haven’t read any books in the last 90 days! I have – MESSED UP!

In the last six months, how many classes have I taken to improve my skills or to develop new ones…to go for the dream, to become healthy, wealthy, powerful and influential. My answer is Zero! I have - MESSED UP!

Here is my life-changing lesson - I didn’t need to un-mess the country. I didn’t need to straighten out the perplexed. I didn’t need to do any of that stuff. All I needed to do was look within and let results teach me a great deal about my own activity, my own attitude and my own philosophy. I only need to make progress, to have results.  Life simply asks us to make measurable progress in reasonable time!

Well what does that mean? A perfect analogy that Jim Rohn once used was to ask the question - How many years would you expect your child to remain in the fourth grade – approximately? One, right. And if you discover that he or she is behind on that schedule then you will probably take action including applying legitimate pressure to help move them along. And how will you know that your child is behind on their time table of one year? You check their progress…through parent-teacher meetings, report cards, homework assignments and the like.

Just the same, to know if we are making measurable progress in reasonable time, we have to check. Some things we have to check fairly often, perhaps every day, some things we have to check at least by the end of the week. Doing so regularly gives you your results; giving you an indication that you can celebrate progress (your results) or that it’s time to fix what needs to be fixed in your philosophy, attitude, and activity -called discipline. That’s where the lesson in life-change comes in.

Now, I will share with you that just about two weeks ago, I began reading a new book. Also later this week I am scheduled to begin taking classes that will broaden my skill set. And in my budget for next month, there is an allowance for savings. So if I strrreeeeccchhhtttt the truth, I could have made pretend that my activities had been different; but then my results would have given me up!

Besides, what I need is to face my truth. It says in ancient text, that the truth will set you free…free to amend your errors and pick up new disciplines. My first truth is that I am broke…(when you read  it, don’t cut it off; elongate it…I am brokkkeee!) Wait, that’s not the whole truth…I am 50 and broke! But there’s more…I live in America, I’m healthy, I’m intelligent, I’m creative, I’m talented, I have all my faculties and I’m 50 and broke! Somewhere, something went wrong. I MESSED UP!

So the only intelligent thing to do would be to fix what I have messed up. Now I am obviously doing this in a public forum. The reasons are that I have tried my hand at success over the years without any real accountability; and least I be insane, attempting the same thing over and over again, I now invite in as much accountability as my influence allows. The second reason that I have chosen to make this journey public is so that I may invite all who want to, to join me.

So whether you are encouraging me by holding me accountable or you are joining me on this journey, if next week comes and you don’t hear from me, I hope to hear from you.  

Peace,

Jaymes