Maturity... Simplified.

This series is dedicated to showing how ridiculously simple life can be.  A direct opposing response to our desire to complicate things when it's completely unnecessary...

To be mature:

1. Hold yourself accountable for your actions, accepting all consequences.
2. Repeat. 

Simple.

Happy Father's Day.

My dad is one of my biggest inspirations.  He's been able to keep his business going for decades, putting in the time and effort necessary to make it successful.  Failure was never an option for him... and this devotion helped keep our family fed and sheltered.

He and I would butt heads all the time when I was growing up.  It's where I get my stubbornness from.  He taught me independence, self-reliance, and responsibility.  He provided guidance when I asked for it, and some structure even when I didn't.

Being Without.

And now... a haiku:

What is enjoyment

without the experience

of being without?

The Warrior Diet.

I like to get out of my routines.  I'll usually switch things up for a month so I can challenge myself and see if any drastic changes occurred.  This month... The Warrior Diet.  Don't worry, I'm not looking to lose weight... just changing up the way I eat.

The premise is simple.  I eat one big meal at the end of the day to satisfy all my food needs.  That's all.  It's pretty much fasting during the day, but I'm not starving myself since all my calories are being taken in at one time.

I'm on Day 2 right now... I'll keep you updated.

Turning 23.

I learned quite a few things this past year of my life.  To commemorate the occasion, I've decided to share 23 things for the 23 years I've survived.

1. Moving to a new location only changes the scenery... but it won't change who you are.
2. That being said... moving will give you new perspective and can open you up to things you weren't aware of before.
3. A degree is not a guarantee you will succeed, but a degree will give you the tools to succeed.
4. Money is not an end, but a means.
5. Owning a car is a luxury, not a necessity.
6. Spending less than you earn is essential to building wealth.
7. Investing in yourself doesn't always have to involve money.
8. The more you learn, the more you realize that there's not a lot you really know.
9. You can't lead without knowing how to follow.
10. You can't convince people through force.
11. You can't please everybody.
12. Giving yourself a chance to succeed can lead to good things.
13. You determine your own happiness.
14. Continual preparation and practice gives you the ability to handle things at the most pivotal moments.
15. Being a better listener makes you a better communicator.
16. Fulfilling your potential doesn't have to be defined by your career.
17. Developing hobbies is important in making you a more balanced person.
18. Maximize on your strengths.
19. Know your limits.
20. Creating your own path can be a struggle.
21. You can't have everything... but you don't need everything.
22. People will surprise you sometimes... for better or worse.
23. You can do all the planning you want... but you truly live through doing.

How Rich are You? (Link Love)

Do you want to know how rich you are in comparison to the rest of the world population?  Just type in your annual income at this page...

Reactions to the World Cup Opening Day

I was able to catch the first couple games this morning of the World Cup hosted in South Africa.  A couple observations:

1. South Africa is definitely an underdog.  I'm glad they scored the first official goal of the tournament (which was a terrific shot), but Mexico should have won that game.
2. Speaking of that game, the refs made a horrible offsides call on Mexico, taking away an easy goal that should have counted.  Momentum shifted... South Africa scores the first goal of the World Cup.
3. Uruguay put some heavy D up today.  Shutting out France shouldn't be an easy effort, but even down a player due to red card they played like they had more than 11 out there.
4. France looks unimpressive.  Seems like Nike may want its money back.  And bringing in Thierry Henry, your top player, off the bench... in the second half?  Wow.
5. Two games... two ties.  I watched the scoreless second game with a friend of mine who doesn't follow soccer.  I don't think these 2 games won over any new American fans.

US vs England tomorrow... hoping for a solid effort!

Accomplishing... Simplified.

This series is dedicated to showing how ridiculously simple life can be.  A direct opposing response to our desire to complicate things when it's completely unnecessary...

To accomplish anything:

1. Make what you want a priority.
2. Commit to doing what needs to be done. 

Simple.

Back to Nature...

Today was quite an experience.  I spent the day at a lake, renting out kayaks with a few friends.  It had been quite a few years since I had been to a lake... and I must say it was worth the trip.  A few faint clouds in the sky.... the sun providing a gentle warmth while the breeze guided us along the cool water...

There's a few things you can learn from paddling a two person kayak...

1. It's not how many strokes you can make... but the quality of each stroke.
2. Working together can be the difference between heading in the proper direction or spinning in circles.
3. A little sun and some fresh air on occasion is good for the soul.
4. Involvement in your environment is way more rewarding than observing it.

...Than This.

And now... a haiku:

There is more to it

than just a simple mundane

routine lifestyle.

There's More to It...

This past week I've had the privilege of home-sitting for a friend of mine.  He has everything that my parents' house has... big TV with a ton of cable channels and a home theater system, the latest video game systems and movie players, super-fast internet, a whole bunch of comfort food, etc.  Watching his stuff brought me back to the old life I lived growing up.

I was lucky to live in a middle class lifestyle, which I thought was normal.  What I learned was that if you work enough hours and make enough money, you can have these luxuries.  I strove to have this life when I became an adult, because it was the only one I knew.

Unstoppable (Link Love)

Came across this post a while back.  Very inspiring... Watch as Will Smith talks about his work ethic.