Zoom, Focus, and....Inspiration!



A camera analogy.





Photography has been my own little hobby for about 11 years. I love the craft because many aspects of photography remind me of life: zoom in and out to change the perspective; fine focus for clarity; and 'snap', execute.

While spending quality time with family this holiday season, a gentle knudge of inspiration decided to pay me a visit. Why? I don't know. It just happens; kinda like the candid photography I am accustom to taking.

Ok. Ok. Let me try and put my thoughts together here...

ZOOM: 2006 has been a year of endurance and renewal. The first 9 months can be summed up this way: moving into a new house (the fruit of 4 years of planning); enduring long work hours, and working through borderline burn-out. The last 3 months: a second chance to re-group at work; small chunks of time off to re-think my intentions and career, and most importantly, quality time with family.

FOCUS: So now I understand much better what is working for me, and what doesn't work. Trying to be 'superman' is just not going to happen. Wanting to do everything at once is not the wisest route to go. The biggest sacrifice I gave was all my time. In the spirit of giving myself, I neglected to care for myself: I gained much of my weight I lost the previous year back, I did not make enough time to nurture my relationships with folks and I missed out on some learning opportunities. I did discover something toward the tail end of the year-my patience in persevering grew a bit stronger.

and now, it's time to take the picture...

EXECUTE: For 2007 and beyond, my new mantra is "no excuses." Period. I lost discipline in so many areas of my life, such as my own spiritual nourishment, fitness, and taking initiative. Not that I was ever super great at any of them before, but it's enough for me to realize that I have disappointed myself one too many times the past couple years. I learned in greater detail that if you want be taken seriously, you have to be serious about it first within yourself. No one will 'spoon feed' character, if I want to grow, I gotta WANT to grow.

I have never been a person of vision (except when I look through the view finder of a camera), and perhaps visioning is not my gifting. What I believe is my gifting, and what will partially help me in my continuing journey through 2007 is my patience and my perseverance. Beginning in 2007, I also want to learn to inspire people. When I look at all the friends I have and see how well they are doing, how genuine they are in character, the risks they take and how they work through their own trials, I get inspired. While there are many books that talk about inspiration and leadership...I personally think the best kind comes unscripted and is informal. So along those lines, this year I will begin taking the risks I think will help me be such a person...at least as best as I can be. If I can learn to be more encouraging and inspirational like some of the pictures I have taken over the years, I will have made a giant leap in the right direction.

As I turn 30 this year, I want to make it one of the most proactive years of my life. Specifically, these my goals (and in no particular order):

-study and take brokers exam
-study and take the GMAT
-attend ICSC (conference for retail real estate professionals)
-begin looking at graduate business programs
-look for a new opportunity to serve my community (church or non-church)
-fine tune my investment strategy
-READ more books (I'm such a slacker!)
-make dinner for small groups of friends periodically
-learn new dishes creations to cook
-get to 160lbs (or less...ha, ha..naw seriously, I think I can do it)

The time to capture the moment is always present. One blink you see it; one blink and it's gone. I hope and pray for a steady heart and willingness to take such risks. Some months ago, my pastor said something during a sermon that has rung in my ears ever since. He said (at that time, of our church; here I am applying the idea to my life) that there is no failure in trying-the failure is not trying. I can say for myself that I don't know what the outcome will be like for the risks I am preparing to take; but I won't know until I take that proverbial 'picture'.

Wow, when I look at the list above...YIKES! But you know what, the odds have always been against me since I can remember; and I am no where near giving up yet.

Here's to a New Year and to new possibilities!