As you’re reading this, I’ll be in the final 48 hours of being 49 and coming off a weekend of celebrating turning the Big 5-0. (At an acceptable physical distance, of course)
Part of the magic of being born at the start of a decade is the way milestone birthdays seem to occur in unison with the world. I’m sure each of us sees our birth year as special, but I’ve always felt a little bit of pride being a “decade baby”.
Unfortunately, many of those milestone birthdays were witness to my world being in turmoil, turned upside down by demons largely of my own creation. It was as if I wasn’t capable of dealing with the realities of my life as each of these milestones occurred – driven mostly by self-limiting beliefs and the relative lack of worth I placed on my life in the time in between, regardless of the professional success I was having.
Needless to say, memories of those birthdays are not fond ones.
I always wondered as a kid what the year 2020 would be like as I was turning 50. As I imagined what seemed like an eternity of time from then, I was struck by the oddness of the repetitive nature of the year as a number so for some weird reason I always held the idea that this year and this birthday would be special.
Needless to say, this was not the prophecy I was expecting.
Somehow it seems sort of fitting that yet another milestone finds me in turmoil. Fortunately, 2020, while the most bizarre and in some ways saddest of years does find me surrounded by turmoil, changes I’ve made these last ten years have liberated me from turmoil of my own creation so much that what I’m dealing with today is mostly comprised of people counting on my thoughts and actions to help them defeat their own demons. I’m a trusted advisor to many and it’s largely the result of my willingness to share my own journey that people trust me to help them succeed.
These last 10 have been the BEST 10 years of my life. I’m happy with myself as a person, a father, a husband, a son and as a contributing member of an expansive, diverse and caring group of friends from all over the world. We’ve explored the world as a family and been witness to experiences I will never forget and because of all of you, I’ve learned the real value in life is sown inside your relationships. Show others you care and they will return the favor back to you tenfold. Ohana is a word I hold dear – the Hawaiian concept of family is foundational to my values.
Thanks to our current public health threat, I’ve had the opportunity to dig into the work I really wanted to do, and thanks to some great planning and fantastic teamwork, we’re seen by many as being a go-to partner to get businesses back up and running. Had I not found a way out of creating and fighting all those past demons, I wouldn’t be able to say that, and it’s that knowledge that has me jump-out-of-bed excited every day to dig in to the work we’re doing, even in what is a phoenix of an economy not yet risen from the ashes.
Unless something drastic happens, I can’t envision the next 10 years being anything less than amazing and I look forward to sharing the road with all of you, for each of them.
I leave you with lyrics from a song recently released by one of my favorite song writers, American Aquarium’s B.J. Barham. B.J. always writes songs that hit me right in the heart, and I have to admit the first time I heard him sing these verses I broke down in tears, as I couldn’t identify more with the sentiment of having people around you willing to support you, even when you don’t always deserve it. Cheers!
I'm as solid as a redwood
She's standin' by my side
Got the patience of a sunset
Her last nerve's a mile wide
So last Sunday after supper
I asked her why she stays
She said, "I ain't gonna be just another song
About walkin' away"
'Cause I'm in it for the long haul
I'm here until the work's done
I ain't ever been the kind of guy
That's gonna cut and run
So we'll pick ourselves up
Every time we fall
Honey, I'm in it for the long haul
Yes, I'm in it for the long haul
Roger has spent 20+ years making complex concepts more understandable for both buyers and sellers alike, and has devoted the majority of his recent career to injecting purpose via philanthropy to his sales and marketing efforts. He’s intent on making the world a better place and his nirvana exists at the intersection of Mission, Passion, Profession and Vocation. He loves the outdoors and seeks memorable experiences whenever possible. Contact Roger at roger@socialgoodpromotions.com or 810-986-5369.