Knowing Who You Are Changes Everything

I recently attended a meeting where men were talking about the struggles they have experienced in life. Nearly everyone in the room had dealt with a difficult time, and some of us have had several of them.

The more I attend these types of sessions, the more I realize I am not alone. There is no doubt that life has its ups and downs, and it is far better, at least for me, to be as prepared as possible for what is to come.

A middle-aged man said, “When I was in my 20s and even early 30s, I used to think I had everything figured out. I had a wonderful marriage, and we had three kids. Man … thinking back, we had enough money to pay our bills and even take vacations around the world. Wow!”

He continued, “At some point, however, I decided to be part of a group who liked to gamble. I myself was averse to this type of stuff, but I wanted to feel part of the group. Before I knew it, I was broke. Eventually, the financial strain caused big problems on my marriage, and now I’m stuck with every other weekend visitation for the kids.”

He concluded, “The only advice I can share with all of you is that knowing who you are changes everything!”

Knowing Who You Are

Back in the day, I used to officiate men’s collegiate basketball, and it became normal (and a habit) to go have a drink with the other two referees after every game. Prior to becoming an NCAA referee, I hardly ever drank alcohol.

Now, however, I was doing it after every game.

Why? I wanted to be part of the group. I wanted to belong.

Looking back at the person I was 30 years ago, I realize that I’ve always had choices. Today, it is imperative that my choices reflect who I truly am … and not what I must do to feel part of the team.

Simplify

As I observe men and women who appear to lead a happy and joyous life, I realize that most of them have figured out the secret to simplifying life.

Think about it … The most grounded people we know are no longer trying to impress anyone. They are 100% happy with who they are and where they are in life.

I have a friend who is a multimillionaire, but if you met him at a coffee shop or anywhere else, you would never know it. Knowing him, he would spend most of the time talking about you and not himself.

I once heard someone say the following about observing two people in conversation: “The person who is talking the least is the most successful of the two.”

?

My point here is that the experiences in life have shown me that I am far happier and a much better person when I know myself.

Regardless of the degrees I have earned and the business successes over the years, I need to remember my modest upbringing in Uvalde, Texas.

If I stick to practicing humility, loving others, and being a nice person, the rest of the stuff seems to take care of itself.

Homework Inquiry

During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: What is possible when you truly know yourself??