Decisions, decisions

This is turning out to be a pretty enlightening time in my life. Yet again I’ve been presented with information that has had a significant impact on my life.

Every now and then at work we are shown videos about such things as new products, commercials for products, or just important things that are happening within the company. Today we were shown an hour long motivational speech by Glen Beck. What I gathered to be the main focus of the speech was success and what determines it. He also spoke a great deal on how finding “who we are” and what we want is one of the main steps toward becoming successful. Beck used an interesting example of how this works. He started talking about quantum physics and the power that is contained within a proton. He talked about how the orbit of an electron is necessary to contain the proton’s power so that it doesn’t just increase and dissipate. Beck was talking about the fact that an electron has a very consistent orbit around the proton. Here’s where it gets interesting. He said that scientists know that this orbit is constant, but when looked at it isn’t. When looked at, the electron seems to be in erratic positions or not even visible. He said he didn’t really know the details or understand them and neither do I. Beck then proceeded to tell what the current best explanation for this strange observance is. Apparently the best explanation is that there must be parallel universes and that sometimes the electron is in ours and at other times it’s in one of these alternate dimensions. Beck went back by saying, and I’m paraphrasing, that when we don’t look at the electron it’s just doing its random thing, but then we look and it stops. He said that the whole universe is like that and that we can control it because of that. He said that when we really see a situation or opportunity, it locks into place. He said that when we know who we are; when we really look at an opportunity for success, it locks into place and we can then control it. This might not make much sense in the way I’ve told it, but it was really good coming from Glen Beck ^_^ That must be why he’s in radio and I am not ^_^

Another thing Beck said that I thought was really enlightening was about how we see ourselves and the significance of that. Beck talked about Moses on the Mount Sinai and his encounter with the burning bush. He talked about how when Moses realized the extent of what he must do he asked, who am I that I should do this and who shall I say sent me. In reply the Lord said, “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Glen then said that we have this problem of taking the Lords name in vain. He said that the Jews wouldn’t even write the name of God because they knew that the name itself had power in it. Beck said, “Don’t take the name of the Lord in vain. I am pathetic. I am useless. I am not successful.”

I found that this use of that title was very interesting. That whole idea had never occurred to me, but I agree with what Glen was saying. We all were created by God after his own image and we all have to potential to become like him. On top of that God’s own work is to help us achieve that potential. For us to degrade ourselves like that is in a way taking His name in vain.

Throughout these different topics Glen kept referring back to being successful. He mentioned many individuals who had tried and failed, but tried again and again until they were successful. He mentioned Thomas Edison as one. It is said that Edison tried over six thousand different carbonized plant fibers to use as light bulb filaments before he finally found something that worked. Beck also mentioned people who had been successful, but were shoved to their knees only to recover. Beck talked about how in order to be successful we have to find something that we want to do and do it. We have to take risks. If we fail, we must try again until we succeed.

The reactions that some of my fellow employees had to this video were interesting. One friend said, “Well there’s another hour of my life [our employer] has taken that I’ll never get back.” Others were just indifferent or just glad for an extra hour of “break time”. I really enjoyed the speech and was…well…motivated (interesting how motivational speakers can do that). At the same time however, I was also slightly discouraged. The speech got me thinking about what I want to do. I didn’t think of careers or anything, but other things I wanted to accomplish. One desire of mine really stood out, though. I want to buy a house. Not to live in myself, but to rent out. I’ve wanted to do this for about a year now. This desire is what came to mind when Beck was talking about taking risks to become “successful.” I’ve been pondering that all day today and it has been a little frustrating. It’s frustrating because I want to take the necessary risk, but am still afraid to. Isn’t that the exact idea that keeps most people from reaching their dreams? In order to buy the house I would of course need a loan…a large one. One that I’m afraid would cripple me if I were to fail. The frustration comes mostly from the fact that I know that the house would more than pay for itself, but I can’t afford to get to that point. If and that’s a big “if” I could get the property, get it ready, and get tenants in it within a month or two, I would definitely be fine with paying off the loan. If not, then it is very likely that I would be ruined financially. So…how/when will I be able to do take that risk? When will I be capable of surviving if the plan fails? It’s a little discouraging as I said.

With thinking about buying the house, I was thinking of alternate sources of income. I had a great idea for one yesterday that was shot down before it could get off the ground. That not being an option, I started thinking of other sources. What I’ve basically settled on at the moment is the idea of getting a second job - A part time job working Monday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. As I sit financially I’m getting by, but that’s about it. I’ve really not been able to save anything. Each time I think that I will be able to put some money away; I am hit with another expense. So as I said, I can get by with the full-time job that I have. With the part time job I would be able to save all of the additional income. I really like that idea, but I am unsure of where to find work. This town is not really helpful as far as income goes. There are jobs out there, but most are terrible - that is unless you enjoy working fast food, telemarketing, or door-to-door type sales. It’s hard.

I’ve had these different ideas today and as I said, it’s been a motivation, yet slightly depressing day. The ideas are there, but at the moment I am unsure of how to carry them to fruition. I do not yet know “who I am” as Glen Beck was talking about and I do not really know what I want to do, but I’m thinking about it.