The Journey is the Destination
February 20, 2011 § 2 Comments
Love the life you live and live the life you love.
The process of announcing that we are going to “sell everything and move to Bali” has brought us full circle to where we are in our lives. We have changed our minds!
Here is what has changed.
The first week of January Chelsea went to Dallas for a conference for her work. She returned home with unbridled enthusiasm for what she does. Her feelings of passion for her business was nothing new. However the realities of the conflict of our unfolding plan and her hearts joy in her entrepreneurial endeavors began to emerge. Her business would need to be surrendered if she was strike off in this new direction.
Two large realities began to dawn on us: 1) Cashing out, selling everything might bring us less flow then we may have hoped for 2) The cost of living in Bali for 1 year including Green School fees would be more than we had originally accounted for.
Along the way to this idea for change I jumped in to a few books to generate some concept of business without borders. Asking the question “What would I do, if I did not do what I do?” Was a fun a stimulating mental exercise. Here is what I found myself responding with:
- I would seek to develop some type of personal coaching business.
- I would focus on my speaking and teaching interests.
- I would focus on my writing and write a book.
- I would merge these items together and build a business.
I then leaped through some interesting books, blogs and authors.
- Jonathan Feilds - Career Renegade
- Ev Bouge - Minimalist Bussiness
- Leo Babauta- Zen Habits
- Gary Vaynerchuk – Crush it!
- Seth Godin - Linchpin
As I have gone through this awesome stream of writing and inspiration I found my heart bringing me full circle to my current career path. I had made the announcement to my Real Estate team (my family) that I was taking this sabbatical. Yet at the same time my study of writing and entrepreneurialism had brought me in front of some really exciting concepts that I want to merge with our Real Estate business.
This last month I have then created and poured myself into a new Real Estate blog I’ve created called www.RamageGroup.TV. This has lightened my written entries on this site and I have made submissions on that site my “Most Important Task”. Perhaps at some level it provided me an outlet to log all the knowledge and passion I have for Real Estate before setting it aside for a period of time. But what has happened is that it has just set on fire my joy for this family business, celebrating that I am doing something that I really love.
There are also roots to our idea for change that we need to address in a more concentrated way. If we’ve had dissatisfaction about our financial habits and the consumer cycle that we live in “sell everything and move” doesn’t really go to the root of that issue. It is potentially a bit of an easy way out and does not force us to look at the underlying issue. Learning to live on less, take the clutter out of our lives and not spend more than we make is something that is best done in the context of what we do. Certainly if I do desire to grow into a personal coaching role and some point in my life the financial category is perhaps the one place I really have left to learn first hand.
In the background of all this other stuff there is this peculiar fact that I have been told that I am going to require a liver transplant. It is this strange gift that has stirred me to eagerly pursue life and look to leave nothing off the table. Weve been told if there are even minor medical situations that arise in Bali one might be better off flying to Singapore then subjecting themselves to the troubled medical system in Indonesia.
The door to speaking and teaching has opened for me much closer to home and a Jr High School a few minutes walk from where I live. I was certified as a volunteer teacher for the Impact Society . A group that teaches youth in public schools about building positive self-esteem and self-image. Developing what I would term emotional intelligence and cultivating success in youth. I have participated in four classes now and have really loved every minute of it. This outlet has really satisfied for me a desire to share what I am most passionate about and to have the privilege to do so in a classroom setting with young people is awesome!
What lies ahead? We really do not know. I’m thinking about trying to be a car free Realtor for a month just to make statement about our dependence on automobiles. Connecting my desire to be “green” with what I do. I’ve met some Green builders and I imagine energizing business, not for profit but for passion. I want to visit Green School but I’m not about to say that we are going to live there for a year anytime soon. Right now I am interested in running barefoot, tree climbing and Parkour style free running. I basically want to kick ass in Real Estate and be a good Dad
I’m glad that you figured all that out without even leaving the country!
I wholeheartedly agree with your thought process and decision. Well done and go Team Ramage!
Great BLog Lucas. This was my first visit.
Your writing is a great read, and your self awareness
is both refreshing and inspiring. Seth Godin is a favorite author of mine. I highly recomend his blog.
The idea of a car less realtor is genius, and newsworthy…do it!
Dez