Opportunity – Dave Glardon

It Ain’t Over Til the Fat Lady Sings

April 12, 2024April 12, 2024 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope you’ve had an incredible week.

We got lucky here in southern Ohio and had a spectacular view of Monday’s solar eclipse. It was just like the book said it would be … a shadow from the bottom-right slowly spreading across the sun until suddenly, it got almost dark, a good bit cooler, and eerily calm. Two minutes later it was over, and the moon continued its journey. And I went back to work, so the cycle is complete.

Two things stand out that I’ll never forget. First was the naked-eyed view of the corona at the point of totality. It was a clearly visible ring of light around the moon’s shadow – just a reminder that our sun was still there. The other was how much the sun lit the earth up to the point of totality. With even a sliver of sun still showing, it was full daylight. Simply amazing.

We never did see complete darkness. It was inspirational, in the sense that if the sun can continue to provide that much light when it’s completely covered, we’re in good hands. Clouds will come and go, but nothing can block the light completely. Even when it sets in the west for an evening of darkened slumber, we know it’s just waiting to peek through again from the other side.

Which, if you think about it, is pretty much the cycle of life. You go to sleep, you wake up. You cut your finger, it heals. The light turns red, then it turns green. There are more, but you get the point. Nothing in this life is permanent, and if you miss an opportunity, odds are it’ll come back around again. If only Mrs. Kellogg had felt that way about missing homework assignments. “It’s coming!”

For more than ten years, I’ve messed around with a business that could be much more profitable with just a little effort. Several times over the years, I’ve made a declaration: “This is it! Time to get busy! I’m serious this time!” Yet, here I sit with more potential than I can ever appreciate, and a stack of bills growing faster than my excuses. If only I could sell them. The bills, not the excuses.

But here’s the thing. The factors that led me to start a business in the first place are still there. The dream hasn’t faded, and the opportunity I was so excited about is still there, quietly waiting for me to get off my keister and do something about it. And I can do that today. I can choose to pick up where I left off and start chasing that dream. Thankfully, the dream is waiting, too. It knows I’m old to keep up.

Goals have an expiration date. Dreams don’t. And whatever means you found to make those dreams come true ten years ago is probably still valid today. You just have to make the decision and stick with it. And there’s no better time than the weekend to reflect on your dreams, solidify a plan, and put it into action. Not Monday morning or next week or next month – now.

Take time this weekend to reimagine your dreams and commit to achieving them. And if you don’t mind, take a moment to share those dreams with me. You may just light a fire under my butt.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day and an even better weekend!

Opportunity Knocks, But it Won’t Kick the Door Down

December 29, 2023December 29, 2023 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, folks! I hope your day is off to a great start.

Mine could be better, but that’s how it goes. The guy who NEVER gets sick woke up yesterday with an intense upper respiratory infection and, by the end of the day, testing confirmed Covid. I’ve had it twice before, but this one is absolutely the worst. No, I didn’t get the new vaccine yet. I was planning on it, but you know what they say about good intentions.

I’m not going to dwell on this. If it’s the worst thing that happens this year (you know, over the next two days), I’ve got it made. The only reason I mention it is to remind you all that vaccines are available, and this is a WHOLE lot worse than a sore arm. Not trying to tell anyone what to do, but I hope you’ll all give it some consideration.

We’ve talked a lot these past two weeks about not crawling into a grave before it’s time. Mostly, we talked about physical limitations and how we build them up in our mind. It’s hard to enjoy an active life when you hurt, and even harder when you convince yourself it’s worse than it is. Take it from someone who avoided energetic activities twenty years before he had a heart attack.

Another limitation has nothing to do with our physical condition, or our perception of it. In my business, I ask people all the time to dream a bit – make a list of things they’d like to do if money were no object. It’s amazing how quickly we all start to pare that list back, based entirely on our current financial resources. It’s almost impossible to see past the roadblocks right in front of us.

And when you press the matter further, they can all come up with a dozen reasons they’ll never have the money to do half the things they want. Born into a poor family, dead-end job, too many bills, no money to invest – the list goes on and on. And no matter how hard you try, some people just can’t accept the fact that every one of those challenges can be overcome with one thing – more money.

Yeah, I know. If earning more money would fix their problems, wouldn’t they be doing it? You’d think. But five years later, they’re still sitting there whining about their lot in life and how opportunity never knocks. Well, get a clue, knucklehead! It does knock, probably more than we think. But opportunity is not like a bill collector. If you don’t open the door, it moves on.

Take a few moments to think of all the times in your life you had the opportunity to increase your income. That may have been as simple as learning a new skill at work, applying for a new job, moving to a city with better opportunities, whatever. Do not … and I can’t stress this enough … do not try robbing banks. On the other hand, you don’t need a lot of money in jail. I’m just saying.

The point is we’ve all been faced with opportunities that we may have quickly dismissed or didn’t recognize in the first place. Most times, it’s just a mental block. “What would my friends say?” Are they paying your bills? “I don’t know anybody.” That’s a lie. You know me. “If it was that good, everybody would be doing it.” If you believe that, read these past few paragraphs again.

The new year is upon us, and resolutions are a traditional way to take our mind off the cold weather and mounting holiday bills. If you want to lose weight, you can. If you want to exercise, do it. And if you want to be able to afford those things you couldn’t until now, fix it. Will another year of doing the same thing magically turn things in your favor? Something to think about.

That’s all for now. Remember, the simplest ideas can often be the most profitable. Sometimes, it really IS that easy. You just have to take a gamble and put yourself out there. Have a safe & happy New Year!

It Ain’t Over Till the Fat Lady Sings

September 15, 2023September 15, 2023 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good afternoon friends! I know, I know … morning was gone several hours ago. But sometimes we do these things when we can, right? I sure hope you’re having a nice day.

Things change as we get older. I guess that comes as no real surprise to anyone. Prices go up, energy goes down, and music will just never be the same again. Can I get an amen? Sure, that’s just the short list. There are also plenty of aches & pains, but thankfully there are also plenty of doctor visits to discuss them. My diagnosis is pretty much the same. I’m old.

And it doesn’t help when the doctor’s advice is to slow down. Oh sure, they want me to be active. Walking, swimming, riding my bicycle, and things like that. Funny they never mention skydiving or happy hour. But, during all this activity, I have to keep my blood pressure under control, and my days of lifting heavy weights are over. Or, so says the doctor.

Now, it’s not like I ever lifted really heavy weights anyway. Even when I went to the gym on a regular basis, I kept it within reason. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. But to tell me I can’t pick up a bag of salt or bench press a running lawnmower is hard to handle. It’s like telling me to be less of a man. Worse yet, I have to watch younger people do these things for me.

I could cry about it, or I can do what I was going to do anyway – fight back. I may never be the nimble young stud I once was (stop laughing!) and my grandkids may have to climb into my lap on their own. Thankfully, they’re still willing to do that. Another thing about getting older – grandkids tend to outgrow their grandparents. That’s the hardest one to handle.

Equally difficult is looking back at all those missed opportunities and latent dreams. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled with my life, and there’s not much I’d change if I could. But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to roll over and just take whatever life throws my way. Besides, I’m the one who abused this body all those years. I’ve earned it.

But with every new day comes new opportunities. It may be the same old opportunities or something completely new. As a comedian, I always reminded people that we don’t stop laughing when we grow old – we grow old when we stop laughing. The same is true of opportunity, and life. But the sad fact is, too many people stop living long before they die.

As long as we have air in our lungs and food in our belly, we have the ability to enjoy a more complete and vibrant life. Yes, that vibrance may fade over the years, but it never completely goes away. It’s our ability to make the most of life, and those opportunities, that determines whether we spend our days living or wasting away. You already know my choice.

Give this some thought over the weekend. Just because you missed an opportunity once doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. And the fact that you can’t run as fast as you used to, or jump as high, doesn’t mean you’re bedridden. Life is what we make of it. Make yours count!

That’s all for now. Make the most of the day and have an awesome weekend!

How’s That Brick Wall Treating You?

January 20, 2023January 20, 2023 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope your day is off to a great start!

I went to work yesterday. You know, to the office. I haven’t been there in over three years. I had to program my GPS to even find the place. Most days, going to work means heading down the basement stairs. I spend my days ten feet from a refrigerator with 6 bottles of water and 42 bottles of beer. What could possibly go wrong?

In 2008, I asked my boss if I could work from home. He said, “Dave, the problem is, I’d be paying you for 8 hours, but I wouldn’t really know if you worked that long.” I told him he didn’t know that now. All he knew was my truck was in the parking lot and I was at my computer. Here’s a tip. Don’t say that out loud. The next day he installed a camera over my desk.

But along came 2020 and Covid left us with no choice. And with very few exceptions, we put the fears to rest and came out on top. Companies continued to grow. Profits were made and bonuses were earned. And we discovered we can still get the job done even if our pants are in the laundry. I’ve seen those videos. What’s wrong with you people?

The point is, we took a situation that could have been catastrophic and made the most of it. Giving up was just not an option. And, as a result, many of us continue to enjoy a work-life balance we would never have envisioned three short years ago.

So, where’s that sense of adventure when there’s something we want, something that’s not quite within reach? We’ll keep beating our head against the same wall for years instead of trying something new for even a day. And at the end of yet another year, we resign ourselves to the “fact” that what we want is just not possible.

Well, I’m glad my boss didn’t give up so easily. And I’m sure a lot of his trusted advisers gave him a dozen reasons why it would never work. But he put his faith in us, and we came through. Put that same amount of faith in yourself, and there’s not much you can’t accomplish. All it takes is a willingness to try something different, even if other people say it’s stupid.

Every challenge presents opportunity. And all opportunity asks is that we recognize it for what it is – a chance to make things better. Take the chance. Prove other people wrong. You may still miss your goal, but it certainly won’t be for lack of trying.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day and an even better weekend!

Why Would You Ever Want to Change?

January 2, 2023January 9, 2023 by Dave Glardon, posted in Motivational Humor, Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day (and your new year) is off to a great start.

I read a while back that if 2022 was a drink, it would have been a colonoscopy prep. Decaffeinated. Okay, I think they’ve said the same thing about every year since 1952. It’s normal to start the new year with an eye on change. For our health, for our finances, for our future. But most of all, because there’s something we want that we don’t have now.

It’s that vision of something better that drives us to make the necessary change. But when we put change first, we often miss the mark. Have you ever known anybody who changes jobs every time they do laundry? “Ready, fire, aim!” And we wonder why we keep coming up short.

The vision has to come first. We have to know what we hope to accomplish before we can figure out how to do it. And don’t ask the boss. They only have one answer. “Challenge yourself to excel every day!” All that means is he’s got his eyes on a brand-new boat and he needs your help to buy it.

No matter what, change is part of the formula. If what you’ve been doing all these years hasn’t gotten you where you want to be, another year isn’t likely to get you any closer. But change for the sake of change won’t get you there, either. It has to be part of a plan.

A good friend always said to have something you’ve never had you have to do something you’ve never done. I’ll take that a step further. To have something you’ve never had you may have to quit doing the same stupid stuff over and over and over. And habits are hard to change. We find comfort in the status quo, whether it’s good for us or not.

To grow, we need to step outside our comfort zone. We need to make the necessary changes and open our mind to those opportunities that are right there, just waiting to be discovered. And who cares if somebody else discovered it first? Best Buy didn’t invent computers and TVs. They just found a way to make money selling them.

Focus on your dreams first. Get a clear vision of what you want to achieve in the coming year, and then look for opportunities that can help you get there. Find one, and the changes you need to make will present themselves.

This is my wish for all of you in 2023 and beyond. Change is never easy, but it’s a lot easier when you have an overriding goal in mind. Focus on that goal, and the path will present itself.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

Are You Prioritizing Your Dreams?

April 1, 2021 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start.

It’s April 1, a national holiday for practical jokers and wannabe comedians. It’s a day when great deals really are too good to be true, and everything on the Internet is met with a little extra skepticism. And it’s the one day a politician’s word is as good as anybody else’s. I’m not sure that’s as good as it sounds.

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, April is a symbol of hope. Winter is gone (mostly), flowers bloom, and small animals abound. Oh, they were there before. But now we can see what they’re up to, instead of wondering how much insulation and wiring they’ve destroyed in hibernation. It’s a good thing squirrels are so cute. Besides, one is barely enough for a sandwich.

April is also the time when we start to think about getting started on those projects we dreamed up over the winter. I didn’t say we actually start them – just that we think about it. But Mom always said it’s the thought that counts. Come to think of it, my wife says that a lot, too. I’m beginning to think that’s just a tactful way of saying, “Nice try.”

Planning projects is easy. You dream it up, figure out what it would take to make it happen, and then start listing all the things that are standing in the way. “It’s too cold right now. As soon as it warms up, I’ll get started. As long as it doesn’t get too hot. But I’ll have to set aside time to do the taxes. And then there’s graduation and summer vacation, and then … well, I’ll get to it.”

We all have good intentions. And I’m told they come in real handy for paving the road to perdition. Several years ago, I tore down our backyard storage shed to make room for a new one. But in the process, I stepped on a rusty nail and my foot got infected and then it got too hot to work outside and then winter came and then … well, you get the picture.

It was a year before my grandson and I actually built the new shed, and that’s a personal best for me. Notice I didn’t say we finished the new shed – we built it. I still need to put on the front and rear trim pieces and install soffits to keep the birds out. But it’s reasonably weatherproof, and that was my goal five years ago. Get the lawnmower in out of the rain.

And we haven’t even talked about the missing baseboards from new flooring that I installed twelve years ago, the cracked vanity top in the bathroom, the new faucet we bought for the kitchen, or all the clutter in the basement and garage. I told my wife it’s the thought that counts. She said the same thing about dinner. I guess two can play that game.

Home projects are one thing. Sooner or later, they have a way of prioritizing themselves and eventually you don’t have a choice. But what about all those other things you wanted to do? That business you wanted to start, the trip you planned to take, or the book you’ve been meaning to write? Well, maybe this winter when there’s nothing better to do.

The longer we put things off, the easier it is to do. After a while, it just becomes routine. Dream it up, put it off … dream it up, put it off. The boss has this stuff figured out. They dream it up and set a deadline. Otherwise, nothing would ever get done. Except coffee. They said “take initiative.” Isn’t that when we do something without being told? That’s a good thing, right?

It’s not that we’re lazy. Far from it. The problem is that life doesn’t stop just because we have other plans. It doesn’t even move out of the way. It’s like that old lady in the grocery store who parks her cart in the middle of the aisle as she searches the entire selection of canned soup looking for that one flavor the store doesn’t sell. And I didn’t even want soup.

Meanwhile, we wait for that perfect opportunity to get on with our own plans. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the perfect opportunity doesn’t exist. Sometimes you have to just push the cart out of the way and move on. Or do like the boss does – dream it up and set a deadline. Put it in writing and give it to somebody else so they can nag you till it’s done.

We can’t control life’s interruptions any more than we can control the weather. But unless our dreams take priority, they’ll never get done. Spring has begun. And another one is just a year away. The question is, will you begin the next one living your dream, or thinking about it?

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

Dreams Don’t Care Where You’ve Been

March 31, 2021March 31, 2021 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a great start.

A couple of days ago, the container ship that had been blocking the Suez Canal was finally freed. Investigators will try over the next several months to determine how it got stuck in the first place, and attorneys will certainly offer their opinion. But I’ll bet nobody is as relieved as the guy who was standing at the helm when they hit the sand. “Starboard? Is that even a word? C’mon Captain … right or left???”

If you’ve never served aboard a ship, let me share some insight. The Captain doesn’t “drive” the ship. In fact, he’s probably never touched the steering wheel. It’s usually a junior crew member who didn’t have anything better to do at the time, so he got stuck at the helm taking orders from somebody else and will catch the blame the instant something goes wrong. “I told him hard to port!” Really? When?

A few days ago, there was a meme on social media showing a tiny excavator next to this massive ship, digging away handfuls of mud in an attempt to set it free. The caption said if you think there are unimportant people on this planet, remember that 12% of the global economy is in the hands of a guy who shovels dirt for a living. That puts it in perspective.

For every great feat of mankind, it’s the people in the trenches who make it happen. Elon Musk gets a lot of credit for electric cars and private spaceships, but I doubt he’s ever turned a wrench on any one of them. He comes up with an idea, pays others to develop the idea, and then pays even more people to do the grunt work. He may be a visionary, but he’s mostly just the rich guy at the top.

It’s said that 10% of the population controls 90% of the wealth. That’s true. In fact, it’s probably a little optimistic. And if you don’t believe that, look around you. Count the number of apartments you pass on your way to work, and then count the number of mansions. How many dump trucks do you see for every limousine? How many executives are there in your company? How many workers?

That’s why it’s so hard for those of us who spend our days in the trenches to imagine ourselves at the top. “Get an education, go to work, and climb the corporate ladder.” That’s the advice we’re given. And it’s good advice, if you’re a really patient person with dreams of mediocrity. But what happens when you realize your ladder is too short or is propped against the wrong wall?

A while back, I heard the story of a man from Central America who moved to New York City with barely enough money to live for a couple of weeks, and took a job parking cars while sleeping in an abandoned car every night to save money so he could eventually move his family to join him. He was a hard worker, but one of those people everybody overlooked. Until somebody found him sleeping in their car. I’m sure he moved a lot.

Still, he had a dream – he saw his family living with him in a home they owned. It was a simple dream, but one that burned within him every day. It got him up in the morning, prodded him to work hard all day, and gave him a reason to put his trust in a complete stranger who said, “I can help.” That stranger didn’t offer a handout – he offered a plan.

For most people, it would be hard to wake up every day in somebody else’s car and see ourselves living in a mansion. Especially in a strange country where we can barely speak the language. But that’s exactly how this story ends. He took a simple opportunity and applied it to his dream. Granted, that dream was modest at first – a home of his own. But in building that dream, he made even bigger dreams possible.

If you don’t think you have what it takes, you’re not seeing the big picture. Maybe you think you lack the education or skills. Maybe you’ve made some mistakes in the past. Maybe you were born poor, and on the wrong side of town. Or maybe you’ve worked your way up that ladder and think you’ve reached the highest point available to an “ordinary” person like you.

Ordinary people achieve extraordinary results. Success isn’t for the select few – it’s for anybody who has a dream and a burning desire to achieve it. It’s for those who will not be denied, who are willing to go that extra mile when everybody else is watching TV. Don’t define yourself by your spot on the ladder. See yourself where you want to be. Is it possible? Absolutely! Can it happen? Well, that part is up to you.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

Dreams Don’t Have to Wait if You Get Started Now

March 19, 2021 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope your day is off to a great start.

Okay, I realize that for most of you it’s afternoon. It’s only 9:30 here. It’s not my fault Arizona decided to start the day so late compared to everybody else. Well, unless you live west of here. My workday starts at 5 AM. I don’t care where you’re from, that’s early. On the other hand, I get to knock off at 2 and head to the pool. So, there’s that.

As I look around, I’m surrounded by what was once a dream. Living in an RV, surrounded by palm trees, mountains, and a clear blue sky, and everybody who walks past either waves or stops to talk. Stress exists, but on a distant planet. You know, somewhere outside the front gate. This is what we’ve dreamed of. Well, except the scorpions.

People ask sometimes if it’s hard living in such a small space and moving from one location to another. I guess that depends on how you look at it. The view out our front window right now is awesome, and we can change it any time we want. Having the ability to move means you’re never stuck with the local weather. Don’t like snow? Head south!

For us, it was all part of the dream. Getting out and seeing the country (even west Texas), chasing the sunshine, sampling the local cuisine, and meeting new people every day. So far, most of that has come to pass. Okay, as it turns out, there’s still a Burger King on every corner, so I’m not completely convinced there’s any such thing as local cuisine. But we try.

Should we have waited a few more years instead of doing this now? Maybe. My bank statement could make a financial analyst cringe, but this was our dream, not theirs. And there’s something to be said for doing things like this before you’re too old to enjoy them. Okay, that ship already sailed, but you get the point. We’re not getting any younger. It was now or never.

We always think there will be plenty of time to chase our dreams, and that our financial situation will somehow be a lot better later in life. Well, ask somebody who’s made it past 50 how well that worked out. Sure, we may make a little more money, but expenses pretty well keep up. And your health doesn’t care what you had planned. It has plans of its own.

That doesn’t mean you just chuck it all and start living the dream. Depending on your situation, that can be a quick way to make the dream come to a premature end with little to no hope of ever reviving it. On the other hand, we see a lot of young couples living on the road, enjoying the experience before life forces them to put down a set of roots.

And let’s be honest – what makes it all possible is money. Not necessarily a huge bank account, but the ability to replenish it as you go – a source of income that doesn’t stop the minute you leave home. A friend once told me that when you can make money from home, then home can be any place you want. “There’s no industry there!” Awesome! Sign me up!

Maintaining that income is simple if you just open your mind to possibilities you never considered. When you’re the boss, you decide when and where you work. When you need more money, you work harder and give yourself a raise. If you want a vacation, you take one. And nobody tells you that you’re too young or too old, or that your job has been outsourced.

Find an income like that, and you open a whole world of opportunity. It’s not easy, but it’s not hard. You just have to be open to new ideas, and willing to take a chance on the one person you can count on the most. Sure, you have to ease into some of these things. But with that in mind, how long do you plan to wait? Rather, how old do you plan to be when you finally get there?

Nobody visualizes themselves at beach in a wheelchair or dragging an oxygen bottle through the streets of Rome. When we see the dream, we’re vibrant and healthy, living life to its fullest. Maybe you can’t start the dream now. That’s okay. But the sooner you take the steps to make it possible, the sooner it’ll happen. So, what are you waiting for?

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

Don’t Let Skepticism Steal Your Dreams

March 11, 2021March 11, 2021 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start.

So, yesterday afternoon when I finished work, I decided it was time for a swim. That’s one of the advantages of RV living, if you’re in a park with a pool. Especially if the pool is heated. That’s what it says on the park’s website – heated pool. What that means is they allow the sun to shine on it when it’s not hidden by clouds. I came back out so fast I didn’t even get wet.

I should have expected no less from the park that put me in a site where my living room slide is in the bushes and I can only open my water service bay door halfway because there’s a power pole right next to it. But right next to me are five empty spaces with tons of extra room. So, I did what any normal person would do. I left a crappy review online. So there!

Something I learned long ago is that RV parks and hotels aren’t always honest in their advertising. Go figure. They use wide-angle lenses for pictures of the pool, brag about amenities that are more like tripping hazards, and think the word “resort” means anything a step above the local truck stop. Last night my wife heard gunshots. I wish I was making that up.

It’s tough when all you have to go by is somebody else’s assessment of how great their place is. Nobody ever says, “It’s a bed with a bathroom. If you’re tired enough, it’ll do.” At least then I could make an educated decision. But I can’t stand dishonesty in advertising. All the exaggeration and half-truths. Which reminds me, I need to update my resume.

It’s funny how the rules change when we’re promoting ourselves. If you don’t believe that, read a few dating website profiles. There must be a book of adjectives some of these people are using, not to mention Photoshopping their head on a Chippendale model’s body. I’ve got a six-pack! Well, a four-pack … I drank two last night after I came back from the pool.

So, it’s no wonder people get skeptical when you try to sell them a product they’ve never used, or show them a business they’ve never seen. They know how it works. Most of them have a resume, too. You brag about the good parts and gloss over the rest. It’s like that asterisk on weight loss products that says, “When combined with proper diet and exercise.” Well, duh!

But as a consequence of our mistrust, however well-founded, we end up missing a lot of things that may have been much better than we’d imagined. Like that crawfish etouffee I ate last week. Sure, the waitress recommended it. She said it was her favorite. I think her boss was watching. But she told the people at another table that fried shrimp is her favorite.

So, yeah, I wondered if it was all she made it out to be. Much like those nagging questions about a business that promises unlimited income potential. If it’s that good, I wondered, why isn’t everybody else eating it? Maybe they know something I don’t. And why is the waitress over there nibbling a cheeseburger when nobody’s looking?

It’s hard knowing who to trust. I once interviewed at a place that offered a paltry $5.50 an hour to start. When I asked about advancement, the Human Resources rep assured me it would get better. “I’ve only been here a year and a half, and I’m already up to $6.25 an hour!” Wow! All that in less than two years? Better sign me up twice, because that’s how much I’ll need to live.

Yes, that was a long time ago. But the premise is pretty much the same. The people who want you to say yes can give you a dozen reasons to say that, but it doesn’t mean things are working out that great for them. Take that business opportunity your friend offered to share. You already know he’s broke every payday, so why would you take his word for it?

Well, consider this. Maybe he’s just getting started. Maybe he hasn’t found his groove yet. Maybe he never will. That doesn’t mean the opportunity itself is bad. It just means he’s not making the most of it. Like that waitress nibbling on a cheeseburger. The crawfish etouffee is fine. In fact, it was awesome. It just wasn’t something she put to good use that day.

A little skepticism is normal, especially when the advertising is so great. But when we judge something new by somebody else’s experiences, we miss the opportunity to create our own. So, the waitress likes cheeseburgers and your buddy is broke. And the pool may be a lot colder than it looks. But shouldn’t you at least stick your foot in to find out?

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

Hit That First Bump Fast Enough, and You’ll Sail Right Over the Rest!

March 8, 2021 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start.

You know how there’s something on your bucket list that you’ve always wanted to do, and when you finally get to do it, it’s almost like waking up on Christmas morning to find out there’s no Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots? Worse yet, your dream toy is there and it breaks the first time you play it. Oh well, at least you got new socks and underwear.

That pretty much describes my first visit to New Orleans. It’s a place I’ve wanted to visit for most of my life, and I have to be honest … a little Bourbon Street goes a long way. Thankfully, there’s more to the Big Easy than dive bars and live rodents. We went back a few days ago for a second look. The French Market and Riverwalk was thoroughly enjoyable. And no rats!

One of the things about traveling is that it’s full of surprises, some good and some not so good. Like that first stretch of interstate right after the “Welcome to Texas!” sign. They could have put up a smaller welcome sign and spent a few dollars on one that said, “Speed Limit 65 – Go Ahead – I Dare You!” We left the ground twice. In an RV, no less. Evel Knievel would have been proud.

It would have been really easy to take the next exit and turn around. But then I’d have to go over that same stretch of road again, so that alone made it worth driving the remaining 877 miles to get to the other side. Once we got past the torn-up pavement, the drive was mostly pleasant. In fact, some parts were beautiful. I guess there’s a reason people actually live here.

There are two sides to most things, and if we bail out at the first sign of trouble, we may never see the good parts. Ever met that person who changes jobs every six weeks because they had a bad day at work? “This place sucks! It’s hard work, and these rules are for the birds! I’m not enjoying this one bit!” Um, okay … you think maybe that’s why they call it a “job?”

Every job has its days. Every city has its slums. And every state has highway features that would bring a dirt-bike to its knees. Okay, not every state … so far, just Texas. Still, that’s not all there is to Texas, or New Orleans, or even the world’s worst job. There’s always another side worth exploring. And once you find it, you never really want to leave.

That doesn’t mean you won’t have bad days, or some Texas-sized bumps in the road. That’s all part of it. But when those bumps pop up, you have two choices. Slow down or turn around. Or you can just floor it. If you’re going fast enough, that first bump will launch you over the next two or three. I’m just saying.

It’s the same when we’re chasing a dream. That vision of success is what keeps us moving, but success has to be earned. Entertainers learn this early on – it’s called paying your dues. Granted, success comes a lot easier for some people, and ability is only part of the equation. There’s also hard work, determination, heartache, and a certain amount of luck.

A Roman philosopher once said that luck is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity. Opportunity is always there. Preparedness is the part we have to master. Part of that is building the necessary skills. Part is carving out the time to do the work. But the biggest part is the mindset that we won’t let a few bumps in the road turn us around.

When we first got off the highway in New Orleans, it was in a neighborhood the police try to avoid. It would have been really easy to turn around and never go back. We only walked three blocks down Bourbon Street. See one drunk sleeping on the sidewalk, you’ve seen ‘em all. But, after driving all that way to get there, we had to give it one more chance. And I’m glad we did.

As you chase your dreams, life will throw all kinds of obstacles in your way. You may have the perfect plan to get there, but then reality raises its ugly head and reminds you that not everything is fun. There will be parts you absolutely despise. But if the dream is worth having, it’s worth working through those parts. And who knows, you may even come to enjoy them.

Giving up is easy. People do it every day, and very few of them are living their dreams. That’s no mere coincidence. But for those who won’t be denied, who ride over the bumps and keep on going, there’s a reward far greater than any challenge we faced to get there. Keep going. Every obstacle you face brings you one step closer to your dream.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

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