I was on the Zoom conference call for the Multifamily Monday Mindsetter webinar and the discussion was about the steps that successful people employ to reach their goals. Some of the participants wanted to get advice on how you make the time and prioritize your tasks and actions to get to where you need to be because it can be overwhelming. With all the things that most normal people have on their daily plates - taking on new, unfamiliar tasks that may make you feel inadequate or uncomfortable because you have limited knowledge or experience can be incapacitating. I think the general idea Tyler and Dallas were trying to convey to the group is that you have to start with small steps- little changes that eventually become habit, and habits eventually become 'givens' -that gradually become just like every other task you do without thinking about it - moving you closer to that desired goal. To me it all has to do with how important something is to you. Things that are important to us we put our time, effort, focus, and energy on and find a way to make it work. It made me think about the years that I spent taking care of my elderly disabled father and my sick sister -both at the same time, both living with me- all while going to work at 1:30 in the morning, lifting boxes for hours, going on castings or modeling gigs, and starting a YouTube talk show with my girlfriend shot on my iphone in my living room. The point that I'm making is that my main priority at that time was my dad and my sister, so there wasn't an option as to whether I was going to get up at midnight and go to work so I could be there when my dad woke up in the morning in my house and not in someone's assisted living home. It wasn't a question as to whether I had get up early to go to the gym and be back to the house in time to get my dad out of bed and fix him breakfast or take him to a doctor's appointment or go get groceries. My dad and my sister were the most important responsibilities I had- so not doing was never an option. Was I overwhelmed at times? Absolutely. Was I exhausted and short with my dad and my sister at times? Way more often than I would care to admit. But being there for the people I loved was that 'given'. They're both gone now... but my new goal -my new priority- the thing that is important to me- is to leave a legacy for my children that will allow them- if they are ever in the same situation I was as a caregiver, to have the resources needed to give those they love the best of everything that they are in need of; especially the best of themselves because they have the resources and time to be able to. And isn't that the truest value of what having financial freedom and time freedom is really all about. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 Until next week...
