2013 New Year, New Opportunity And A New Life Resolution

I want to start by wishing you a fantastic 2013.  I hope you make it great!

In 2013, I expect to have a very different year than I did in 2012.  Why? Because when I look back at most of my life it has been a long slow road of the same ol, same ol.  Each year was pretty much like the last.  There were a couple of major events, but no major changes.  In 2012, things changed.  I made goals that I achieved, like losing 30 pounds without drugs, surgery or major caffeine doses. 

Until 2012, my life wasn't like that though.  When I left home to join the military, I went from my mother telling me what to do to my drill sergeant telling me what to do.  As I got promoted and finished schools, I slowly migrated away from being told what do to, but no major leaps or risks were taken.  I followed the safe path.

When I became a pilot in the Air Force Reserves, it was a transition from one form of military life to another.  No major change, still the safe path.  When I retired from the Air Force Reserves, I was flying for American Airlines, still no major change. No real risk, no real rewards, just the safe path.

I have had the opportunity to build several businesses, sell a couple and then waste all the money building a business I should have avoided.   At the end of the day though, the reality has always been that I had my fallback “job” in the Air Force Reserves, or as a Pilot with American.  The flying has been fantastic, but the job didn’t live up the promises that were made to me and my family when I took the job.  It was just a safe path.

It has been difficult for me to say why the airline industry has frustrated me until this holiday season.  I realize that I let the Airline Industry make a promise to me and to my wife about our future and then do nothing to help me achieve what they promised.  My frustration has been with the fact that they made the offer and promise, and I got stuck with the responsibility for it.  To make matters worse, I wasn’t given any avenue to improve my situation.  Maybe this is what a mouse feels like on his little cage wheel, running no where.   

My wife had accepted a similar promise when she became a teacher.  Between the two of us it was a pretty boring life of work vacation and more work.  There had to be more, but we didn’t have a reason to go get more for the first ten or so years.  We moved into comfortable town, the most dangerous place you can be.  Each pay cut or increase in work requirements that was handed to us was accepted without a fight.   We just adjusted and moved on.

In 2009 my wife was diagnosed with cancer, a form that is only treatable by surgical removal.  If they miss any of it, she moves on without me.  Our comfort was shattered in a matter of minutes.  We found out on a Friday, she was in surgery by Monday.  48 hours isn’t much time to talk about anything.  Given that we had been married 14 years  you would think we had already said it all.  We realized we hadn’t said anything.  I lost the business I was running and all the money I put into it from the last two companies I built.

The diagnosis in 2009 led to several changes in our lives.  One of those changes was a commitment to live differently, no more same ol same ol.  We wouldn’t be our parents taking the “safe” route and accepting what we were given any longer.

At the end of 2010, we looked back and it was the same ol, same ol.

At the end of 2011, we looked back and it was the same ol, same ol.

In 2012, we didn’t give up and we didn’t crawl back to our comfort zone, and finally it wasn't the same ol, same ol.

As we reach the end of 2012, I can say that we made a couple of leaps of faith and so far both have worked out very nicely.  A major change in our lives happened, and a couple of pretty big minor ones too.  As we move into 2013, we are looking at making more major changes, since 2012 worked out so well.  I can also say that my wife has been cleared with no new cancer, she is officially “in remission”. 

As you go forward into 2013, look forward with the dreams you once lost, and don’t look back at the fear of what “might” happen. Commit to making a major change and doing whatever it takes to do it.  Stop watching the bad news on TV and spend that time fulfilling at least one of your dreams.

Next year I want to hear about it.  Please don’t post your goals here.  You can post your name so I will know to look for you next year here.  Don’t tell the world what you are going to do, go do it, and tell us what you did next year.  

In fact, a better idea, write down your one or two resolutions, put them in an envelope, seal them, have someone sign and date the envelope.  Celebrate next year as you open the envelope and share your success.  More fun needed?  Make it a bet with the other person, and have them do the same.   Encourage each other during the year and look forward to both of you achieving new success.

Happy New Year.