Hugh McLeod at gapingvoid has some thoughts here that mirror my own, lately.

But given a choice between two paths, both valid, how do you know which one to take? How do you know which one has the meaningful payoff?

The answer, of course, is that you don’t. Whether we’re talking about moving to New York to become an “Art Star”, or opening up a humble coffee shop in Alpine, Texas, that’s why they’re called “adventures”. Because you don’t how it’s going to end.

All you can do is admit to yourself that yes, this is an adventure, and to accept it as such, surprises and all. With a little bit of practice you eventually get into the flow of it.

Yes, anything worth doing takes lots of practice. Adventures included.

Today’s post is from Kris Rowlands at Words Within:

It’s tough. It’s hard to be able to keep focused on your goals, Getting Things Done, and feel a sense of accomplishment. If anyone tells you otherwise, they have not walked in your shoes.

Goals are good things to have: they keep us focused, give us something to work towards, and give us great rewards in the end. There is nothing like working on a goal and have it come to fruition: whether it take one day or one year. The feeling is of joyous exuberance over conquering that which you put before you.

Roadblocks will come: they will arise and it will be your job to brush them away, knowing that you can dissipate them as quickly as a cobweb, and move on. Roadblocks can come in the forms of family members, demanding your time when you need to focus: your job, working so much that you have no time to work on your goals: financial strain: there simply isn’t the money to reach your goal: and self doubt. Which do you think is the biggest hindrance of them all? You guessed it….self doubt.

Self doubt can be very, very strong. It can paralyze you with fear so that you can’t even think of moving towards your goal. When times like this occur, stop, take a breath, and look at why this is occurring.

• Is there some underlying issue that you need to process to move forward?
• Do you need to have a talk with your family, boss, co-worker in order to clear the air?

I know it’s hard to approach people when you have an issue to process. It can be very hard: but know that once you walk through it and clear the air, you will be able to learn from the experience and grow stronger in order to overcome the roadblocks that are set ahead of you.

Self doubt is a tool for learning: and once you find that you can identify it, work through it and move forward, nothing can stop you. You will have the power to succeed at anything you wish. The key is to get to the root of the doubt, confront it (even if it’s something that will take therapy to address), process it and move on. You will feel such a sense of exhilaration once you do.

Will this be easy? Heck no…….it’s hard to find your issues and deal with them. Sometimes you can do it on your own, or there are times when you may need a friend to help you. There may even be times when therapy is in order. Peoples’ issues vary based on what type of life they have lived and what life has thrown at them. I can tell you this: there is nothing that a human can not accomplish. If you set your mind to it, you can do anything. Absolutely anything.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently: the human body and mind is resilient, can heal from physical, emotional, spiritual and mental damage, and move forward. I know that you can do anything, and I don’t personally know you. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t.

John Konrad writes at gCaptain.com — resources for maritime professionals. The full post can be read at Anywired -

Blogging From the High Seas

Today, at age 30, I’m a licensed ship’s captain working on the world’s largest drillship. I’ve circumnavigated the globe, write a successful blog about ships, have seen more countries than I can list from memory and have had short articles published in the NY Times, Wall Street Journal (ok, it was the online edition) and the world’s longest running publication, Loyds List. Most of all I enjoy what I do.

I can’t recommend joining the military, getting kicked out and spending four years stuck under a noisy bridge in the country’s most infamous community as a path to blogging success but I can share a few Lessons Learned to help you find it.

1. Forget Risk

Risk is the Winter North Atlantic or a port call in Yemen, blogging is rarely a risk.

Take bold steps. Call an expert in your niche for an interview, write the inside story that traditional media is unwilling expose, become an LLC and take out a loan. Bold steps are needed if you want to stand out.

Read the whole thing.

I keep running into this story in my research lately, so I thought it must be important enough to share with you. I do not know the original source, it’s all over the place.

A life half-full, or half-empty?

The businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large fish. The businessman complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied only a little while.

The businessman then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life, señor.”

How much is enough?

The businessman scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise.”

When will you be “Done”?

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But señor, how long will this all take?” To which the businessman replied, “15-20 years.” “But what then, señor?” The businessman laughed and said, “That’s the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.” “Millions, señor? Then what?” The businessman said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

The fisherman tried to get his head around that and said, “Isn’t that what I’m doing right now?”

Where will you be in 15 years?

Are you like the fisherman right now? With a full and busy life? Or are you looking at your life like the businessman, always seeing greener pastures further along the path?

Ask yourself a couple of questions:

• If you were not worried about money, would you keep doing the things that you are doing today?
• What would you stop doing? And why?
• If you are worried about money, are you at least taking some time to “play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings“? Because your kids won’t be kids in 15-20 years when it’s time to sell your empire.

What is one thing that you are not doing today, that would make your life better right now? Why aren’t you doing it?