I have struggled recently to understand what my heart and mind have been leading me to as a goal or destination. For a while I thought it was about enjoyment of life. Then finding satisfaction with what I have in my life. Then striving for excellence and virtue in the deepest sense. It’s kind of the point of this blog, a personal exploration into what my life and career are to be about. A way to discuss it with myself (although I have been too chicken most of the time to truly be honest on this blog) as I am in the midst of it. It’s interesting writing in this way, because I am writing these things so that I may remember them later. But there is also an acknowledgement that others MIGHT read it as well, even if it is you alone, Sandy. That keeps the tone somewhat odd at times … for me.

Anyway, maybe I’ll come to a different conclusion later, but it seems to me that what the “deeper” parts of me are asking for is Joy. Joy in the “fullness of Joy” sense … that is. Explanation is probably needed.

I believe that Joy is more than happiness, but contains it. I believe that we are, each of us, dual creatures. The body (or physical being) and the soul (or spiritual being). If Joy is to be “full” than it needs to encompass and account for that duality.

I think part of my problem or misunderstanding has been an over-focus on one over the other. This is definitely an area where specialization just doesn’t work. Bodily happiness/enjoyment and spiritual ecstasy/fullfilment/enlightenment must both be present to be truly “Joyful”. I have at times imagined that a lot of material comfort was the answer to my problems and quest for joy. At others, I have held disdain for personal comfort and imagined that only spiritual fulfillment could fill the empty parts of me. While the spiritual side has come closer to making me feel “settled”, it has still felt incomplete.

I also believe Joy has 2 behaviors or processes associated with it … appreciation and fitness. Meaning, sometimes Joy is felt when standing alone on a beach watching a beautiful sunset … in other words appreciating it. But the Joy may “fuller” if I am then standing on that same beach fully present to the sights, sounds and smell while also holding my wife’s hands and having our children there with us appreciating the same thing. In order to get to this “higher” level of Joy, I must be “fit” for it. My body must be healthy enough to truly appreciate the sensory information coming at me. My life must also be “fit” enough that I have qualified to have a wife that loves me, that wants to be on that beach with me … same for my children.

So when I join these two processes … appreciation and fitness … to our dual nature … physical and spiritual … I can begin to formulate a method of “getting there”. I need to slow down and appreciate this life and this world. I need to live my life healthily in all ways … mentally, socially, physically, etc. I also need to develop gratitude for life, or spiritual appreciation in the forms of kindness, compassion, charity, etc. And I need to be spiritually “fit” through prayer, study, service, obedience, etc.

I believe this game, “life”, is intended to be a complete experience, the end goal being the development of a “fullness of Joy”. And again, I don’t simply mean “being happy”. That mindset so often runs to the ridiculous conclusions of hedonism, self-fulfilling arrogancy, and a million other selfish and vain pursuits. But behaviors that run counter to true Joy are bound to bring us only sadness and despair. That is most likely why I find so much frustration in my work situation. I am not obeying the laws of “Joy”. I am going too fast, not appreciating the experience or continuing to spend time in areas that I lack to ability to appreciate. I am not focusing enough energy on keeping myself “fit”, both physically and spiritually so that I might deepen my ability to appreciate and understand. I am not serving enough and thinking about how I might help others with the talents I have.

Just a thought I had that I wanted to get down before I forgot … seems like an important one for me today.

I just finished reading The Great Train Robbery ( Book| Video) this past weekend. It was a far better read than I was anticipating and in fact I came away with a few lessons for my current business goals. I thought I would share a few of them.

The book is a “based on fact” retelling of the famous Great Train Robbery of 1855 written by Michael Crichton in 1975. It centers around the mysterious Edward Pierce (or Simms as he is sometimes known) and his year long efforts to put together the perfect robbery on the then booming rail industry.

While I deplore criminal behavior there were a number of things that I gained as take aways from the book. While trying to build my career and businesses, the following things are good to remember …

1. Careful and patient planning is the “secret sauce” of success. Pierce literally spent a year putting the pieces of a meticulously thought out plan in place. There is no mention or guess at how long he thought about and created this plan before actually directing the events, but it must have been a considerable amount of time. In the end, he had even planned his own escape from prison should he be captured and arrested. Everything was in place.
   Lesson: Be careful and patient when planning business launches, campaigns or projects. Learn all you can, try to make contigencies where needed.
2. Even the best plans can “blow up”, stay focused and creative.In the last few months and weeks before the plan was to come off, just about everything that could go wrong … did. His co-conspirators begged him to give up the plan when everything started to go wrong. Pierce kept his wits and remained focused on problem solving. Some of his solutions made absolutely no sense to others involved in the scheme, but they worked … probably because Pierce had such intimate knowledge with the original plan and potential uncontrollable variables.
   Lesson: Don’t lose your head when things go wrong or not as planned … an inevitability. Stay calm, focused and center your thinking on solutions.
3. There is a need to walk on both sides of the line. Pierce was adept at being comfortable with the most respected of the “upper crust” and also with the lower elements of society. Both groups had resources, skills and knowledge that he needed to accomplish his ends.
   Lesson: Learn to be comfortable in all kinds of social situations, it will not only make life more enjoyable, but it will also afford more opportunities. Also, even the “whitest hat” must sometimes dabble in the “black arts” in internet marketing.
4. Be genuine and develop true and loyal friendships/partnerships. In the end, some of Pierce’s troubles in the lead up to the actual crime came as a result of his manipulations of other people. On the other hand, he had developed lasting bonds with others and in the end, those saved him.
   Lesson: Be genuine in seeking partnerships or contacts with others in and out of the industry. Not only will they be more satisfying and fruitful, you will eliminate a number of problems associated with false pretenses.
5. Be willing to pay for good information or resources. Pierce knew the value of quality services, resources and information and was willing to pay fairly for it. He gathered the best people around him as well as spending plenty of money “greasing the machines” of society necessary to meet his means.
   Lesson: Sometimes you need to spend money to make money, be willing and able to take the risk.
6. The impossible is never. The likelihood of such a robbery was considered impossible, both by the bankers, railroad executives and Pierce’s fellow criminals. He did it anyway.
   Lesson: Just do it.

As a side note, even though the movie was adapted and directed by Michael Crichton, the author of the book, it still doesn’t hold a candle to the book. So much was cut out and changed for the movie that some of the most incredible and enlightening stories are completely missing. As usual, don’t waste time on the movie, just read the book.

I’m sure there are more ideas that will occur to me as a few days pass, but I wanted to get these down as they strike as important. Now, don’t go robbing any trains!

So I am trying something slightly different for my goal setting and tracking this year. I went and bought myself a new Moleskine (a bright red one) and wrote each goal on it’s own page and left the back of the book to take notes, write encouragements, track success etc. for the year.

One other good thing that I’ve put in it is a tracking “matrix” for goals that are to be accomplished daily. This is essentially a series of small boxes for each day of the year to put an X in upon completion or an O for non-completion. It’s been good, because I can visually see how I’ve done on each one, and I want to keep going particularly on those where I have been “perfect” thus far.

And then today I read about this story of Jerry Seinfeld’s productivity secret and it fit in nicely with what I’ve been doing. I think I need to break down my other goals into daily tasks and work on chaining those. I’m sure there is some neuro-programming trick here at play, because it works. Why not use the brains quirks to our own ends, eh?!

I got a very cool new toy for Christmas from my wife, Sandy! A graphic pad for photo (and other) editing. I love it, thanks babe!

Master Marketer Mark (how’s that for alliteration) Joyner is offering some tips on blogging. The program …