Quality of Life

When I was 20 years old, I set a goal. My goal was to be happily married with my first kid hitting 16, before I was 40.
Strange goal, right?

Well, for some reason, being a “young” dad was important to me. Why? I wanted to be able to keep up with my kids and figured at 40, I’d better be in darn good shape to do that.

I missed it by 2 months. I met my wife, Amy at 21, and we were married at 23. Brittany showed up 16 months later. She turned 16 two months after I turned 40. Dream completed!

Did I manifest this? Did God answer my prayer? Or is it a coincidence? I don’t know and I don’t care. I believe that because I wanted this and for reasons that truly mattered to me, it happened.

I believe in mindset. I believe we become what we think about. What we think about is based on what we’ve experienced and believe to be true. Unless that mindset changes, it keeps producing the life we have.

The definition of insanity is continually doing what we’re doing and expecting different results.

If we don’t like our financial situation, relationships, workplace, health status, or even our thoughts, then stop. Change. I believe if we could download and categorize our thoughts, most of us would know exactly why we are where we are. Yikes!

Mindset is everything. Mindset is a choice. So how can we choose better?

I believe there are two ways to change mindset.

First, is a defining moment or experience. Consider Bethany Hamilton who had her arm ripped off by a tiger shark while surfing at 13. At 15, she had a defining moment in Thailand going on a mission trip to serve the people devastated by a horrific Tsunami. It gave her a new perspective that something shifted her mindset. She went on to become a highly successful professional surfer, author, and speaker, married with 4 kids.

The second is marination. Being around successful people, with successful families, habits, lifestyles, finances, happiness, and contentment. Slowly, they begin to influence us. It’s a “slight edge” of change. We get around them through association – relationships, books, podcasts, and environments.

I hit the 40/16/married/kid goal. Next up: Emmett, our oldest grandchild, currently 5 - to be able to keep up with him at 68 by the time he’s 16.