On the road again, headed to Phoenix Az in the August heat, boy is that a fun trip. It reminds me of living life like a roller coaster, while the roads I take are more highways than this one in Ut. I was thinking while headed out about some points about life and why its like a roller coaster ride.
1. There is always a line. Did you ever notice that when you go to the amusement park the good rides have a sign at the beginning of the line? It tells you how much longer the wait is from where you’re standing. When you’re a time-sensitive person like me, you notice those signs. Well in life some of the best things require a little patience. Think of two things in your life now that you rushed to get to and found they were not all you were hoping for. Then think of something that you waited for, you took the time to plan, to look for the right deal, to set yourself up for success to get it. Think of the joy in your life when you finally got that thing you waited for. Was it not more rewarding to get something you deserved, that you worked for? Think back to the thing you forced too quickly, that you pushed too hard and later found that, with a little research, you could have gotten a better deal or found it was not what you wanted after all, before you committed to it. It’s a very different feeling, isn’t it?
2. You need momentum. One of the first things that was listed in the Jones View 10 reasons is that a roller coaster starts with big drop that provides the momentum for the rest of the ride. Well, in life it is often an uphill climb to get to the big drop that gives you the momentum to make it up and down the rest of the hills, to keep you moving when life throws you a few curves. That big drop in the beginning of the ride is what will get you through all of those things in life. It’s needed and if you start without it, you could end up at a dead stop in the middle of the tracks. Imagine having to get out of that car on your roller coaster ride, to push those cars all the way to the end. Now take a good hard look at your goals right now. Did you have the right amount of momentum or are you back to forcing your way to get to those goals? Imagine if you got the right amount of momentum to get going first. That would make the entire journey fun no matter the ups the downs or the curves that life gave you.
3. Life is better shared with a friend. Think of riding that entire ride all by yourself. Many people in life do that, and to some it would be fun. But to most of us the thrill of the screams and reactions from others as they felt the joy of the turns and the scary bumps is what makes it fun for us as well. Now imagine going through the ride with one of your closest friends. Each day at the end of my blog, I tell you to “love what you do and those you share your life with.” It’s for one reason: at the end of life you never heard anyone say “I wish I’d spent more time at my job” or “I wish I’d spent more time alone.” So many times we hear instead “I wish I’d spent more time with my spouse, my kids, my best friend.” Or, “I wish I had reconnected in life with my high school buddy.” This brings me to the final point today.
4. Both life and the ride go very fast and don’t last long enough. Enjoy what you have in life. Yes, you are going to have to do things in this life that you don’t like to do. To reach your goals in life you will have downhill parts, uphill parts, curves and long straightaway’s. But enjoy the little things, for with all of this, life keeps moving. As the movie character Ferris Bueller put it, “Life moves very fast. If you don’t stop every now and then and look around you’re going to miss it.” I wonder what Ferris is doing now? Do you think if they made a movie of Ferris today he would be a cool relaxed dude in his 40s? Or an uptight manager of a law firm, or real estate firm, or other fast-paced business? Everyone in life has goals. If you talked to the 95-year-old, they have a goal to make it to 96. It’s never long enough. My partner’s uncle recently lost his father, who had turned 100 last fall. At his 100th birthday party, he raised his glass in a toast and said “The first hundred years were so much fun, I’ve decided I’d like another hundred.”
Take these four steps with you today to get back to the basics of life. No matter where you go there are basic lessons to learn in reaching your RockStar goals. It takes building solid daily habits that are focused on achieving your goal. It takes patience, like waiting for the time to get on the ride. It takes a build-up of momentum to get you through the ups and downs to reach the goal. Enjoy It with those you love, enjoy the ride while it lasts because it never seems to last long enough.
Tim Gillette is the Creator of The Rock’N’Roll Keys to Business Success, using music, motorcycles and mentorship to create Entrepreneurs who lead. To find out more about upcoming webinars sign up here . Free Online Training that Rocks