321. Losing a mentor and regaining perspective on impact

Facing the fragility of life can be a profound awakening. Join me as I recount a poignant encounter with a beloved mentor who is now bravely facing a challenging health journey. His once vibrant spirit, now confined by illness, serves as a stark reminder of life's impermanence and the critical importance of cherishing every moment. Reflecting on the wisdom of Andrew Carnegie, this episode navigates the phases of life, encouraging a healthy balance between future planning and present appreciation. Through this personal narrative, I explore how gratitude for our freedoms and opportunities can transform our everyday existence into something truly extraordinary.

This episode is a call to action, urging you to embrace today with all its possibilities. From the freedom to choose our paths, whether in our careers or personal adventures, to the small joys that enrich our daily lives, there's much to appreciate. Let's commit this week to excellence in our work, meaningful connections in our communities, and an unwavering appreciation for the present. As we rock and roll through these reflections, find inspiration to live with intention and positivity, making every moment count.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:32

So today is kind of a different episode. It's more about life perspective. It's not about the entrepreneurial journey or owning a studio or being an employee, it's more like life perspective. So if you want that stuff, just get it. I don't remember which type. I think it's like colon or prostate, I don't remember. But a few weeks ago we had a birthday thing for him and he stayed in the sunroom and everyone else stayed outside and it was hard.

Speaker 1: 1:11

It's hard to see a mentor that I've had in my life for seven years I wholly and actively for like five and then just did a part for a small time afterward To see someone who's like vibrant and healthy and active and strong in their faith, to now like be bedridden and not vibrant and active, but yet still faith-confident and strong in that area. It's hard, it's really hard to see someone that you look up to, someone that you're learning from, someone that is open about their failures, someone that you can be open to about your failures as well, and just to see like the shortness and shortness of life. Like I'm 33 right now and my parents' generation they're in their 60s, you know, maybe 70s, maybe 50s, but no, pretty much in their 60s actually and like I'm used to like those, their parents dying, like in the 90s and the 80s, maybe someone who's 100. But to see someone who's in, like their 60s, that's hard and it's reminding me like life is rather short. And I remember who was it. It was some American, like titan, I think it was Andrew Carnegie. He said like, hey, there's three phases of life. There's zero to 30, that's where you're learning and educating. 30 to 60 is where, like you, you make your bread, you start doing really well in your career and you start making a life for yourself. But then from 60 to 90 is where you like you out, you enjoy it, you give it away whatever that works, if you know you're going to make it to 100. But nobody knows how long they're going to live.

Speaker 1: 3:09

For I lost words because I'm still trying to get my thoughts back together. But we don't know how long we have to live. And it's good to put money aside, it's good to save for retirement, it's good to do those things, but I do it too much. I do it so much that I often miss out on enjoying today. I've been way better about that over the past year.

Speaker 1: 3:38

But man, enjoying today, being grateful for today I can drive wherever I want to. I can. I could quit my job if I wanted to. I could keep my job if I wanted to. I could close the business. I could keep the business open. I could go across town to a bar. I could swim in a lake. I can breathe stinky air and still breathe okay. After I've got so much going for me and to see those things slowly lose, be lost, it's really hard. So a perspective reminder like today is valuable, much needed, and that's all I got, I guess. So today we're gonna just start our work week. We're gonna do really well at the day job, do really well at the studio tonight, doing some in-person training with someone who's going to be doing some shifts for us, and we're going to enjoy the day. That's where we're at, that's where we're going. Let's rock and roll.