It is January 23, 2009.  Well not exactly. The new reality is that it is Day 3, Year 1 A.A.C, (At the Arrival of Change). This is my new epiphany after experiencing the tidal wave of hope, enthusiasm and support for President Barack Obama over the past year, culminating in his inauguration for President of The United States here in Washington, DC three days ago.  I am aware that my epiphany appears grossly overstated. I have a slightly mixed viewpoint about it myself.  However, I can’t help but accept that for a great many years there has been a dark cloud of cynicism, despair, and hopelessness for millions of Americans and for millions of people around the world.  And now for reasons I don’t quite understand yet, that cloud has been removed for many millions of people and there is an illuminous possibility of hope and change that has swept the planet.

This is a real occurence and it has to be respected.  Why?  Because from the vantage of being President of The United States, the recognized “leader of the free world” President Barack Obama can create global change.  Government is a special institutiion.     

To be selected, as in the case of a true democracy, to respresent and administrate the collective and common good and resources of your citizens is a sacred trust.  It is one that has been upheld faithfully by many and violated by a great many.  And it has appeared that the violations of that trust have exceeded the faithful administration of that trust.  With the election of a man for President of The United States who demonstrates character, brilliance, integrity, a genuine concern for others, and courage, a new era has begun.  Of course, most people know that one man can’t save or change the world by himself.  That is a theory that is yet to be proven, but one person can inspire millions to change the world.  And through implementation of good policy both foreign and domestic, The President of The United States can create an an environment for peace, prosperity, and stability to grow.

There is no doubt that America’s economy and the global economy teeter on the verge of collapse ( I will cover this in coming blog posts) but the collapse is buffered by a renewed sense of hope and confidence that is the hallmark of President Barack Obama and his administration.  We are witnesses to the greatest David and Golaith story of all time.  The most perilous problems ever faced by humanity vs the budding optimism and brilliance led by the new President of The United States.  It is a contest with no historical equal.  No Super Bowl or World Cup game is as significant or compelling as this one. Only time will determine the winner.  I guess all of us can only decide which side we are on.

And for me that decision appears to have been made.  My epiphany on the morning of Day 1 Year 1 AAC (January 21, 2009) has lead me to re-accept the responsibity to do all I can to set the planet aright.  With an ally of good in the White House I re-believe all good things are possible.

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I just finished having a conversation with a couple that I admire greatly for their many years of marriage.  We were talking about the importance of always seeing the big picture.  Whenever you are involved in an endeavor; business, marriage, work, school, a project, personal goals etc., you always have to see the big picture.  What is the big picture?  It is the purpose for which you are doing what you are doing.  It is the reason why you are doing what you are doing!  Here is some wisdom.  No endeavor that is worth anything will come without challenges and difficulties.  Resistance, difficulty, and opposition are built into the natural world. It is for the most part unavoidable.  It is unfortunate we are not taught that fact.   Still we have to accept it.  It is.. the way it is.  

We get started on a project, business, relationship or some endeavor and part way thru we find ourselves mired down in problems, conflicts, and the like and feeling not up to the task at hand.  We begin to wonder why did I even get involved with this in the first place? 

Great question!  In the face of seemingly endless challenges your best chance at succees in your endeavor begins by remembering why you set out to do what you are doing in the first place.  You have to bring the purpose back into your mind, back into focus, and put it out front.  If your why is BIG ENOUGH it will CRUSH all the seemingly big challenges before you.  If it is not big enough, then you should reconsider the endeavor because it is likely to fail when the pressure hits anyhow. Oh, and in case you haven’t gotten it yet - the pressure will hit.

The BIG WHY is the key to overcoming difficulty in all our endeavors.  Therefore, it pays to always be clear about why you are doing everything that you are doing so that you can succeed.  Never match a little why up against a big challenge becuase it will probably lose.  Your reason for doing something has to move you on an emotional level and get you feeling strong enough to handle what ever comes your way.  This is the big why.  This is your fuel to find a way, to persevere, to change, to succeed. 

And when you hold that BIG WHY close and go thru the challenges, then in the end, when you achieve what it is you set out to do, it will feel… and actually be.... worth it. 

And the couple I was talking to was my mom & dad. Thank you mom and dad for your example and wisdom.

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I once heard that some time ago a wise man said, “Everything you need to know is in a book”.  I also recall reading a book where the author claimed that if you read a single book a week on a specific subject then you would be in the top 5% of people on that subject in two years.  In other words, for every 100 people who where quizzed on that subject you would be in the top 5.  Fascinating. And to think it only took 104 books. (52 weeks x 2 years @ 1 book/week) 

What does this mean in the age of mega books stores, the internet, and google.  It means that you can actually learn anything independently, if you have the will.  Did you know you can google “How to create a sun?” and get at least a theoretical answer.  Of course you did. But consider what this means for learning and access to learning.  It means almost everyone has the opportunity to achieve an education- if by education we mean learning. 

Consider how college tuition costs in the United States has grow exponentially, while personal income and wages have not.  How will people afford college?  Many won’t.  Creativity and self directed learning have become the key dinstinguishing factors for everyone, whether college educated or not.  Every college graduate who is successful in their profession has probably learned more about their profession on their own and after graduation than through their college coursework.  So self directed learning is the key.

Personally, I am recommitting to reading more than I have in recent years.  Its time to get into tip top mental shape and that means working out those “reading muscles”.  If you are only 1 book a week away from distinguishing yourself, then what are you waiting for.  The world awaits your mind.  Grab a good book and start workin out.  Its 2009, its time we read more!