This photo of me was taken I think about 8 years ago, obviously around the same time of year. People say I haven’t changed much visually – but I feel like I have deep down. Dealing with Pain and Facing it head on has been nothing but a positive exercise in my Personal and Business Life!
If you are reading this article, you must be thinking “What did Edward Zia, Small Business Marketing Mentor and Entrepreneur put in his Coffee this morning?”
I am actually drinking Chinese Rose Tea as a I drink this and while going through Facebook and seeing some great, positive and quite “Realistic” messages for an inspirational 2014. For the record, I am not a “Tree Hugger” or anything and not into Rah-Rah – so I am actually quite critical of the generic, mass produced “Motivational Messages” which don’t stack up to reality.
I was busy scanning the net this morning looking for a great message to me that sums up my opening move to 2014. I am a huge Rick Warren Fan (which is a Pastor in North America) that has written some amazing books. Even though I am a strong Christian, what I really like about Rick is his objectivity and he is also incredibly well respected by the masses and people from a a wide range of religions. His quote that got me really thinking is:
“Surrender . . .sacrificing my life or suffering in order to change what needs to be changed” – Pastor Rick Warren
To me, this sets up my game for 2014 and I am all ready to do what I need to do. My life has had a massive turn around in 2013 and a big part of this was the logic in Rick Warren’s quote above. The Business has been amazing in not only securing a position of Credibility in the Sydney Market, but doing my work and it not being work. That is, because of my mindset towards to own work, marketing and such – it doesn’t feel like “Work” in a traditional Corporate Sense.
To me, living the dream is doing what you really want and making one fine living from it. That is what I am doing now and although things are far from perfect and I have some big things ahead of me in 2014, it’s been through sacrifice and “Constructive Suffering” that has played out perfectly for me. Here is my Top 10 List of Key Sufferings and Sacrifice for the better:
1) Broke Sugar Addiction.
2) Broke TV Addiction.
3) Hit the Gym Often (painful at the start, fun now).
4) Overcome Fear of Selling / Rejection.
5) Overcome Fear of Being Single (as I am now Single. Ha Ha – check out my other articles for the back story).
6) Overcome Fear of Asking Women Out (yay! Took me 35 years).
7) Overcome Fear of Investing into the Business (I get the more I put in, the more I get back).
8) Conquered My Nail Biting (Finally).
9) Mastered the art of difficult conversations.
10) Overcame my PTSD (“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”) and recalling my old Government Days.
There are more, but the things on the list took Pain, Suffering and Surrendering to get over. One big reason of why my life didn’t work previously, was that I NEVER was ready to face the pain now to create the Business & Personal Life I want.
This alone changed my life more than any Self-Help Book I could read and love it.
Happy 2014 wherever or whoever you are and I wish you the best in creating the Business, Life and getting the Sales & Marketing Success you truly deserve.
Practicing what I preach, I am straight off to the gym once I post this article!
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