Are you stranded? Have you been feeling stuck? Are coconuts and crabs all you have eaten for the last four years??
Well I hope not!
Recently my Cuz, Tera and I watched the movie Castaway with Tom Hanks.
It’s been years since I’d seen it, and I’m really glad to have a new perspective on the concepts covered.
As a chubby executive Tom finds himself in the most unlikely of situations alone on an island. At first he is frustrated with his situation and lack of survival skills. He continues trying to survive and learn and eventually becomes very good at it.
Throughout this process he rides the range of emotions, befriends a volleyball and even considers suicide. He fails at the testing of the attempt and therefore succumbs to complete powerlessness.
How often in our lives do we find that whatever island we are on, it can be just as lonely. It can be a financial island of debt. It can be an island of love-less solitude, a dead end job or lost hope that we deserve to be happy.
At some point we all have had an experience like this…
Tom has a monologue at the end of the movie where he explains that he finally realized that he was not in control of anything. He gave up trying to make his escape happen on his own. An understanding came that he could Not make it happen on his own.
Then one day the Tide brought him a sail.
How they never get around to mentioning God, I have no idea 🙂 It is almost comical that the whole movie explains the human relationship with faith and the almighty and they never say it out loud!
Anyway, two walls of a johnny-on-the-spot show up one day. Ah-Ha! Hope arrives by divine intervention! He was not out of energy, but reignited with passion for life and he has a new goal. To get off that island!
Just when we think all hope is gone. Just when we finally give up and decide we are incapable of controlling things with our own two hands. That is the moment that our Tide will come in.
A couple years ago I made the realization that I was ruining my financial life with my own ideas and plans and actions. It was a lonely place, knowing I was broke and it was all my fault. I knew that I was not going to dig myself out of the bottom of that hole.
God (NO, Not Dave Ramsey 🙂 put information into my life. A sail had showed up. The answers were right in front of me. All I had to do was put in the effort to build my raft. At that point, following the baby steps was the easy part. It was not only a way to improve, but it was imperative to my survival.
When is your sail going to show up? Have you decided that your efforts alone can only take you so far?
Want more proof?
Lately my adventure of self-employment has been nearing the edge of a cliff. I have cut my lifestyle to nothing. I am about to have to tap into funds that I never wanted to touch. I’ve been struggling and pushing to grow this coaching business. It has not been easy or fruitful so far. Something had to give.
True North Financial Fitness Coaching
aaron@truenorthffc.com
785-218-6134
http://www.truenorthffc.com/