Who Me? Naa, I’m Just a Worm

How far off do your big dreams seem?

Can you squint your eyes and just barely make out the silhouette in the distance?

Are you even on the journey toward those dreams? Well, as most of you know, I sure am.

Just about two years ago right now, I was signing up to attend the Counselor Training program at the home offices of Dave Ramsey’s Lampo Group Inc. in Nashville, Tennesee. Meeting Dave and becoming a Financial Fitness Coach was a celebration to cap off the reaching of my goal of complete personal debt freedom. At that time, I didn’t know that it was only a landmark on my way much further, much deeper down the rabbit hole, than I’d ever expected it to be.

Feel free to scroll back in time, through pages of this blog, and my old roadtrip blog, if you’re just now catching up, and want to read how we got to this point today.

And where am I at on the journey today?

Good Question.

I am smack dab in the same place that Sarah found herself after she had entered the Labyrinth. With a rescue on her mind, and optimism in her heart, she had bravely gone through the doors of the ominous maze. Ready for it’s puzzles, and with the 13 hour countdown on, she was determined to save her baby brother from the Goblin King!

Once locked inside, the path is narrow and high-walled. It looks the same in both directions, and she picks one. Desolate and overgrown, she starts with a jog and jumps the dead branches and broken blocks, pushing further and further down the path. The horizon shows no sign of change however, and the more she runs, the more it seems that there is no place to turn, and she’s made a big mistake…

I can’t say that this is the first time, I’ve had these feelings, in fact I’ve had tons of hints lately, that opportunities are within my reach, and as they slip away, I am reminded that the truth may be different than it seems.

Last weekend, I threw in the movie, The Labyrinth, into the DVD player, just for fun while working around the house. I was pleasantly surprised as I saw Sarah get discouraged, and receive the words and guidance she needed. It was the same guidance I need at times. And it came from a worm.

(check out the clip here)

Just when she is sure that there are no openings or turns and the path just goes on and on forever, the little wise Worm, laughs and tells her, “Course there is! The’re all over the place, You just ain’t lookin’ right!” and in fact, there was an opening right across from where she had given up.

It was right in front of her face.

Even as I know this truth to apply in my own life, I have become blind to opportunities and need this profound reminder from one of Jim Henson’s little creations, to change the way I’m lookin’.

Where in your journey do you see little opportunity, or none at all to deviate from the path ahead? Do you get frustrated that it feels you’re not getting closer to your goals, but just going on and on, without a change of scenery? Worse yet, have the narrow walls become so comfortable and safe, that it feels like this place is home, and it “is what it is”, and we’ve lost hope of ever pursuing a new challenge?

I believe there is a big message from this little guy, when he says there are openings all over the place, I just feel in my gut, that he’s right. We do have opportunity all around us. My coaches are helping me to see that, and encouraging my confidence to try to walk through walls.

Although, luckily for me, my coaches ask me where I want to go, so the advice they give, can get me directly to the right places. Yes the worm was wise, but not as thorough as he coulda’ been, and Sarah could’ve asked a few more questions too 🙂

As I coach others, and sincerely work with their needs, of their journey, I can honestly say, that I care about their success. I know what it’s like to feel frustrated and out of energy, because I’ve been there too. A journey of real transformation in anyone’s life, will have moments like this, and let’s hope we’re willing to change our perspectives, adjust our vision, and try things that seem impossible, for therein lies the answers.

Just ask Sarah, eventually, she did make it to the castle, she did rescue her baby brother. She found out how tough she really was and made a bunch of new friends along the way.

Thanks for being here this week 🙂

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols

PS: one more little scene I liked: False Alarms

First Statue: Don’t go on…
Second Statue: Go back, while you still can…
Third Statue: This is not the way…
Fourth Statue: Take heed, and go no further…
Fifth Statue: Beware, beware…
Sixth Statue: Soon it will be too late…

Hoggle: Ah, don’t pay any attention to them, they’re just false alarms. You get a lot of them in the Labyrinth, especially when you’re on the right track. 

I’m Dropping My Fear of __________!!!

“There Ain’t No Umm in This Game!”

Uncle Allen said it clear, and meant it. His tone contains a background in law enforcement and passion for the real-work of the farm. It cut through the chatter of the family card table on a lively Saturday night. I was a spectator of the game last weekend and enjoyed my seat outside action, but inside a roomfull of family I love 🙂

Then he kinda laughs and grunts, and finishes by saying, “Either you want the card, or you don’t, their ain’t no umms!”

Whoever it was, that was in the midst of indecision during their turn in Shanghai Rummy, probably didn’t get the impact of this statement as clearly as I did.

Uncle Allen’s words stuck out, and rang true with me, and echoed a conversation I’d had the night before with another individual I highly respected.

This game, is more than cards, this game is what we do every day, and when we take a lesson from the wise men around us, we learn that there is one BIG declaration we need to put our effort into, above all others.

Commitment.

That’s the gist of Allen’s card game advice, and the main theme of a book I recently read called Straight Line Leadership. This book was sent to me, by my esteemed coach Steve Chandler as another important read, to my growth as a coach. Dusan Djukich, who authored the book, who is from the Piper area of Kansas, is a graduate of the same coaching school I’m attending, and a very highly acclaimed individual himself. In fact, his book is now recommended reading for all cadets at West Point Military Academy.

And in one high velocity, high energy hour on the phone last Friday evening, I was speaking personally with Mr. Djukich himself, and one topic was brought up over and over.

Commitment.

I felt honored and excited to be on the phone with the guy who’d penned such a powerful book, and I came to realize, how it really is time to ramp up my own level of Commitment, to my goals, and my game of life.

As I stammered and stuttered, I probably said “Umm” and “Umm, well” over and over in my conversation with Mr. Djukich about projects I’m working on. He would ask me flat out questions that weren’t difficult to answer, but on a scale and a scope of thinking that I hadn’t been considering, and truly wasn’t yet Committed to.

And boy howdy, did it open my eyes. Every point we crossed as we talked, all came back to one thing, my Commitment, the client’s Commitment, or understanding that without a high level of Commitment we can’t expect high level results.

Wow. Right in plain sight truth and yet deeply convicting discussion. Probably propelled me forward by years, just in one hour of brutally, energetically, encouragingly honest conversation. And when we were finishing up, his questions about how I planned on moving forward, were answered enthusiastically, “Absolutely, I am Committed!”

Again, “There ain’t no Umm in this Game, Either You Want it, Or You Don’t”

Take this concept, throw it up against any goal you have in your own life, I guarantee that it will help you see where your successes and failures have all come from. Our varying levels of Commitment, mirror our varying levels of achievement. But, please, don’t take my words for it. I’ll sign off for this week, and thank you for being here, and then post up a few powerful quotes by my friend Mr. Dusan Djukich below, you will want to check them out.

And we’ll see if Uncle Allen, comes up more great one-liners, or if someone he knows will post them here, I’m sure there are plenty!

Thanks! to all you weirdforgood family, who show up each week, I appreciate you! I am Committed to this blog, and to sharing this journey with you. Thank You. Stay tuned, as there are some really powerful movements taking place right now, that you will have a chance to be a part of, and benefit from… Yay! I’m excited!!

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols

“What you are committed to reveals what you have produced or have failed to produce.”

“You can be committed to things that both empower and disempower you.”

“Why you don’t have what you say you want is normally due to your attachment to looking good, being right and playing it safe.”

 “Commitment occurs the moment you shut all of your back doors and devote your entire being to whatever it is that you have committed to.”

“Commitment is what closes the gap between you and your intended results.”

– Dusan Djukich

Straight Line Coaching

Straight Line Leadership

Normal SUCKS, or have I said that already :)

Again, I LOVE PBS – DO NOT DOUBT ME ON THIS!!! I LUVS IT!

Anyway, an episode of Nova just aired, in which two little girls, Trishna and Krishna, born connected, destined for certain death, were miraculously cradled into the arms of loving and unbelievably skilled individuals and successfully separated in a 32 hour long marathon surgery, after years of preparation.

Watching the life and story of these girls, their co-guardian, and the doctors themselves intertwine and unfold was literally Awe-Inspiring.

I don’t need to tell you their whole story, you can watch it for yourself online! I will tell you that these little girls where connected by their heads. They shared vital vessels, which took a series of surgeries to sort out. They experienced setbacks and skin stretchings and literally MIRACLE after MIRACLE  in this amazing journey to undo something that God had stitched together.

Now. I am not afraid to tell you that I’m an emotional TV watcher, if you see little girls separated in a 32 hour surgery and don’t bawl your eyes out in joy, then shame on you!
Ha 🙂 Just Kidding.

But Really; that’s what I was doing. I was bawling and cheering and jumping for joy, all the time recognizing that: To Me, this is a fantastic manifestation of the Glory of God. A story told through the intricate, divine weaving of the lives of extraordinary people, cutting edge technology, and a worldwide audience of attention and prayers for these little angels.

As the surgery came to an end, and two beds contained two little healing bodies, and everyone was overjoyed, I was suddenly Dumbstruck, Shocked and Grossed-Out, by one comment spoken by the world-class surgeon who helped make it all possible.

To paraphrase, he said something like: “Now that it’s over, I’ll be so excited to watch them grow up, I can only hope that they are able to live Normal Lives.”

WHAT!! GROSS!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!

Normal?!?!?!?!?!??!!??!!?

Sir, I respectfully raise an opinion that in your exhaustion, you picked an oft-used slang term for Good Life, Great Life, or even Blessed Life. I sincerely hope you didn’t mean Normal!

Impossible! Incomprehensible! Absolutely Absurd!

These two girls, and every person involved with them are (to Me) Living MIRACLES!!

They’ve already touched the hearts and souls of millions of people around the world! They’ve shown more deep down gritty tough strength and resiliency than you get in a whole season of professional football. They’ve magnetized the most elite and focused team of specialists, to gather around them, and perform world-class feats of surgical precision, including one 70 minute duration where a doctor’s only option, was to hold steady the delicate brain of little Krishna in the palm of his hand.

These are not Normal girls, by any stretch of the imagination, and their story is unique for the exact reason that it is in contrast to Normal, thank God!

The Normal World shares it’s problems non-stop these days, Oh, and they are real big ones too. You can find them stinking and crawling, dripping line by line down your friendly neighborhood facebook page. If these two girls were to grow up to be Normal, I certainly would think they would have a little higher appreciation and gratitude than most. In fact people who are products of extreme circumstances have shown a higher ability absorb and project the thankfulness of Life itself.

If a sports team’s performance could ruin their day, they would be normal.

If a careless or slow driver irritates them enough to share their own anger with their world they would be normal.

If just about any small thing, doesn’t go their way, “like it should” (cause that’s how life works… HA!) and “Oh! It Just Sucks!!”… they would be normal.

If they have a completely healthy body, and fill it full of crappy fuel and plop it on the couch, instead of using it as the divinely created machine it was meant to be, they’d be normal.

You can see where I’m going with this, right? 🙂

Fortunately, even after the good doctor’s comments, the girls showed their spirit shining thru, and that they were well on their way to being Spectacular and Outstanding and Extraordinary. Instead of sitting around complaining about all the troubles life threw their way, they were crawling and walking, playing and laughing, learning new exciting things, like how to roll onto a certain side of their body, for the first time in their lives.

Seeing their fantastic resiliency does make you wonder for a minute though. I don’t believe these girls are extraterrestrial specimens of a non-human race. I think they are two special little beings, just like we all once were.

Sure, their path has already taken them to places most any person will never go. But really, in their life before and after the surgery, they were just doing what was natural to them. They were Living. They were playing, they grew and loved and laughed, and that is Normal… in our Youth.

Somewhere along the line, we change. I’ve changed. I know in my heart, that I let the world grab me, and pull me down to Normal, where my “problems” seem to be sprouted up all around me. These little girls remind me that my troubles are tiny in the big picture. They’re also under my control. I get the choice to acknowledge them and suffer from them, or blindly mow ’em over, on my way toward intentionally living the Life I deserve.

Thanks, Trishna and Krishna – your gifts have been recognized and received, at least for today, and your blessings have multiplied and compounded, they’ve spilled over, all the way from Australia to Princeton, Kansas.

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols

“Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-geniuses them.”
– R. Buckminster Fuller

PS: I apologize directly to Dr. Tony Holmes, Director of Craniofacial Surgery, for any offense. And I thank him, for the chance to share this story, and my teeny tiny little opinion, with the weirdforgood family. BRAVO, Dr. Holmes Miraculous Work!!

Drama-Drama-Drama

The last page, the final scene, and the 2 minute warning. Why in the world do we spend our valuable time reading or watching anything but the end result?

Wouldn’t it be MUCH more efficient and easier on our tender nerves to just skip to the last page of the book? To fast forward to the end of the movie? Or to do productive things for 2 hours and 58 minutes, instead of watching the Big Game for 3 whole hours, when only the last couple minutes can give us the answer to the question of “Who’s Gonna Win”?

Am I being silly here?? Really, No I’m not.

Okay, then WHY, would anyone want to win the Lottery? That’s like a shortcut to the end, without any of the effort; We want it, and we want it Now!

It’s a sad truth that we get confused on this issue in many important things in our lives, yet it is perfectly understandable for watching a football game.

The journey, is really what we humans are meant to experience, and the three act play is still a universally gripping and natural feeling format we all love.

We want a starting point, we want a challenge ahead of us, we love to imagine how things will play out.

Then we want the conflict, the meat of the storyline, we love seeing obstacles rise up and our heroines knocking them down. We want to see how far away the storybook ending looks, just to ride along with the characters unbelievably back from the razor’s edge.

And for the final scene, the climax, the biggest most daring feats are saved and relished. When the buzzer sounds, or the dragon’s slain, or the bride-to-be is swept away by the childhood best friend, we love living the drama right along with the characters, after all, we’ve been invested with them from the beginning 🙂

And herein lies another big stinky fat mistake that I’ve made. It’s delayed the progress and possibly life-changing transformations, that I could have been helping people with, for the last couple years, through True North FFC.

Oh no! Not another Aaron mistake story!! Yes, of course.

I tell you mine, that you may learn and be entertained and guffaw and enjoy my stupidity 🙂 you’re welcome 🙂

Truly, my mistake in discussing financial coaching, and most all of my discussions about dear ole Dave Ramsey, were fiery, passionate and descriptive: Final Pages of the Story.

“Being Debt-Free is AWESOME!

Everyone Can Do It!

Including You!

Want to Learn How?”

then The End.

is where those conversations went.

So how about a new approach? A slower, a gentler, a more interesting and useful-to-real-people approach, could look like the 3 Act play. In order to help people, in order to spend my time working with people to facilitate dramatic improvements in their lives, hearing the Whole Story is key, not just the final page.

As I continue crafting my yet-to-be-released workshop/seminar/fun-interesting-and super-industrial-strength-sawzall style toolkit designed Serve and Inspire, I’m learning from my own mistakes.

It will start off with colorful, fun and descriptive Introduction. Once we’ve identified the characters and forces and opponents, then we’ll move on to the Conflict; the meat of the story. Then watching battle after battle unfold, we’ll together uncover and experience the keys and actions that overcome. Finally, after a long adventurous journey, we can feel connected to the characters, and believe it for ourselves.

We then care alot more about hearing how the story ends up, and if there is anything valuable to our own lives, that we can take away and use.

I share here on weirdforgood, so that You can follow along and opine at will. What do you think of the 3-Act idea?

Dynamic Life Transformations are on the horizon. Now that I’ve taken the step to hire my own coach, things are really starting to shift. I sat this morning with a coaching client, and we had on the table in front of us, real proof that ideas and considerate conversation, can lead to actual results, sometimes scary-good results. And the Sparks Were Flying.

I’m thinking these Sparks could ignite a B-L-A-Z-E.

Have a FANTASTIC weekend, and thanks again for being here at weirdforgood.com

Sincerely,

Aaron Nichols