Sink or swim

Do you know anyone that has not followed the conventional way of life and somehow has a better "life" than you do? Well, better is a very relative term. I have a friend that has not worked a conventional day job since he left high school. He has jumped around from career to career, but he has owned his own company the whole time. I have seen him close down so many companies and start up a company in a different field. How the hell does he do it?

I was talking to him last night about it and I mentioned the famous line, "You can't have big rewards without big risks". He smirked, but told me the truth. He has had the big rewards, but he has also had the big failures. He is the type of person that does not show this side very often. It also may have been the rum and beer talking, but he showed his other side last night. The failures are tough. Not slightly tough, but extremely tough. I guess I always avoid the other half of that equation. Big risks can also lead to big losses.

I'm gonna let you in on his secret. It's really all in the person's general attitude. He has the type of personality that doesn't quit. No matter what, he just keeps pushing forward. This is his secret to his success. Do I have this type of personality? I don't know for sure, but I know I don't like losing at anything. It only makes me more determine to succeed.

After talking to him, I realized the hardest part of it all is just letting go. The first step is always the hardest. If I want the big rewards in life, then I need to just jump into the deep end and not slowly walk into the deep end. There are two type of people in this world, sinkers and swimmers. I like to think that I'm a swimmer, but we will find out for sure within the next few years.