God Provides!

I have been down on myself for a little while because things have not gone as fast as I thought. I even jumped a little on a few things in anticipation of things hitting (Dave Ramsey would be very angry). Having put stress on myself and my family we really responded and got back on a plan! It has been super tough but it has brought Kelly and I closer.

Then this weekend.... We got a check that will allow us to get in front of our debt! We are going to make it! I feel better and it shows in everything I do! God gives us everything we need even when we create holes to be drug out of!

Thank you God for showing Kelly and I that you are strong when we are weak. Thank you for providing when we are desperate! Give us strength to stay on the right path and rely solely on you! AMEN!

Motivation

Just read an article on motivation! Very interesting ideas on how to trick yourself into doing things. I guess trick may be a strong word but it is implied in the article.
I have made real progress in regards to leading the Family in budgeting, weight loss, and work production. The real key is the motivation of game playing! My competitive juices get going when I make things a game and compete. However the competition raging in me is interesting from the aspect of winning. If I win the competition I feel great but if I lose I have to rationalize myself. The rationalization is the part that is dangerous.
Having high self-confidence is important in the games I have chosen but starting in a position of weakness is difficult. The game leads to highs and lows that are sometimes difficult to push through. I may have taken on a few too many personal and professional projects for my level of attention. The reality is there is no turning back!

I will put my faith in God and let him lead me!
I will put Kelly, Addison and Elle in their proper place in my life!
I will continue to work out every day!
I will continue to develop myself personally/professionally!
I will continue to lead my family out of the darkness of obligation!
I will make life long friends on the phone today! (Weird to think about that possibility!)
I will.......

How to focus?

The question that keeps me up at night is "How to Focus?" Some people have almost extraordinary ability to tune out the world organize and simply do. This is my greatest struggle. Staying on task and keeping my nose to the grindstone.
I have been able to take baby steps in training my mind on getting things done like: Everything becomes a task or a calendar event in outlook, a timer to structure time per task, and increasing my inner monologue. Yes, the third one sounds crazy and maybe it is but it helps me stay on task.
This blog also helps to gather my thoughts and discipline myself.

Yesterday, I did not feel well all day because I got out of rhythm because I ignored my morning routine. My whole day was thrown off and my focus was not there. Today I feel great because I am back in rhythm!

Goal updates-
237.2 today WOO HOO
Almost done with Insurance Commander
production way up on CC's and X's
Kelly and I are examining every dollar on our way to more secure financial footing.
Budget round 1 done!

Scheduling Priorities

Today I have to do something I never thought I would do. I RSVP'd to attend an event for my dad but in order to do that I must miss Addison's Christmas program. For sure an interesting conundrum. I do not feel like I am choosing a person, I feel like I am ranking importance. Addison will have dozens on programs and recitals for me to attend but my dad will only be triumphantly rewarded for his service to Dyersburg once.

The bank event is a real closing of a chapter for the Edwards' in Dyersburg. The magnitude and importance of the event cannot be understated. I do feel bad for missing the program but that is just the way life goes!

God grant me wisdom to know and understand exactly what the right decisions are in my everyday life. Then grant me the serenity to live with any hurt feelings because of those decisions. AMEN!

Feeling Alright!

I am really starting to feel better, look better and become better. I have recommitted to the fundamentals of taking care of my body and mind first. It makes all the difference in the world to have short term pain for the long term gain. After about a week and a half of being consistent I am staring to feel the difference.

Yesterday I was hitting on all cylinders and could not be more happy!

More tomorrow!

Progress

Today I feel better than I have in weeks! Kelly and I have a financial plan that is budgeted. I have worked out 6 of the past 7 days and lost weight. My diet has improved with regard to calorie intake. I still have progress to make as far as the content of the calories. Everyday has been better than the last.

Kelly and I are also making progress in finding a church home. We loved our time at Highlands but Kelly had a hard time fitting in and I have been inconsistent in leadership. Kelly and I really like Madison Heights as we have found more people that we feel have things in common with us.

All of these things require consistency and endurance to continue on the path. Jesus please give me strength to lead my family well. Help us to honor you in all that we do and guide us through this season of uncertainty that we have built. Thank you for the plan that you have given us to get this far! Please continue to bless us and help us with our daily struggles of inconsistency. Give us strength to live life with people around us and help us to remember the reason for the season of giving. AMEN!

Restart!

Well last week was not the week to start anything! Unfortunately, being on the road and at Nana's house all we did was eat and lay around! However, I am off to a great start this week. I woke up with a clear head and worked out! I am not tired because Elle slept through the night! WOO HOO! Although all is not great I still have to bear down and work through the finances we are doing better so far. Kelly and I are committed to getting to the other side of this and not returning! We have been a little loose and have done too much for everyone and now we have to buckle down and focus on us. We will not falter!
Tonight we will have our first weekly financial meeting! In the future we will have to move it because of YL but tonight we start!
I will not falter! God will give me the strength to be the man of leadership I need to be right now. Endurance to run the race and be consistent!

Focus and consistency

Wow, the year has rolled by so quickly and I feel like I have not accomplished the goals I set for myself with a few exceptions.
I have found an opportunity that will provide equity long term and security in the short term.
We do have a healthy baby girl and Addison has started school.
I have done a better job on educating myself via training courses but not done enough in independent study.

Goals that need focus and consistent effort against:
Losing weight and being more healthy. My weight rollercoaster has settled in at 240. Not where I want or need to be.
Saving money. We have actually become dependent on cc and dug a small hole. The size of the hole is not the significant development it is the lack of discipline.


The holidays are stressful and ours will be doubly so as we attempt to work our way out of the financial hiccup we have to endure.

Now to put the past in the past and focus on the future.

Today:
I will put a plan in place for the finances that Kelly and I can commit to!
I will work out at least 30 mins.
I will commit to keeping my thoughts on the immediate and future success of my family!
I will be happy to be as fortunate as I am!
I will not rest until I have accomplished my goals.
I will wake up tomorrow and recommit.
I will be accountable to myself and Kelly in every aspect of my life!


God hear my plea and give me strength! AMEN!

Under Pressure!

The pressure to make everything come together and fulfill everyone's needs is daunting! I have this overwhelming need to make more money, sell something, and take my family to the next level. However, it always seems that I jump to the next level too soon and put a tremendous amount of pressure on myself to accelerate the process. In turn I drown a little. I put a level of expectation on myself to get everything immediately and instead of picking a little bit up here and there I shot for the homerun!

Breathe! Today I will gather at least 4 x-dates. I will try to make an appointment for next week. I will keep my intake down to a minimum and spend $0 on myself. God give me the strength to take every day as a gift and maximize it. Remove my selfishness and focus on others. Grant me wisdom to make great decisions and give me confidence in my abilities. AMEN!

More tomorrow.

Cutting back

As I work on cutting back physically and fiscally I find new challenges every day. New temptations that creep in to test your will power. It is weird how if you attempt to moderate one area of your life another slips into excess. All of this to say that in order to truly trim the fat it must be cut from everything. As I discipline myself to eating and drinking less I must also curb the spending habits that incite this behavior. This is also a challenge as my whole household must participate as we are a team.
Leading this team will take careful planning as we cannot just go cold turkey in order to achieve long term success. The progression of my family into prosperity and health will be my pursuit and the further subject of the blog.
My first program will be the planning session. Kelly and I will sit down once a week and plan the exact week's allocation of food and money.
Deviations from the plan will require the notification of the other and agreement. Ad Hoc meetings will be necessary to the success of this plan.

The first step before all of this is a prayer and commitment on my part to become unselfish. I will forgo my desire's in regards to personal immediate gratification and submit to the long term success. I will pray for strength and wisdom in my pursuits. God please grant me the resolve to be unselfish in my leadership of your family that you have entrusted to me. AMEN.

And we're back!!!

After a beautiful event this weekend in Oxford I feel emotionally hungover! I miss hanging out with my friends  and try to hang on to that feeling too much. We all had so much fun and built great relationships that stand the test of time. The test of time comes when we leave.... We all have our routines and daily lives that spill into weeks, months, years that we do not reach out to reconnect.
How do you feel when people go there separate ways and forget to call? We act like the immediacy of our routine is more important than our past relationships. I challenge myself to reach out to my boys on a consistent basis but even I get discouraged and busy!
Pull this lesson forward to business. How do the customers who have not heard from you in a while feel about your relationship? Are they hurt? Do they care? If they don't care why are you doing business together? Tough questions for a Monday morning!

INVEST in your relationships! All of them. Pick up the phone, write that note, send that e-mail. God has put people in your path for a reason, explore that fully.

Good Life!

Today is the day that things will happen! Why because God has done everything in my life to lead me to today. There is nothing and everything special about today.
Tonight I am giving the talk at MRA Club. I am unprepared as I sit right now but I will work hard on it and get there.
My trip to Dyersburg is filling in nicely so I will be able to work on some opportunities and make my home proud!
Beautiful fall weather, a little warm but not going to melt.
I have allocated time to everything that needs time and started moving things out of the way that need to fall by the wayside.
Addison and Elle are doing great and really starting to grow up! Yeah, Elle is actually awake for more than just eating. Addison is really starting to be fun and interesting in her own regard!
Kelly and I are going to begin working out the schedule a little farther in advance which will eliminate some heated discussions about direction and timing!

YEP, as my Pop used to say- "If I get any better looking, there's going to be trouble!"

Slacker

I have been so focused on everything else I have neglected my blog. Everything is fighting for my attention and time these days, it will not get any easier I know! Being a little focused on my health and well being has taken away from other things that I want to do. My priorities must be reiterated everyday in order to remind myself exactly what can and cannot fall by the wayside. With that being said I am off to the phone. I am going to make a vast number of calls today! I really want to sell and I can't sell unless I get in!

Pulling it all together!

The game I am playing at work mirrors the game at home. In order to fully function I must pull bits and pieces of information together and put content out at the same time. Listening and boiling down motivations is the most difficult process for me to go through. I do feel like the better I become at this trait the more successful my relationships will become at home and in the marketplace.
Fully organizing my life so that everything has a place and I can quickly recall or access the material will become the key to success. This level of organization is paramount in order to properly compartmentalize all the information coming in. Compartmentalizing will allow me to better live in the moment when the moment requires. It is difficult to focus on a situation at work or home when things are consistently popping in your mainframe from other drives.
I have made progress on the decent back to 200. This will be a long arduous journey pitting desires against self-control. The mental toughness will come in to play as I adjust my intake. I simply must make better decisions on amount and selection. Side-note: I never thought I would but working out after everyone has gone to bed is for sure my favorite. I am not as prepared to go to sleep early afternoon because I had already been up 12 hrs. Sleeping in in the mornings and staying up later fits my families schedule luckily it fits mine now.

Rest for the Weary!

Although I did not get to post this weekend I was very relaxed and got some much needed rest! The great football and hanging out with Kelly and the girls is exactly what I needed to refocus my attention on things that matter. With that being said, I was also able to understand a few of the glaring and upcoming needs that we will be having in our journey.
My motivation is not the accumulation of things or money, I do know that in order to continue to provide a comfortable lifestyle for my girls I will need to make some sales! In my environment school cost money, vacations are ever increasing, vehicles and housing grows in expense, all of these lead to the greater need for cash flow.
I am blessed beyond measure that I have the potential for unlimited income but the downside is limited security. That is why I have to work on closing stuff soon. A little healthy pressure is good for me and I will arise to the occasion.

Progress: I am not necessarily picking up steam on losing weight, I have arrested the fall. I am making better decisions and making progress with exercise to boot. Priority #1 is becoming more healthy. The weight loss will come.

Timing!

Timing is everything. The right place at the right time.... We say the same thing over and over again in various ways. Every day we make decisions that affect our next outcomes. In order to prepare for the future we must make investments of time for the desired outcome today. All that said sometimes you just have to be lucky. When you are prepared, right place, and right time something great can happen. The preparation that we invest today may also pay off today, I don't know. That is why it is so important to fill every minute with preparation or execution.

On track: I have for sure curbed my intake. Not quite far enough because I still think I am taking in more calories than I am burning but I am on the right track. Everyday will be an undertaking to achieve discipline in intake. I will overcome and learn not to over indulge. More water and coffee less doughnuts and butter/cheese. I think I may have to ban goldfish from my diet also. Lots of salt and calories for no reward. I have to lead by example if I want my family to be healthy.

I am going to add weekend thoughts to add to my discipline.

Progress and Setbacks

After a great start I dropped the ball this morning on my exercise. However, I will continue the discipline I am showing on consumption. I also have another opportunity to workout this afternoon. I must walk in the door and commit to doing it.
This morning my devotional was about the feeling of separation from God. Which is really ironic since I missed the men's small group this morning and have not been able to go on Sunday night for a while. I am struggling to get plugged back in after the craziness of summer and then the baby being born. The small group really kept me accountable and I felt like was growing. I feel stagnant and that is leading to me feeling distant. As I feel distant to God, I fell distant to those closest to me.
I have been using a growing percentage of my brain capacity to focus on work and that has taken away from Kelly and kidos! I feel drained by the time I get home because the mental and emotional resources consumed at work. As I make changes in my diet and exercise I must add some mental discipline to focusing on my family.
Challenge: Be present and do not be distracted by the allure of laziness.

Building for the future

It supposedly takes 20 days to create a habit, day 3 and I feel good. Today is going to be relatively easy to push through but as the weekend approaches discipline becomes more difficult. Thursday has become the hinge of success. If I can get to the 4th day working out and not making excuses I will be headed in the right track. Building my body for the future is equally as important as building my mind and heart.
Life has become hectic. Trying to fit everything into a schedule and still be present is increasing in difficulty. Seizing time when and where I can is the most important discipline to learn. I talked yesterday about procrastination stealing productivity and exchanging it for business. The fact that I am busy is not necessarily a positive. If I am productive then I have something to hang my hat on.

Today I have my first solo meeting. I am ready since it is simply a fact gathering mission. Lord give me the strength to go confidently and the wisdom to listen as they talk. Please allow me to build a relationship and be an asset to their enterprise. AMEN

Work in progress!

Yesterday was far from perfect but I made progress. I even got up this morning and worked out! I will get to day 20 in a row and new habits will have taken form. While I reshape my body I will also reshape my work. getting up earlier and getting my brain started has helped my anxiety at work. Unafraid to admit that the first couple of weeks picking up the phone and hearing no shook me a little. I have now come to grips with that and have the confidence I need to attack the issue full on. 

Procrastination: The idea that I will carve out time later in the day to call someone, to write that e-mail, or to work out...... It will not happen. As I currently sit with 2 little girls and a wife time is at a premium. I will not let things linger and I will not be afraid. Time will not allow it.

Busy Life!

Seeing the fruit of a busy life is sometimes hard. I feel and act busy most of the time but, fruit of the stress/toil is often lost in the the shuffle. Although mentally I feel better when I am moving from one thing to the next, I  neglect my physical well-being and in a short time I run down mentally. The challenge I now lay before myself is cranking up my body to handle the emotional and mental stress. I feel like I will be able to better achieve all my goals personally and professionally if I restart my physical strength. 

Being Healthy Objectives: Some simple choices have to be made and adhered to in order to regain control. 

1. NO French Fries

2. NO Soft Drinks- Including 0 cals

3. No doughnuts

4. No 2nds- simply put enough food the first time no overloading

5. Limit Cheese and Other Fried foods

6. No food after 7:30 p.m.

7. Eat Breakfast

8. Enough Sleep

9. Limit Fast food to no more than 2 times a week

10. *****Most important****** Exercise every day minimum 40 mins

I will have some type of accountability post every day!

Getting in the Zone!

In today's information age how do we use the the overabundance to sell? I try to balance my approach between too much research and just calling. The law of averages begins to take effect when you make a certain number of calls but the flip side of that is knowing the information that will increase that average. Making the right call at the right time is not the easiest thing to do but it is possible.

I have not hit my sweet spot of calls and research but I feel better with every call. The chase must become a reward in and of itself. It is odd the way the industry works but I will be persistent and continue to search for my sweet spot.

Distractions: Although most are not negative, removing the distractions is becoming a growing part of everyday. In order for me to get in the zone I must continue to compartmentalize the distractions of the outside world.

Lists

I have entered a profession of lists. Making lists, checking off lists, listing tasks and people everyday! This has become a very interesting life style. I find myself thinking in rows of information all the time now. The grind of organization balanced with the unpredictability of potential customer interaction is exhilarating.

With the invention of Facebook making lists is second nature to my generation. We pour over lists everyday to see what our network is doing. I rank friends not in importance to our shared history but in relation to content generated. This ranking has become more interesting as my generation becomes so interconnected globally. My friends that I would never be able to keep up with on the other side of the world have become fixed in my mind as we constantly appear on each others list.

The list of lists: How do I keep the list of most important things top of mind? As I create more list the completion of the current list becomes most important. Making Lists and Ranking lists is vast importance!

Focus

Monday's are all about focus. How do you regain your focus from the weekend where all you tried to do is turn it off. Sometimes I feel like my switch is busted! I get so dialed in on one thing or the other and cannot transition.
Today my resolve is to begin the hard stuff. Look some of my fears in the face a not let them win. The very purpose I started this blog is to allow myself an outlet to put thoughts and feelings down in order for me to understand the reality of them.
I must simply stop with the things I allow to use my time that are unproductive and bear down. Long term I do feel that the blog and other messages I send out will pay dividends but today is about today! The reality of a new mouth to feed is here and I cannot wait!

Lord, help me to focus and not waste time! AMEN!

Creativity

How do you get someone to call you back? How do you get someone to reply to an e-mail? Well, I tried something yesterday and it clicked. Don't give away the magic! Ok sounds simple right? I will say it another way be ambiguous. Still another way, Everything you have learned about looking for business turn it upside down.

Sometimes the creative thing to do is not put something on social media but to try an approach that you know won't work. Creativity is taking your current resources and building a different output. There are strategies that work, so do not reinvent the wheel. Simply take the wheel and deploy it in a fresh new way!

Take a list of companies that you are not comfortable with. Call them energy. Ask for the information you need in a creative way. If you don't get the person you need to talk to tell the VM who you are, your number, and that you have something they would be interested in. When they call you back, MAKE THEM INTERESTED!

Life comes at you fast!

I feel like I am in a whirlwind of change. Today is my first day back at work since the new baby arrived. We are so blessed to have the family and work support we have. I cannot imagine Kelly and I working anywhere else that would support us like this. Our families have been incredible also. they have done so much for us.

The principle in business that rings true in both situations is: Be Selective and Pick a Team not an individual. When Kelly and I were dating each other and interviewing our current employers we took into account all of the people involved. Now I am not saying that everyone has to be a perfect match for the situation but in order for the relationship to be successful you have to be able to work with everyone on the team. We often get so involved with "marrying" an individual that we do not invest in the relationships around the individual that make up the support group. It is very difficult to rework the infrastructure being the new guy so why not spend a little time on the front end looking at it before you join.

Go forth and be apart of a successful team!

Brief

Keep your explanations brief and listen to what the other person has to say.

Timing... It is not yours!

Yesterday was a great day! I had a great ride-with and learned a ton about how to prospect. Today is all about follow through and getting a plan together. I have mixed emotions about being in the office though because I really wanted to be delivering a baby. If it was my time table we would have delivered the baby today and started fresh on Monday. Instead Monday we deliver and I have to plan accordingly. Life happens and not always according to your time table and what is convenient for you.
Time and I have a love/hate relationship only because of my perspective. The appearance of increased or decreased speed in relation to time is the myth that we convince ourselves of. When something is fun and exciting time appears to pass quickly. When life is boring or uneventful it passes slowly. When reality time passes at the same pace continuously. Making the most effective use of this pace is the key to unlocking an alternate perspective, Unemotional Relationship (in regards to time). If we simply understand the environment  and not let our emotions rule our perception we can effectively use the time we are given.
The fine line to be drawn is between the relationship to time and everyone else. My suggestion is not ridding all emotion from the situation, just simply the emotional connection it holds over our perception of time. No speed or positive/negative it is just time. Allow yourself to remember but not dwell on current/past situations. be present in the seconds that are passing! 

Ride-with

Today is the 2nd ride-with I will have as a member of Fox/Everett. This will equal the total number of ride-with's I had at my previous employer. I am supremely excited because I am an osmosis kind of learner, I need to be submersed in it. A great example was yesterday when my boss said that he writes brief notes to the person that he talks to that actually gives him information. A light just went off in my head, I had probably heard him say that before but it never registered. I love to write brief thank you notes so this is a perfect technique for me. Had I not just been with him for a few minutes I would have never picked that up.

The ride-with is also valuable for the interpersonal side of working with/for people. Nobody understands this better than the military. I talk all the time with friends or acquaintances that have military backgrounds about the connection they have to their superior. It will absolutely blow you away the words that they use to revere the "boss." I find it so ironic that military bosses are revered and in the private sector all the humor (based in reality) degrades bosses. I am the lucky one it seems. I have a boss that I revere and a company that I believe in. Although things change, I am truly happy right now.

It's the HUNT!

As we enter the season of male testosterone, football and hunting, I have to examine my own motivations and lack of attention to family matters. I woke up Saturday morning and my heart was beating like I had just injected caffeine directly into it! College football started on Saturday morning in earnest and I could not be more excited. Kelly had different plans as it was her birthday. Admittedly it was the perfect storm of bad situations. Kelly's not being a fan of watching football, Our house did not have cable since the beginning of the year, and Addison was not in a great mood. needless to say watching college football did not happen very much on Saturday and I overwhelmingly had the feeling of dread.
My personality is that I can be fascinated with most anything and live in the moment. I will allow myself be occupied with anything except sitting around. Kelly was not feeling well so we attempted to just lay around one problem no college football at my house. (We had dish installed on Sunday.) So I could not think of anything to do except find a way to watch college football. We had a tough day!

The Hunt: I can only recap the way I feel because I do not understand it. When football season comes around my whole motivation and mindset changes. I become a strategist, a health nut, a physically driven person. I walk around and feel the need to do more fist pounding and chest bumps. Although, I do not participate in the hunting I love to go and hang out. It is something in the air that just makes the male species go nuts! Again, I can empathize but I cannot explain.

False Alarm

So we began football season at the hospital! Kelly had contractions all day yesterday and finally last night around 6:30 we went to the hospital. After checking in and hooking up to all the monitors I settled in to the rocking chair for SC v. Vandy college football game. The contractions began slowing and eventually faded away. All of this was puzzling to me because I was on the edge of my seat watching the game. If it had been me I would have had the baby about 5 mins into the second half. It is hilarious how Kelly does not care about football and I was getting emotional about 2 teams I have no allegiance or connection to. Ahhh, it has begun the season of football.
The false alarm lead me to believe that the scheduling piece of the birth was going to be perfect. A slow week for me (Nobody talks about switching insurance during a hurricane) going into a holiday would have been perfect. I guess God is further instilling in me his timing not mine. So for now we wait and pray for patience.

Cliche' Statements

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." William Shakespeare wrote this and people have used it and misused it in numerous situations. I categorize this in the Cliche' statement folder. This folder is used often in my everyday life and, much to my dismay, over used according to some. In order to sound intelligent we regurgitate quotes and cliche' remarks in our normal conversations. I want to understand why?

The need to feel intelligent and or prove our superiority to another comes into play often with out our knowing. I do it every day. I have been know to one up and seek to make myself greater at the expense of another. The Pride gene in every human cannot help but rear it's ugly head the moment we forget our purpose or our inequities. We often confuse the need to be liked with the thought that people will only like us if we are superhuman!

Pride cometh before the fall!... (I forgot) Yes, I love a good cliche' statement however I will examine my heart as to the motivation before I use. I will stop myself daily and ask: What is your purpose in this?

Do not be discouraged!

Every day that goes by without a sale is a day to potentially be discouraged. I will not be! I am going to attempt every day to be more effective than the last. Which brings me to a story....
After a fun night at the Library Kelly arranged for me to be dropped off at my condo by some friends. As we sit in the back seat and recap the evening I begin to be full of confidence. Our friend, Mary Ellis, pulls up to the condo and I open the door. As I open the door I lean back in for a kiss..... Shut down, the particulars of which I do not remember. Shame..... I swung for the fence and whiffed. I thought that it was going to be easy and was sorely mistaken. Being the resilient type, I scurried off to my room and examined my mistakes. Again, not sure what it was so I reasoned that she did not like me after all. Dejectced and confused I called her the next day and acted like nothing happened. The funniest thing, I tried the very next night and succeeded!
The moral to the story is simply do not over think the situation just continue to take cuts!

Healthy Conflict

Every day of the past almost 4 years Kelly and I have made decisions in our relationship. Decisions have fallen into 2 categories: Selfish and Unselfish. Unbegnoist to the other or ourselves every decision we make directly affects the other. The most difficult decisions are the ones that create conflict. The ones that create conflict typically start with "I want" indicating that these are selfish decisions. Conflicts will and do arise often, the manner in which it is handled determines the health.

The things that I tend to create conflict over come from over planning. I review my calendar determine my availability and make a decision. Unfortunately, my calendar is not always complete with Kelly and now Addison's activities. Therefore conflict arises around the priority of the schedule. As if we are lawyers on a tv show we make our case to each other in an effort to persuade the other side. If neither is willing to compromise that is when the conflict becomes unhealthy.  Huh, I just had a revaluation, the lack of system for decision is the source of the conflict. I love this blog.

Be Decisive!

Very few people have accused be of decision paralysis. In fact stubbornness to change my decision is a possible faw.
After dating for a few months I had a discussion with my Pop that went something like this:
Me- Pop, I can't wait for you to meet her. I love her.
Pop- Ok, well will she say yes?
Me- Yes.
Pop- Buy her a ring son.
Me: No money.
Pop: Christmas is soon.
At Christmas that year my grand parents liquidated there estate and gave each grandchild $$$. All of us had different needs but my mind was set on a ring.
So I bought one. It almost burned a hole in my pocket twice but my dads rule was that I had to have job before I could ask. It took me a few months to decide the first indications of a soft market was coming and I needed to get any job I could. After finding a job with BBG, doing what I grew up doing, I asked her. Although it took some time to get there my mind had never waivered from my resolve to marry Kelly. The timeline, meeting in September buying a ring in January, is proof of my resolve.

Things I learned during this time frame: persistence, decisiveness, and hard work. It took months to find an opportunity but it was all worth it when the plan came together.

Wheels in Motion

After riding for 2 and half hours we still had stuff to talk about. Amazing. So I continued to call and meet her out or invite her to come with me places. The boring details I won't go in to. Then it happened the seminal moment in our relationship. A friend of Kelly's family, who just so happened to be a pledge, came up to me and Kelly at the bid party. I rolled the dice not knowing that they already knew each other, I introduced Kelly as my girlfriend. Yeah, it was brash and the awkward moment followed as soon as the tool of my announcement walked away. Instead of asking her I simply stated what was happening.

Practical application.... Take a prospect to the limit. Announce your intentions and be clear about what the relationship is before you are too deep. I prefer not to waste time with beating around the bush. I also prefer to know the answer before I ask a relationship question. I admit I do not know everything so I ask informational questions but once I get a read on the situation it is time to fish or cut bait. Are you "hanging out" with too many people or are you announcing/protecting your current relationships.

This is my Girlfriend......

The setup

So like every good frat guy after the Memphis State game I went to Beale street. I had only been back in the country a few weeks and not seen many people so my best friend and I cruised up and down for what seemed like days. He decided that we would goto some club. Not sure why but he convinced me to wait in a 30 min line and pay $20 to get in to what seemed like a rave. (he is quite the salesman) While waiting in line this beautiful girl speaks to me..... So I see you riding your bike all over campus. That was it. I took over from there. I simply explained away the girl I was with and invited her to come and ride with me when we got back to Oxford. Thinking that I would not call she gave me her number. (I double checked it with one of our mutual friends) I of course called her on Monday and scheduled a Thursday bike ride.

The only lesson so far is right place right time and you get 0% of the business you don't ask for.

The Ask

What are you selling? That is the question I get a lot from people. The question is misguided because our society has a mental image of cheesy sales people who do nothing but make a transaction and move on. It is also misguided because they too are selling something. When was the last time you took some one to dinner? Was there a discussion about it? Did you go where you wanted to go? Although this is not a complicated sell you did persuade someone at some point to bend to your pick.
Sales is something that we all do all the time in many different ways, so check your approach. I am changing my selling approach so that I do not get that question as much.

The greatest sell, over the next few days I am going to pick apart my greatest sell. I convinced a sweet and beautiful young girl to marry me. How did that happen? Well, I am going to examine the keys aspects and write them down in order to duplicate..... This is gonna be great!

The plans of mice and men!

I was going to get in the bed after our Young Life meeting, wake up early and run, eat a great breakfast, and be fresh as a daisy for my boss to ride with me today. Addison Mae had other plans. I lay down and over the camera a whimper gets louder. Kelly sneaks in to see what is going on. Well, Addison is smoking, 101.4 fever! So naturally we take her to our bed, in which she always curls up on my side leaving little more than a sliver for me to sleep. At 3 a.m. the fun begins.. Vomit. This proceeds until 5 a.m.
The story comes to an end because it is an illustration for the nobody cares column. Harsh I know, but only your family will have sympathy(if them). Do not plan for optimum! It will not happen. Leave a cushion, some margin to allow yourself error. Nobody feels sorry for you because they are dealing with similar or greater circumstances. Push Through! Pray that God will give you strength!

Surprise Yourself!

Every day is filled with choices. Get up and run or stay in bed for a few more minutes? Everyone likes to talk about starting a new habit or quitting a bad one but often it does not happen. Why? I am weak. My internal monologue loves to tell me how great I am or how I deserve certain things..... I believe it. In order to correct my course instead of an internal monologue that is placating I must change it to one that is corrective and motivating.
Caution: I must proceed with caution as it is a fine line between motivation and depressing/overwhelming thought patterns. Continuous improvement is the goal not an obsession.
I have developed a few good habits over the past few weeks but neglected a few I need to get to. As I write my blog i have to recommit to my health and fitness. Time to cut the junk and get back on the running horse. Today I have committed to continually surprise myself. I will not reach some lofty goals I have set unless I am prepared to do some lofty things.
God it is your time that you allow me to use. Please allow me to make the most of it and bring glory to your name. Amen.

Mist on the Field.....

I remember the first Friday night on the field like yesterday. It was a steamy August night and the crowd was as loud as I have ever heard..... Boom everything goes quiet, all I can hear is the voice in my head asking if I am ready. Although, I was not starting that game I was going to see the field that night and my head was swimming. Steve Summers, my coach, whispered into my helmet "Don't blink this will all be over soon."  He was a prophet I this regard. Most of the details after that are blurry. I can remember fun situations and plays but it came and went so fast.
As much as I miss it the lesson of taking advantage of every "play" has ressinanted with me and helps me to make the most of every day. Never miss an opportunity to do more and make the most of everyday! Be more grateful, Pray hard, love your kids, forgive.....etc. Carpe Diem

Almost Cut My Hair Today....And She's. Buying a Stairway to Heaven

I love the poetry that is in modern music. Often times I listen to an entire album over and over because I like the story. Paying attention to what people are saying is a very difficult task add to that really catchy music and we often get lost in mood. How often is this true in every day conversations. The a/c is humming and tv/radio is on in the background allowing us to hear but not listen to what people are saying.
An exercise that I formerly did well was listening to songs and writing down the lyrics. Cutting through to the heart of the matter.... (that last sentence should ring a bell for Eagles fans) This exercise is one I will pick up again. Cleaning out the noise and reading stories. Should be fun for this pirate who looks forty....

Attitude

Today is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it! If I woke up this morning in a bad mood or didn't sleep just right it "ruin my whole day." Today is when that stops..... No more "Bad" days. My attitude will reflect a positive outlook upon every moment I am given. Push through to easier/more fun situations but never let it change your attitude.
I will continue to improve my situation and always have a positive attitude while doing it. I will stop letting things and other people control my daily outlook. I will attack every opportunity with compassion and thoughtfulness. Taking control of my attitude will enable me to set free discouragement in my life. I will simply have the attitude of Christ....

Interviewing

Who are you interviewing and who is interviewing you? When Shakespeare said life is a stage and we are all players he was right. We are always in front of people and people in front of us, how do we act?
When I was interviewing for my current opportunity I tried very hard to present the best Andrew B. Edwards I could. Do I do that all the time? No, and why not because it is hard. I am lazy just like most other people. In order to turn that around I have to slow down and begin making critical assessments of myself and the interactions I have with others. An interview can be as comfortable as you allow it to be, inversely it can be miserable. I am sharpening my interview skills, starting now!

Time......

I am continually fascinated with how the perception of the speed of time changes. Time moves fast when you don't want it to and slowly when it needs to go fast. Since I have started at Fox/Everett time  feels like it is moving very quickly in relation to the previous 6 months. I often look down and wonder what have I accomplished or am I really further along?
How do I spend my time?..... I wish that I could say " my time is super effective and efficient" but currently I am still spending time getting in a grove and searching for information.
Intimidation: The feeling of anxiety surrounding productivity often makes me further behind. Simply releasing the reigns of control allows me to refocus my energy. By not focusing on the constraints I can allow myself to make good use of the passing moments.
Time........ Something that I use no matter what might as well make the most of it.

Passionate

I love working at Fox/Everett. This morning we had the first sales meeting I could attend. It was awesome. People are ringing the bell left and right, everybody is fired up to be there! I could just feel the passion of everyone in the room coming through even when they had not closed a sale in the past 2 weeks.
When goals come alive it is so fun to watch and participate in the celebration. I know everyone in that room, shareholder or not, was genuinely proud of everyone's effort.
The Bell...... My goal fundamentals have not changed but the fruition and celebration has become so real I can physically feel, touch, and hear it reverberate in my body! Can't wait to ring the bell!!!!!

Frustration

Frustration arises when you miscommunicate or fail yourself. Miscommunication can often times be attributed to "Did you hear what I thought I said?" In our minds we have crystal clear thoughts that are sequenced correctly...... Your mouth sometimes takes the message and says things with important words missing. Remeber that most people do not have all the context clues in their minds that you have in yours.
Failing yourself is the product of lofty expectations and inactivity. Today, right now, this second is the only one you have don't waste it with laziness. Making realistic goals will help with this frustration. If your goals are too high for the given time period then failure and subsequent frustration will follow. Eat the elephant one bite at a time, understanding how this particular bite helps you reach your goal.

Consistency

Today I fought through. Normally when I hit my alarm and fall back asleep for 20 mins I let it turn into 45. This morning I found the motivation to dig deep and get out of bed. What is my motivation? I am not always sure because it changes day to day. Today it was losing weight. Tomorrow it maybe being healthy and living a long life in order to enjoy grandchildren. Unfortunately, the motivation to get out of bed has to be personal and hit close to home.
Challenge: find a motivation that is not of myself in order to have a deeper desire.
Yesterday was a good day great run, good diet, got a ton of work done..... But I still feel hollow sometimes as I sneak something here and cut a corner there. Jesus has to become the focus of my motivation. Weird sentence to write, right?
I struggle with the pray without ceasing and the submission part of Christianity. Sin creeps in and cuts away slivers of me to make my motivation selfish...... What is my motivation????
Question of contemplation: what motivates my/our actions and decisions everyday?

Goals Created

Breaking down huge goals into simple daily goals is the challenge to overcome. Everyone wants to make $$$ and drive x but the people who do broke those goals into daily functions. A few goals I have for myself is to make it back down to 200 pounds for the birth of #2. I also want to be validated as a producer by the end of 18 months. These things won't happen if I sit and wish about it. It is about hard work! With that being said #IGottaGoWork.

New Start

Monday's always start fresh. This one is particularly special because I have decided it was. This will be a day of building goals and putting incentives for myself out into the future. God has blessed me beyond measure and now I must become organized about giving back.
A brief period of laziness crept into my life and I am closing that chapter to start a fresh with renewed vigor. Things that I must take time on are my goals and what they should realistically be. Short term, medium term, and long term will all be fleshed out today!
Tomorrow will be about the results!

This is going to become my journal. Today, is starting off slower than past few days simply because I am not frantically trying to be in too many places. I love the pace of my new job but it will take some adjusting on my part to balance all the pulling and multi-tasking. Therefore this will be my sanity.
I am disappointed in my self because I did not run this morning. I have to put a marathon the calendar so I can actually focus and have a goal for which to use as motivation. I think that I can customize my own program to run one I just need a time table to work with.
Creating a list of people to start calling for work is a fun and arduous task as it unfolds. Turning over every stone and working every angle will take time and cunning, I hope that I am cut out for it. My fear of failing and drive to succeed is the overwhelming force pushing me but there are limits in that.

Stay Tuned....

Wow, I am just now getting back into my body after an amazing week at Frontier Ranch. The group of guys that let me into their lives is absolutely amazing. God will continue to do business with them and great things will come out of that! MRA and various other schools will be different because of the stand that my friends are taking.
The power of prayer is utterly amazing. Kelly and I have turned our concerns over and God is answering. His answers are sometimes puzzling but for sure an answer. I love it! Life is so very complicated right now because of several non-public situations and it has been so nice to have people show true character without knowing.
Thanks to all my friends for thoughts and prayers. Open pages and books of my story are coming soon....

The Restart

Good Morning! I love being up and rockin' this early. Although, I have been terrible about updating this blog but that is going to change. The ideas that are running through my head I will effectively communicate into words. The blog will become my journal.
Currently, I cannot stop thinking about Young Life Camp @ Frontier Ranch. I am so excited about going. Kelly and I went last year and literally had the best week of our lives. The changes in peoples lives that I have the pleasure of watching is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. God has worked through leaders and others to reach people for him. Negatively, I will not blog or sleep for 7 days starting Saturday morning. Please Pray!
Increase readership. My goal is to begin a process to increase my reach. Why?? In my short life I have found few things that have always been true: Christ, Family and I can make a difference in a person's life. Make a difference...... If I  pursue my goals and things that I consider truth, I can make a positive difference in every person I encounter.
Prayer: Hey Jesus, Watch over my actions today and make them honor you. Guide me pursuing Kelly. Make me a conduit for leading Addison. Protect the baby in Kelly's womb. You are an Awesome God and I do not deserve your love, but you give it to me freely. Thank you for our many blessings that are in my life. AMEN.