Worst Advice: Put Your Dreams on Hold...

"Lamar, You need to Put Your Dreams on Hold..."




This was by far the worst advice I have ever received. It was about two years ago before I got out of the Army. It was from a Supervisor of mine, who shall be left unnamed. You see, when I was getting out of the Army, there were some people encouraging me and supporting my decision, but there were a whole lot of people trying to stop me from getting out. I was hearing so many excuses about why I should get out!

"You're so young...you already did 5 years, why not stay in and do 20 years, then retire!"

"You have a family to think about, stop thinking about yourself."

"It will be tough for you to find a job on the outside."

"No civilian job will offer you the same benefits as the Army will."
blah blah blah blah blah!

All these excuses and much more were drilled inside of me everyday. I was starting to get a little fearful, if I was making the right decision.... Could I really handle the Civilian World? After all, the army was all knew. I joined straight out of High School....

My supervisor sat me down in her office and decided to have a one on one conversation. I started telling her about all my dreams and goals that I had planned after I got out of the Army and the direction I wanted to go in for my family and I. Now my supervisor, who was in the Army for well over 20 years, told me that I needed to stop being selfish. She told me that my dreams were finished. (Just to remind you I was 23 at the time.) She said that the job I was planning to get wasn't paying enough...(which it does...), then she started going into telling me, how I need to support my family better, by really thinking through this tough decision. She said, You need to put your dreams on hold." You have a family to think about now! It's not about you!
Once, I heard those words, I was pissed! There was no way in hell I was going to just put my dreams on hold at the age of 23, or any age for that matter. I don't care how young or old I am, I will always have a goal in mind and I will always go after that. So, I said to her...."I can't do that. I can't put my dreams on hold. That's crazy!"

Her intentions may have been good, but...the advice was not for me...

She said, "OK, I just don't want you sending me an email 6 months later, telling me how you should have listened to me...I've had many people do just that, you know"
Now, I never said it was all about me. In fact, the decision I made didn't have too much to do with me...However I was to be included, nonetheless. The decision I made was for my family and I. I knew deep down inside that everything would be OK. I had a nice job lined up. I planned to really kick my Real Estate Business into hard gear and on top of that it was a Family Decision, so I was far from being selfish. In spite of all the great benefits, the awesome job security, and the $22, 500 Reenlistment Bonus (6 more years. lol), I stood my ground and said, "NO!. I said no because I kept my eye on my goal. There was no way in hell I was going to be swayed by excuses and Dollar $igns.
Now fast forward to today, (about 2 years later)....and I'm still working that nice job I had lined up. I kicked my Real Estate Business into Overdrive! Hence this newsletter... And my family is doing just fine. I never looked back! I never needed to send her an email about how I made such a horrible decision, because it wasn't. In fact, it was a great decision. It was tough, but that decision literally changed my LIFE! No Excuses! I'm doing it. Whatever it Takes!

How many excuses are in your life now and are holding you back from accomplishing your goals?

How much of an influence do they have over you?

How long will it take for you to let them go and pursue you goals?

Have you made decisions that have completely changed your life?

Were those decisions through fear of excuses in your life or was it a decision made through determination?