The other day I accepted a challenge to write myself a letter in the future. The letter was intended to “Fire Your Boss” which is a very interesting prospect when you realize how quickly the job market is adjusting from the Industrial Age infrastructure we were taught to expect to…something else. So many people are losing their jobs and being forced to either get creative, or settle for subsidies that make us soft and needy and weak.
The beginning of Lifestyle Design is to determine what we really want…. It is impossible to work toward a goal that is not clearly defined.
So, the first point of Lifestyle Design is:
#1 Define What You Want
Here is the letter I wrote to myself. You should seriously consider writing a “Fire Your Boss” letter also. If you love what you do, at least take time to define what you really want out of your life.
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My Dearest Byron,
You are amazing. It is surprising how much you have experienced in the last several years. The set backs and disappointments all happened for a reason, of course. We all say this sort of thing, but sometimes it is difficult to actually go through the process. I won’t go back through all the tough stuff here…because you already recall most of it anyway. The big reason I wrote to you today is to remind you to celebrate the amazing progress you’ve experienced recently.
You overcame the very strong leanings of your past to stumble through life believing there is never quite enough and that you can’t really take time to enjoy yourself until somehow there magically is [enough]. Well my boy, look around you now. All of that struggle and longing brought you to this!
Look at it. Relish it. ENJOY it!
You almost laugh…actually you do laugh now at how hard you struggled to keep that old job. It really was a blessing to lose that one…. Amazing, isn’t it, how our perspective changes with time? You worked so hard to get that severance package….but it was barely a dribble when you finally got it. Remember? $13,000 and for what? Let’s get back to today….
Your wife really enjoys being with you and she is the woman you always wanted by your side. Your children are well cared for and deeply loved. Your possessions that took so long to accumulate and then vanished so quickly…they’ve been restored tenfold at least. It is no longer a struggle to have enough…because now you really do have more than enough! You can be generous like you always wanted to be and there is no struggle to give.
The island you enjoyed in your dreams is now yours. The air is warm. The sea is calm. The food is plentiful. The tools you always wanted to do your projects are now here. The people you need to help you are eager to assist you. They amplify your abilities and together you produce the amazing programs you need and always wanted to create. The retreat center you thought you only dreamed of is now a reality. People come from all over the world to enjoy the lifestyle of their dreams…if only they could realize how easy it would be for them to have this lifestyle all year, instead of being limited to their meager one week vacation…but they seem to miss that point….
You’re never ostentatious…but you could be. The people who despised you and told you how little you had to offer…now fully realize how wrong they were.
The coffee is good. You can take time to enjoy it now. You finally took your own advice and learned how to really relax. At the same time, your life is filled with purpose.
The lull you experienced after the setbacks truly was time used to sharpen the saw. After you reengaged, things came together very quickly. Progress during the last year has been amazing not only to others, but to you also. Finally the pieces of your dream have come together.
The risks you are taking are paying off big-time. You now own real estate…the right way. The income from each investment is paying you back as you grow your estate. You found the right partners and managers to handle the work and get it done properly and quickly.
You have time to write. What you say really makes a difference to others. Sometimes you are going out on speaking engagements. Not crazy travel. You choose when and where you wish to present because you no longer scrape for scraps. The fruits of passive income are paying off every day as more and more people discover your work and appreciate the amazing value you bring to their life.
Welcome to the future my boy! You created something really awesome!
Byron
