Journal: #243 Choose You
For lunch today, I ate with an old friend. He’s one of the first people I met when I moved to Redding, and remains one of the people I stayed loosely connected to over the my time here. He “started a business” aka joined another MLM/marketing scheme. At this point, I don’t care. Some people make a lot of money working those pyramids, but most do not. I hope he’s one of the few who does.
He came for a lunch visit to discuss how to market his new “business.” I gave him my honest take on MLM companies and how best to go about build his organization. (My biggest problem with MLM’s is the focus on growing the “down-line” aka recruiting people to sell. What ends up happening is the focus becomes recruiting, not selling product. Eventually someone has to sell product. So I told my buddy how to focus on selling product to money-paying customers.) At one point during lunch he had me read a vision statement, which included his why. It was passionate and well-written. My heart broke for him. As far as he’s come, he’s still nibbling at the edges of what the Lord has for him.
No one wants to work in a pyramid scheme, just like no one grows up longing to clean toilets or work the late shift in a customer service call center. We take these jobs because we must, and there’s no shame in it. We’ve got to eat, keep the house warm, and replace old underwear. If we’re lucky we can save a few bucks and plan a vacation. This is life for most Americans. For whatever reason, we stopped pursuing the dreams in our heart. We turned back from our aspirations to service our demands. There’s no shame in hard work, but there is shame if children go hungry.
My friend is guy with a wife, with kids, and mortgage. Running after his dreams isn’t something he thinks is possible right now. He’s doing what we do in this situation. He’s putting his effort into a secondary pursuit. He wants “passive income.” Then one day…when he’s satisfied his fears, he’ll run after that thing. Except that’s not true. More money will lead to more expenses. The only way off the hamster wheel is to jump and never go back. It fear that keeps his feet to fire and afraid of failure.
My conversation today reminded me of me. I was him until last summer. I wish I could show him how he’s taking the long way around the mountain- that he can start to build and grow his dreams today. I wish him success, but I don’t see it. I sincerely hope I’m wrong. If I’m right- in six months- he’ll come calling again. Another business idea he doesn’t love, but believes is more viable than what’s in his heart.
If you’re reading this, please, pursue what the Lord put inside you to do. You don’t have to quit your job or ignore your commitments. But, for the love of God, you owe yourself and the world. You owe me. The biggest problem in the world isn’t sin or conflict. The biggest problem in the world is it is full of people denying themselves the grace and love required to be the unique creation the Lord made each of us to be. Fear is a sonofabitch. Lies are the worst. When they work together, they keep us tied down in cycles of bullshit and resentment. No one is worthy. It’s not about that. The best lives are lived by those who grab life by the horns and never let go.
