Thoughts from the past help to form the future

Sooooo, I start this Blog and then promptly don't write anything in it, what up with that eh?

Story of my life though.

So, I woke up this morning at 5 am ish. My early morning was largely due to a suddenly shrinking bladder I think... and what’s the deal with that huh? There shoulda been some PE Class in High school that had the name:

"Preparation for the deteriorization of your body for the next 90 years."

Of course I wouldn't have taken it, but at least I’d a known what to expect. Ok so 5 am means that I really only slept for about 4.75 hours, so I figure I'll just catch a few more Z's sense I'm just coming out of a cold.

Instead my mind spins with thoughts of Bills coming due and the glaring fact that I'm not gainfully employed blaring loudly in my mind.

So, I get up n hit the shower, ready to charge into the day. However before I hit the shower, for some reason I notice a little black book that I used for a work journal a few years ago. I read some pages that remind me about a focus that I once had. I'll retype what it said, but I don't know... does it go against my current mission statement? I'm hoping not because it seemed to get me energized about getting myself employed in something that will produce an income.

Anyway, here is what I wrote in the journal on Sunday March 9th 2003:

Defined Vision: Decide when "It" = "Enough"

In Gene Rodenberry’s view of the 24th century, he has humanity progress to a state in which there was no monetary system. Instead of seeking after money, people would give their time to society to advance it for a common good. I have often thought that was ideal! People not worried about 'how much' or worse, how much more than the other guy, that they have. Indeed that is a great utopia.

So how to... oh wait, I have to add this thought. I haven’t enjoyed, nor found greater fulfillment at any other time in my life than the time I spent on my mission preaching the gospel to others. I was not concerned with 'gaining' material wealth, but rather I was busy helping to better the lives of others.

Ok, with that a s a foundation I tried to think of a way that I could 'stop' focusing so much on the 'what I get' part of life and start concentrating on giving back to society.

Now I have some pretty aggressive ideas about some of the things that I want to be able to experience in this life. One way to attain those things is by having an adequate income that will allow me to do things like;

Travel,
Two locations of Residences
Involvement in business
Involvement in education

I know there are multiple paths one could take to achieve ones desires. I think that it is of utmost importance to 'choose' one of those paths and start along it, in order to achieve those desires.

Aha a key! Defining your vision or destination.

I strongly and firmly believe that 'desiring' or 'wanting' something is a huge part of 'getting' it. It is almost absurd to think of skipping that step. That being the case, by clearly defining what those desires are, the easier it will be to obtain them.

OK

I could write pages and pages on the preceding themes, but that entire preamble is to help me in defining the following ideas that have been jumping around in my head for the past 2 or 3 weeks. I have decided to 'establish' a 'that's enough' point. The world is not currently in a Gene Rodenberry 24th century utopia, but rather the opposite where Money plays a great roll in society. So to compensate for all of that, I will declare an amount of income that should be sufficient to provide me with my desires.

I do this with the hope that by setting a limit, it will combat the sad fact that the more a person makes, the more he spends or wants. I have experienced that in my own life and have witnessed it in the lives of others. I will set an income that I will 'force' myself to be happy with. As I achieve 'more' than that pre defined amount I will know that it is already earmarked as 'not mine' it will go towards benefiting society. If my plans work out then my source of income will be coming from an institutions that have 'improving others' at the heart and core of them. So Excess $ will go to those institutions.

Ok Deep breathes here! I'm setting my 'I will be happy with... # here so I'm "psyching up" for it.

Here is the only qualification... if the inflation rate average stays the same as it has been over the last 20 years (83-03) then the dollar # will not change. Yes that that's right the 'real income' will decrease over time! The # of loaves of bread or gallons of milk that I could buy will go down from year to year so I must budget for that!

Now the # I choose will seem very 'high' to some and 'low' to others. But here's the deal, it's my choice to make!

Every man bargains with life for his wage. Some may desire to live as cheaply as possible and others as richly as possible. Most never even give it consideration, instead just 'taking' what they are offered, never realizing that they could have sought more, or been happier with less.

That being the case, the following is what I have decided:

I Wade L. Hone will arrange my financial life to first achieve $120,000 (after taxes or net,) that I will live on each year. That is 10,000 $ a month. From that $ I will pay my bills, I will provide for my family, giving shelter, food, education, and other things that they stand in need of. Once I have attained that income, my focus will be on decreasing the amount of time that it takes each year to 'make' that money.

I can allow my self to get up to 10 years ahead in savings, but my expenditures need to not exceed 120K a year.

If I get 10 years ahead I need to dedicate my time 100% to my 'life’s work' and not focusing on 'working to live'.

Pay All Debts

Don't get further into debt. (exceptions = education and up to 2 houses.)

Once you satisfy your 'needs' levels then focus your time and energy on giving back to society. (Life’s work)

Stay humble

Which means to remember that the lord may have other plans and you need to always put his will first.

So, that is what I wrote 3 years ago... then you put that with my mission statement... I think they still jive together. I can live with combining those views into my present plan of action.

that plan being to start making money, key in this write up from 3 years ago was the line that talked about first attaining my income goals. In Maslow's higharchy of need, he postulates that certain needs like food shelter and emotional well being need to be met before an individual can really start giving back to society.

Amen to that. It's good training too. Anyway, here is a long post that I'm scribbling in here, to help me stay focused on the goal, albeit a goal from a while back... just because I lost sight of it for a while doesn't mean that it's not worth coming back to now.

It's time to start making hay while the sun is shining. As my Dad would say. I'm over my cold, and though my bladder may not be as patient as it used to be, I can still make it to the bathroom. Hence I've got allot to be thankful for and need to get up on the horse n ride.

Wade -out.

Missoin Statement 2006

The New Plan 1-1-06:

A new year dawns, and instead of playing and partying to ring it in, I have decided to re form my mission statement. Previously my ‘Master Plan’ has included things like changing the way that society works, buying and selling million dollar corporations, and creating training programs that will enlighten all of mankind… well perhaps not all that, but the truth is they have been very grandiose, and far reaching. The problem is, I haven’t ever focused on any of them like a person would have to, to be able to accomplish them.

Perhaps one day those things will become important to me again. So far, apparently I haven’t had the motivation to really do anything more than develop plans and play in air castles built from my dreams. The action part just never happened. So, today I will focus on a few things that are attainable in the now, things that will allow me to better enjoy this short little slice o’ time on earth that I’ve been blessed with.

-- ---------- --------- ---------- --

My mission statement:

“I will keep work in its place. Work is a means to acquire food, shelter,
and after that, luxury. I will recognize the importance and value of
time. I will carefully consider choices that trade limited highly
valued time for, often, low value luxury. Only when the luxury is
worth the time cost, will I choose to make that trade.

I will build relationships. Relationships are either in the process of
growing or dying, it is a rare case indeed where a relationship hits a
plateau and stays there for any amount of time. There may be a limit to how many close friendships that a person can have, but I will push those limits by using the technology of this age, and by choosing to consciously and continuously reach out to others.

I will choose my reaction carefully in every situation. I have total
control over how I choose to react. That choice has a great influence
on my attitude and I choose to keep my attitude pointed in a positive
direction. Life is much more enjoyable that way.”

-- ---------- --------- ---------- --

There! I have it, now that’s a mission statement I can live with! I like it, I am 100% bought in to that one. No list of things that I will or won’t do, nothing that I have to beat myself up over failing to achieve. It’s really something I can live by and I like it.

It summarizes easily too.

The Wade Hone Mission Statement:

• I will keep work in it’s place.
• I will build relationships.
• I will choose my reaction carefully in every situation.