I’ve Blown it more than once, and I have a hunch, you have too.

It seems to me that it was easier to get over failure when I was a kid, than it is now…and I wonder why?  Even more important than the question “WHY?” is, can we recapture the attitude we had towards failure when we were kids, and if so…HOW?

Let’s go back and look at the lyrics of the 1999 Kenny Rogers hit…”The Greatest”

How can we have the same perspective as this Great young man.  I realize that we have to be realistic about our capabilities, but I think all to often we sell ourselves short, and give up to quickly.

Next time you fail at something, try to “turn those lemons into lemonade”.  Assess what you did right, and take careful notes on what went wrong as well.  Consider how much better off you’ll be next time with this new knowledge, and remember that failure is a necessary part of success.

If we’re intentional about learning from our mistakes, our future successes will be just that much sweeter, and our attitude towards them both help determine our Legacy.

Being Intentional about our Legacy…Changes our world!!!

“Randell Mark” Olson

Or was that the day before yesterday…

Does it seem that everyday is the same?  Is your main goal everyday, just to endure it, and make it to the end of the day and into bed safely?

What happens from the time you get up in the morning, until you go to bed at night?  Are you doing things intentionally that will have lasting impact, or are you just trying to survive the day?

Snap out of it…and LIVE!!!

Try these 3 techniques to change your life:

1. Identify your Values: Spend some time alone, and think about the things you care about most,  (God, family, friends, community, life, freedom, the homeless, money…etc.) and list them out on paper.
2. Have Impact: Pick at least two of the items on your list, and seek to have a positive impact on them everyday.  Pick one or two things you can do everyday to bless that person, or add value to that cause.
3. Share It: Share with others what you’re doing,  ask them the same questions, and challenge them to do the same.

These 3 simple actions can have an incredible impact on our lives, as well as the things we value most.

When we Identify our values, take steps daily to enhance them, and ask others to do the same, we add purpose to our daily routine, and positively impact our world.

Let’s stop letting the hours pass by in mediocrity,   let’s start being Intentional about our Legacy so each day will truly be a refection of who we really are.

Have you ever felt like a Fraud?

I know that sounds like a strange question, but hear me out, and see if you can relate at all.

I sometimes find myself in a situation, where my Passions, and Desires are stronger that my Credentials. For example;  I may have a strong desire to help a person through a difficult business situation, when I’m “elbow deep” in a similar situation myself, and I haven’t even figured it out yet.  If I offer suggestions, counsel, and advice…am I a Fraud? If I offer to speak to a group of people about discovering their Vocational Calling, and making a Career Transition, while still in transition myself…am I a Fraud?

The reason I’m asking these questions is, because sometimes that’s the way I truly feel.  You might say I’m in a battle between doing the work that currently pays the bills, and striving to be in the work I believe God created me for.  Let me try to explain my situation.

I currently own and operate a Garage Door business as my primary source of income, but I truly believe God has called me, and is preparing me for Career Coaching, and Professional Speaking.  So by day I sell, install, and service garage doors and openers, and by night I speak and help people with career choices and transitions. Who am I? A garage door guy who helps people in career transition, or a Speaker and Career Coach who happens to also sell garage doors.

Ultimately I think it’s my responsibility to be authentically me, in every role of my life.  If God has called me to speak and coach, then I am to pursue excellence in that role, and know that He will  be using me for His purposes.  I discussed this with my good friend and coach Rob Clinton, who made a great suggestion, he said Randell “just be Great at what you do by day, and be Great at what you do by night”. As long as I’m serving with greatness It’s impossible to be a Fraud, even if I sometimes feel that way.

How about you…do you ever feel like a Fraud?  If so, consider this;  The passions and desires you have were placed in your heart by your Creator, and if you are seeking to change your world by fulfilling God’s plan, then you’re not  Fraud…even if you don’t have all the credentials yet.

Striving for Greatness everyday, regardless of our current situation, is all part of being Intentional about our Legacy.

“Randell Mark”  Olson

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I know you’ve been their too.  Sitting at an “All Way Stop Sign”, there’s cars at each corner, and nobody is moving.  We all wait.  What are we waiting for?  Are we afraid?  Are we shy?  Are we confused?  Are we waiting for someone to wave us through?  Or are we worried that it’s not really our turn?

Guess What?   It’s Your Turn !!!

If you don’t start moving, you’ll never get to where you’re supposed to be going.  The tasks before you won’t get done, and the people depending on you won’t be served.

I have a general rule of thumb I use at “All Way Stop Signs”…While looking each person in the eye, I count to three…if no one moves, I move.  While everyone else is still sitting still, I get moving on to my destination, and proceed towards reaching my goals.

There is no doubt “Stops Signs” are there to help keep us safe, but they are not there paralyze us, and stop us from doing what we’re called to do.

If you know where God wants you to go, and what He wants you to do, but find yourself waiting at an “All Way Stop Sign” , I’m waving you through, because…

Guess what?   It’s Your Turn !!!

Go For It …The world is waiting for you to Be Intentional About Your Legacy, It won’t happen while your sitting still.

“Randell Mark” Olson

So often I find myself thinking about the next big event that is going to help me achieve my Goals.  There is no doubt that conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programs can have significant impact on our progress towards reaching our Goals, but I think often times it’s the little things we can do everyday that ultimately keep us moving steadily in the right direction.

For instance my morning coffee helps keep me motivated…actually it’s not so much the morning coffee, as it is the Coffee Cup I use.

A few months ago my Friend, Coach, and Speaking Mentor, Kent Julian gave me a coffee cup with his Logo on it.  I use that Coffee Cup every morning.  That Coffee Cup is a constant reminder of the things I’ve learned from Kent, and it Inspires me to keep pressing on.

I would encourage you to consistently do something that helps bring your Goals to mind everyday.  It may be a podcast, a book of inspiring quotes, a genre of music, or it may be as simple as a Cup of Coffee, but whatever it is, do it everyday, and you’ll experience the Greatest Changes in your Life, and be more Intentional about your Legacy.

Randell Mark

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what the consequences might be if I do not live the life I was created to live.  Who would do what I am supposed to do?  What if no one filled in for me, and my assignment was left undone.

Can you imagine what would happen if the trees stopped doing their job, no more oxygen, no more shade, if they didn’t do their job, would they flourish, or would they whither? Could they reflect all the glory, and beauty they were created for?

Everything in creation has a very significant purpose, and our very lives depend on it.  Every plant, every animal, every drop of water, every star, and every sea creature impacts our life in some positive way, nothing is here “just because”.

I believe the same is true for each one of us.  Each of us were created for significance, and as Zig Ziglar says, “endowed with the seeds of greatness”, yet seeds still need to be nurtured to produce the life giving fruit.  Our seeds are talents, abilities, tendencies, and desires that we need to develop, and hone for maximum potential, and positive impact on each other.  If I don’t discover and pursue my calling, then you are being short changed by me, and you also owe it to me to live the life you were created to live.

I wonder if I would take my calling more seriously if I considered it my assignment, or even a command from my creator. In the book of Exodus, Moses says that God gave certain men wisdom, skills, abilities, and understanding to do all manner of workmanship, and then he says…Exodus35:30 “the Lord has called them by name”…and they Exodus 36:1 “shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded”.  God first gave them the ability, and then he commanded them to carry out the assignment he had for them.

I know what my assignment is…I think it’s time for me to get busy. I’m not here “just because”

Randell Mark

Who is walking around in your shoes?  Or maybe you’re wearing someone else’s shoes.  Either way, I’ll bet it’s not a perfect fit.

Have you ever wore a pair of shoes that just didn’t fit that well?  After wearing them for a while, your feet started getting sore, blisters began to appear, your pace began to slow, and you finally had to stop to take them off.

We are pretty good at noticing when a shoe is not the right fit for us, and we make the necessary changes right away.  We may even pass the shoes on to someone who they fit just right, but why don’t  we do that when it comes to our careers?  For some strange reason we’ll struggle for years in a career that doesn’t fit us.

When we are performing work that is not the right fit for us, it’s  a little like wearing shoes that belong to someone else.  We can do it for a while, but before long our pace begins to slow, we start feeling the pain of our “blisters”, we become agitated, frustrated, and begin to long for Fridays, and dread the thought  Mondays.  I know the feeling all to well because I’ve been there, and it’s a miserable place to be.

Working in a job or a career that is not the right fit for you effects every aspect of your life, including your relationships.  It is nearly impossible to give yourself fully as a husband, father, or even a friend, if your work is draining your energies, and passions.  The fact of the matter is, that we owe it to our Creator, our Families, our Community, and Ourselves to discover the work we were created to do, and begin taking  steps towards that work.

Isn’t time we take off the shoes that don’t fit us, and give them back to the rightful owner, and put on the shoes that energize us to perform the work we love.

Lace up vocational shoes that fit you perfectly, the world will thank you for it, what a great way to be Intentional About Your Legacy.

Randell Mark

It makes a difference what you think about yourself, your self image.

Each and everyone of us, brings a unique perspective to any situation, problem, or circumstance.  The skills, gifts, knowledge, and experience each of us have, bring valuable  insight to help someone else deal with a problem, or move forward in their journey.

What about you…do you think you can offer someone valuable assistance to help with their situation?  Or do you think your failures, and lack of experience prohibit you from helping someone take steps towards a better life?

You see, our mind set matters.  If we don’t feel that we can help…we probably won’t, and someone will be missing out on our unique experience, that could be just the answer to their problem.

I struggle with this same issue myself.  For some reason I often feel less qualified than others to respond to a post, or offer my advice.  WHY?

I think it’s because I know my failures, I can’t even answer my own questions, why would I think I could answer their’s.  Other people always seem to say the right things, and my advice seems so insignificant.

BUT, the FACT of the matter is, that someone needs my advice, and someone needs your advice too.  What if someone is going through something that you just went through yourself.  Whether you handled your own situation well or not, your input for them could have massive impact, and determine their success in the matter.

Don’t ever minimize your ability to help someone else, because no one has your exact experience, or qualifications, and that may be precisely what that person needs to move forward.

That’s being Intentional about your Legacy.

Randell Mark

I met a friend of a friend yesterday, his name is Kevin.  Of course I shook his hand, and said what we all say…Hi Kevin, “It’s Nice To Meet You”

The fact of the matter is, that at that moment I really wasn’t sure yet if my meeting him was going to be a good experience or not, but within about 15 seconds, I knew it was going to be more than  just nice to meet Kevin…It was going to be a great experience.

Kevin is one of those guys that truly cares about other people.  He doesn’t tell you he cares, you can see and feel he cares.  He’s the type of guy that you want to know more about, but he is so busy learning who you are, that he isn’t talking about himself.

I left our short meeting, anxious to meet Kevin again soon, so I could learn more about him, and why he is the way he is.

This encounter has me wondering if “I’m Nice To Meet”? Do people want to learn more about me?  Would someone want to be more like me?

I don’t want to be selfish, but  I want people be interested in who I am, be cause they see that I am truly interested in them.  Zig Ziglar says “you can have anything in life you want, if you help enough other people get what they want”.

That’s not a selfish statement, because the focus is on helping, and serving others.  I believe if we practice putting other peoples interests before our own, meeting us won’t just be Nice, it will be Unforgettable .

Randell Mark

Country music star Alan Jackson recorded a song entitled, “What I Do”
The song is about the various obstacles he had to overcome, in order to fulfill his vocational calling as a singer, and songwriter.

Near the end of the song, Jackson says, “I’m one of the Fortunate Few, To Do What I Do”. Alan Jackson is no doubt living his best life, in regards to his vocational calling, but what about the rest of us?

Why is it, that so few people ever discover the purpose for their life?

We owe it to Our Creator, Our Family, and Ourselves to Discover, and Live Our Best Life.

I’m still working through that whole process myself, but I’m becoming more Alive everyday, as I discover more about myself, my passions, my abilities, and even dreams I never knew I had. What’s even more exciting, is that when we begin to take action, and pursue our calling, we impact everyone around us, and that’s when we all become closer to “The Fortunate Few”

Randell Mark