When I was 18 years old, my first job right out of high school was working in a small plastics factory in a not so good area of town. I worked a night shift where we started at 6 PM and worked until 6 AM, we would work three days on and then we would have the next three days off, at which point we would start another three day cycle.

One night at about 2 AM a man came in the building and was talking to a fellow employee, the rest of us assumed he was a friend bringing lunch or something. There was only three of us working that night so when our fellow employee called us over to his workstation we thought he was going to introduce us to his friend.

When we arrived at his workstation the intruder pulled out a gun, held us at gunpoint and demanded we hand over our wallets. Once he had our wallets in hand, he had all three of us line up against the wall, and then he had us lay on our bellies with our hands straight out in front of us…

My Life Passed Before My Eyes

I’m sure you’ve heard it said that just before you die, your entire life passes before your eyes. Well, I’m here to tell you, that’s the truth, thousands of freeze-frame moments passed before my eyes in a split second, I literally saw my entire life in slow motion in the blink of an eye.

Obviously  the intruder finally left and we were all still alive, yet in that moment we were frozen while our life passed before us. We were “held up”, but we were not in control. Most of the time in life, when we are “held up” its of our own making.

So what’s your Hold-Up?

What’s holding you up while your life passes by? Is it fear? Is a lack of confidence? Lack of knowledge? Are you too young? Or are you too old?… Whatever it is, now is the time to take action.  Start today by taking one step, every journey starts with the first step, stop waiting for everything to be perfect, start where you’re at today, and activate the gifts and talents you already have by taking that first step and change your world.

Stop waiting…It’s Time to Pull the Trigger

An Extraordinary Legacy doesn’t just happen…We must be Intentional, Start today by taking the first step towards an Intentional Legacy!!!

Blessings,

~Randell

I first heard that phrase from a cassette tape in 1982 from leadership expert and keynote speaker Bob Goshen. Although I have not consistently lived by that principle it continues to roll through my mind still 30 years later.

Who really wants to be moderate anyway? Nobody is” turned on” by somebody or something that is just moderate.  Living only a few miles from Lake Michigan, my wife and I often enjoy sitting on the pier watching the boats come in and out of the channel heading out to the big lake.While the boats are in the channel they are in a “no wake zone“, this means they float at an idle speed leaving no wake behind the boat. The real fun begins when they get past the end of the pier, without exception every boat goes full throttle. It’s as though the real ride doesn’t even begin until they are at full throttle.

Our lives are no different than the boats in the channel, if we are living moderate lives it’s as though we are in the “no wake zone“. I don’t know about you, but I want my life to be leaving a wake, a positive wake. I want to make a positive difference in this world and it will never happen being moderate. Being moderate is boring, being moderate is in effective, being moderate is dangerous, and being moderate leaves no wake…FULL EFFORT IS FUN, and FULL EFFORT changes everything.

I was listening to an Andy Andrews Podcast recently where Andy was interviewing Christian comedian Ken Davis. Ken made an awesome statement about how he wants to finish his life here on earth. He said “I want to cross the finish line with my chest pushed out as far as possible“…out of breath…FULL EFFORT!!! I agree with Ken Davis, I don’t want to stroll across the finish line, I want to cross it wide open, completely “Spent”…as Zig Ziglar says, “physically exhausted, but emotionally exhilarated“

It’s time we get out of the channel, leave a WAKE, and have some FUN… Let’s go FULL THROTTLE  being Intentional about our Legacy!!!

Blessings,

~Randell

Lesson Learned from Picking Blueberries

One of my favorite summertime activities is an annual trip to a local blueberry farm each July, to pick many pounds of berries for eating and freezing for winter baking. This has been an activity I’ve engaged in since I was a young girl visiting my Grandma each summer in the coal region of PA. In my youth, picking was more of a chore than pleasure. Back then I never appreciated the peaceful feeling experienced in the midst of that activity, or the opportunity to commune with God. I never saw the sun streaming down in the early morning hours with the dew fresh on the fruit and leaves. At the time I never realized the valuable lesson I would learn much later in life.

Yesterday marked the day for picking and I was excited. This farm has rows and rows of berries and I knew exactly where I wanted to go. Arriving at my spot, I looked at the one bush and quickly assessed that it had been picked over. Moving to  the next one, only a couple of feet away, an amazing discovery was made. A new angle, and small shift allowed me to see all the fruit that was actually on the bush I had just walked away from. Lifting a branch, and moving a leaf allowed me to see what wasn’t obvious earlier.

How often do we, in attempting to discover our calling, miss seeing opportunities because we only have one way of viewing a situation? We spend precious time looking straight ahead when all we have to do is shift a bit, or move something to gain a whole new perspective. The lamp provides the necessary light to take the next step.

What are you missing on the road to discovering your calling  because you are looking for the neon light instead of the lamp that is already at your feet softly lighting the way?

Basically, we’ve discovered a way to make your journey through this life much simpler. Life is still challenging, but we’ve learned how to leverage that, to use those challenges to our benefit. We’ve discovered that anyone can lead a successful life starting right from where they are right now, but it’s going to take that shift in perception using a very strategic method for uncovering your greatness.

Anyone can achieve greatness! I don’t care who you, or where you’ve come from. The opportunity to make your life sing is now, and we’re going to help you get there. Better yet, once you understand something that we want to teach you, you will be so fired up with a joy that surpasses all understanding to start going after life like you deserve it!

In this video,  I share how these behind the scenes “Moments Of Greatness” by the people who know me best have truly been the inspiration to keep me focused on what matters most.

This has been a major reason for my quest to help others Discover and Live Their Best Life, I want to be someone who can provide these behind the scenes “Moments Of Greatness” that will have a lasting impact on their life.

Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on this, and Thanks for watching.

“Randell Mark” Olson

I am deviating slightly from the initial format already with episode #2.  My plan has been to capture “Moments of Greatness” throughout the week, and share them with you here.  But I was reminded of this story yesterday, and I felt I really needed to share it, because it illustrates perfectly what this video series is all about.

I would be honored if you would watch it now, and leave your comments as well…Thanks in advance!!!

It is really quite empowering to realize the impact our attitude and great responses have on everyone around us, and all it really takes is choosing a “Moment Of Greatness”. Our single Moment Of Greatness can leave a lasting impression that can change someone’s world.

I hope you’re inspired to make Greater choices, and be Intentional about your Legacy.

Thanks for watching, and please leave us a comment

“Randell Mark” Olson

Moments Of Greatness Captured On Video

Brand New today.  Today I am introducing a brand new video series entitled: “Moments Of Greatness”. My purpose is to encourage anyone who is struggling in their current situation, to choose a Great response in every given moment.

Most of us cannot really imagine ourselves as Great, but all of us can choose a Great response for a single moment.  I sincerely believe that a Great life consists of Great responses, Moment By Moment.

So please watch this first intro video, and give me your feedback…I promise the quality will get better.

I will be releasing new “Moments Of Greatness Videos” on Tuesdays and Fridays, if you capture a Moment Of Greatness on Video, contact me, and we’ll try to use it here to encourage someones else.

This is just one more way we can be “Intentional about our Legacy”

“Randell Mark” Olson

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