Happiness In The Future

Today is today - tomorrow is tomorrow.  What you do today does not mean you will be doing the same in the future.  BTW, future does not have to mean many years from now.  It could mean weeks or months from now. 

Many things you do today are out of need (like making a living) or out of responsibility (like taking care of children, mom/dad, etc.).  However, many things you do today are because you don't know any better.

Now is the time to think about a time when you will be able to do the things you think will make you happier.  I suggest you take a piece of paper and draw a "T."  On the left side top of the "T" write "Today."  On the right side top of the "T" write Future.

Under "Today" write down all the things you do today.  An example could be:

• Work as an accountant eight hours a day
• Take care of my dog
• Spend time with my friends and family
• Date once in a while

Under "Future" write down the things you are capable doing in the future that will make you happier.  Remember, the future could be weeks or years from now.  Don't write down things you would like to do if you hit the lottery.  Be realistic.  An Example could be:

• Change jobs and go into sales
• Take care of my dog
• Spend time with my friends and family
• Get into a committed relationship
• Do something creative, like painting

Everyone of the "Future" list is realistic.  The best way to change jobs is to start doing something on the side while you maintain your current job.  The only thing that stops you from testing the waters on selling is your time.  If you are willing to use your time, after your day job, to sell something, you have the control to do so.

I'm not saying getting a full time sales job at a major company is realistic.  What I am saying is you can keep your current job and sell, at night, web adds, Mary Kay products, etc. etc.  You can do the same if you want to become a marketeer or any work related job, that makes you happy, that can be done after your day job.

If what you want to do requires training, you have the control to go to school at night.  It's all about your time and how you spend it.  After you have experienced the job you believe will make you happier, you will then know if it lives up to your expectations of happiness.  It might and it might not.  If it does, then work at it until you feel comfortable switching from your not so happy job to the happier one.

Sooo, start now.  Don't wait for the future to happen.  Make the future happen a little bit at a time.  Slow and steady does win the race.


You are not in complete control of getting into a committed relationship.  However, if you wait for someone to show up, it won't happen.  You do have control of the time available to you.  Use that time to meet people.  Go to or get involved in religious functions, community functions, political functions, etc. etc. 

BTW, you can also go to upper end bars to meet professional people (professional does not mean rich. It means someone that is professional in whatever job they do).  Ellen, Kenny (oh that guy again - my true friend the instigator.  He is going to hate me for saying that again) and me go to Wolfgangs in Beverly Hills twice a week.  We have met a lot of people and have a fun time.  Some of them have become friends.  If I were single, I would choose Wolfgangs over the Internet to find someone that I could spend my life with.

Sooo, start today.  Get out there and meet people.  The more people you meet the higher the chance you will meet your committed relationship partner.  Waiting for the future to bring someone to you will not work.


You are in control of doing something creative.  You don't have to be great at it - you just have to enjoy it.  The two most important elements in doing something creative is:

1. Something you are willing to spend your time at doing because it makes you happy
2. Do it for you not the money or anybody else.

If you follow these two simple rules, you will be happy doing something creative even if you stink at it.

Sooo, start today.  Try doing something creative.  You may love it or hate it, but you'll never know if you don't try.  Who knows, you may be good at it and that could replace your not so happy job.


Ok, what about me.  I do the "T" thing all the time.  I started at thirty nine.  My "Future" list included:

• Mentor people using my life experiences.  I tell my peeps that a Mentor is different than a Therapist.  A Therapist is book trained.  The books he obtained his information are great writings from some very knowledgeable people.  However, the Therapist has not lived it.  A Mentor is life trained. 
  
  I have had and still do have a very interesting life.  I've had the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  If you have read my blogs you know only a small part of what I've lived through.  By living it, I can relate to the people I'm mentoring.
  
  I've been mentoring people on business at twenty two when I became a manager of people.  I didn't wait for the future.  I wanted to do it because it made me happy.
• Lecture to groups of people makes me happy.  I love to be in front of an audience.  In high school I sang on stage at my Prom.  In business I was the one they always wanted to present to the senior managers and new hires. 
  
  I thought I would become a world renowned lecturer.  At thirty nine, while keeping my day job, I started lecturing to night class groups, Universities and a boat cruise on "Taking Charge of Your Career and Your Life."
  
  I am very good at it, however I found out that making a living at lecturing is very rare.  After studying it for some time, I realized that Lecturing was show business.  Show business is a steep pyramid. Only a tiny few are successful.  Only a tiny few make a living at it.  The masses do it for love or the tiny chance they will become a star.  Almost all of them have day jobs. 
  
  I love it, but with all the commitments I had, I decided to put my creative efforts in another direction.  Ones that I had more control of.  BTW, I'm available to lecture now because I'm retired (forgive me, I haven't given you a personal plug in a long time). 
• Writing makes me happy.  When I was trying to get a lecturing gig at a university, the first question I was asked was: "are you published."  I realized that being published would get me more lectures.
  
  I published my first book "Never Buy a Hat if Your Feet Are Cold - Taking Charge of Your Career and Your Life" in 1990.  It was a big success.  However, the checks I received from the Publisher were worth a few trips to Vegas.
  
  I published my second book " The Year of My Death," a novel, in 2003.  However, this time was different.  I stopped thinking I was going to be a famous author.  I followed the two simple rules above.  Writing takes a long time.  I was willing to give up some of my free time because I enjoyed the writing.  It made me happy.  The second rule was that I wrote it for me.  If it didn't sell one copy, that was OK.  This was a story I had to get out of my system and I loved every minute of writing it.
  
  I published my third book "A True Leader Has Presence - The Six Building Blocks To Presence" in 2010.  Again I did it for the two simple rules above.  I have a treatment of my fourth book, but rule number one has changed.
• Blogging makes me real happy.  My fourth book is a novel and a very interesting story.  However, writing a book is nothing like writing a blog.  A book takes a long long time.  You have to be dedicated to giving that time.  Rule number one is: "something you are willing to spend your time at doing because it makes you happy."  Today I'm not willing to use my time to write a book. 
  
  A blog takes me a few hours.  I can use stuff I've lived.  I can use stuff I have a passion for.  I get immediate feedback from some of my readers.  All of that makes me happy.

Oh, I missed the part when two years ago I learned to play the guitar.  I really suck at it, but rock and roll and country rock fills my heart - that makes me very happy.

I did most of these things while I had a full time job.  I found the time to make me happy.  Don't let the future pass you by.  Start today creating your future.  You deserve it!!