Lessons From Belize! Anniversary Trip Special
June 4th, 2015 // 11:47 am @ Scott Manning
Hello my friends, clients, colleagues, and faithful readers…I hope this finds you doing well. For the past 10 days or so I’ve been way down south in the Country of Belize and having a fantastic time. Actually for reasons other than what you think.
It’s not the most exciting place, understatedly so not the most luxurious place, and well not the most relaxing place. None the less it was quite the adventure.
The Rain Forest for a few days, way down in the under-developed part of the country in small villages on the coast for a few days, and the rest of the time on the islands up north. It has been a lot of fun because of three overriding reasons.
1 – the people are grateful, gracious, and the opposite of entitled.
2 – the weather for the most part was beyond spectacular…and the geography, the real life national geography of seeing things as they are for other people who live in these environments every day was amazing.
3 – and of course above all else I was with my beautiful bride of one year and well, where we are together, as mushy as it sounds, it’s suppose to be that way, it’s always paradise.
I strongly encourage you, if you have a significant other, to ensure your relationship is in peak condition and you are fully engaged in each other and supportive of your daily lives and all endeavors – it is the most critical of all relationships and success factors you’ll ever find.
If you have this type of relationship in your life and it’s in neglect or denial or in need of attention , it will act like a subliminal anchor or voodoo hex on everything you do.
Peace of mind, body, spirit, in love and health and everything else in life is the key to the flow of prosperity.
Right now think through and make an honest list of the things you’ve promised your loved ones in your life, the things that weigh on your mind, and really rate your relationship on a scale from 1 to 10 and have a real conversation with each other and open dialogue as to how you can move it closer to a 10 and what specifically you can agree to doing to make things better for both of you, daily, weekly, monthly.
You certainly need to do this more than just once a year – but at the very least – make it a point to check in and check up and have peace and invigoration in this part of your life. It will make all the difference.
Now on to one of the most important lessons of my trip.
Every society and culture has the “have’s” and “have-nots” – the difference is what you choose to actually have. In Belize within miles of each other there are people living as though it were 100 years ago, no electricity, no bathrooms, living off their small gardens, selling and bartering to survive.
And then there are people in the city where advances have been made, cell phones, internet, and life as close to “normal” as we might think it to be.
Then there are those working up the ladder of education and income who now provide a better and brighter future for their children because of it.
At the end of the day though all of these people where happy being themselves doing what they do and living the lives they chose. They seemed to embrace their life and enjoy everything about it.
Whether they were the village people or city dwellers or professionals they were happy. I asked one of the people at the resorts what the average income was or what it needed to be to get by or survive. He laughed. He said most don’t need any income at all, why would they when they have everything they want right outside of their house.
This reminded me of the old joke about the Government Worker who went to visit the Chief on the Indian Reservation. It went something like this…
“Chief, great news, the government has granted you an opportunity to get an education, you can now go to school.”
the Chief responded…
“Why would I want to go to School?”
The Government official…
“Well you want to go to school because when you get an education you can get a great job.”
“Why would I want to get a great job?”
“Because when you get a great job you can earn a good living.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Because when you earn a good living you can save your money.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Because when you save your money someday you will have enough you can retire.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Because when you save enough money and retire then you can no longer work and you can do whatever you want every day.”
And then in the most unassuming and yet profound way the Indian chief responded with a lesson we should all embrace and learn he said…
“but, Mr. Government…I’m doing that now…everyday I wake up and I do whatever I want…so instead of following your plan that takes away all of my life and then maybe someday gives it back to me…I think I’ll just take what I’ve got now.”
In other words, thanks but no thanks.
Now, here’s the deal. Above all else, I would hope and believe I inspire your ambition and achieving the maximum potential for your life, more than most people you read, follow, know or interact with. It’s like, ‘my thing’. And what this weekly newsletter is all about.
However, whatever I am always trying to do it help guide you to be a better you and get all that you deserve and desire out of your life.
NEVER should that be at the sacrifice of your principles, peace of mind, or compromise of your lifestyle objectives you have.
The point – work and ambition and money for the sake of it – is worth nothing.
What I find is that so many Entrepreneurs try to follow other people’s Plans, they are always in search of bright shiny objects and greener grass instead of being true to themselves.
When you stop searching for “something” and start developing what you’ve got and who you are magic will happen.
The Indian Chief had it right, what should have been offered was how to get more out of what he’s already got, the life he’s already living, there is no desire to puruse something else when what you have now is what you want.
This is very important.
Too many of you are listening to others instead of listening to yourself. In my Consulting Blueprints and Transformation Process I conduct for my clients it is all about creating the BEST MODEL FOR THEM – not some cookie cutter approach or one size fits all solution – it’s about harnessing their abilities, their interests, what makes them most unique and what they enjoy and love the most to create total alignment and allow their business visions and life-ambitions to take off and flourish.
In Belize, I saw people who worked hard at making their grass greener not searching to steal, take, or feel entitled to have someone else’s grass.
Perhaps one of the biggest downfalls of our society has been people feeling they have a right to what others have because they haven’t figured out how to find their own way, their own life, their own story, their own passions, pursuits, interests, desires, and ambitions.
This is the key to everything…
When you stop trying to be someone else or have someone else’s business, practice, or enterprise, you’d be surprised and often shocked at how fast the flood gates of prosperity and wealth will open up for you.
Try it. You’ll like it. Being you that is.
And if you’d like to reflect and read an amazing book about this…The Alchemist
I re-read many books every year, this is one that should never be far away from your eye-sight. Enjoy and hey, let me know whatever you need…I’m the best in the world at helping you be a better you, build a better business, find your path and calling and profit from it creating the best lifestyle for you, you can possibly dream of and create.
More next week and a funny story about my encounter on the Monkey River…
Category : Blog
