A short time ago, I read a book about how to think like a millionaire. GREAT book, but you have to read between the lines. It's the authors way of becoming a millionaire, literally. Buy my book, come to my seminars, etc. GOOD FOR HIM! Hell, he's literally a multi-millionaire because of it, got $25 of my money! But I started to read between the lines, re-read the book several times. It's about positive thinking on a whole new level. I'm not going to get into this part of it right now, that's for another blog in the future. What I will say, is try this for one week. Zero complaining! ZERO! Not even in your mind! Tell your mind, thanks for the input, but no thank you. You want money? Think about money! You want a parrot? Think about parrots! Try it, and trust me!
Now on to the point of this blog. I'm getting along in years, call me middle aged. Most of that has been spent in the fire service. If you take the 43 years I've been on the planet, 23 of them have been spent with fire gear, an understanding family, and a pager. Longer than without the gear. I had some really really difficult times with the whole business a few years ago. And the negative thinking that resulted just dug me into a deeper hole, and it kept getting worse. Then I met the Fire Service Warriors. About this time, I also read the above mentioned book. Because of all the negative thinking, my job sucked, my family hated me, my financial situation suffered, life in general was bad. I realized I was doing it to myself. The universe, or God if you will, saw all my negative, and figured that's what I wanted, so I got more of it.
I spoke with Chris Brennan, "founder" of the Warriors. Mark VanOppen, Barry Findlay, and other people in the fire service that I looked up to. I decided enough was enough. I embraced the Warrior mentality. Low and behold, things came around. Unfortunately it was a little too late in my career to change things for myself. I laid down a bad road that I have to drive on. So I focused on teaching new Warriors the right way to do things, and not make the same mistakes I did. Now all of a sudden, God sees all the positive thinking, and gives me more, because that's what I focus on!
Somewhere in all of this I stumbled on a quote from a philosopher, Heraclitus. Born Dec 30, 0534. Died Dec 31, 0474. Yes, that's B.C. Here's the quote, that more or less has become my signature:
“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”
With the addition from myself, "BE the ONE!" In the fire service, in EMS, in LIFE! BE THE ONE! I try to instill this attitude on all of the new generation firefighters that look to me as a mentor. Now to the meat of this blog. I get a text message today from a great friend. He tells me he heard a new song from Avenge Sevenfold called "Hail to the King!" and immediately thought of me because it says "Hail to the ONE". I haven't heard the song yet, so I go listen to it. WOW. This friend of mine is well on his way to being a Warrior, and I'm so proud of him for that. The fact that he thought of ME is humbling.
But, ya know what? (Positive thinking!!!) If I hadn't screwed up in the past, I never would have had this mindset to pass along!! I'm grateful I met this group of young Warriors, and I'm grateful I can help point them in the right direction!
There was a long time in my life that I felt worthless, used, unappreciated, and abused. I did that to myself. No more. I can't be "The ONE" in that direction any longer, but I found a new way thanks to these new Warriors!
I am truly grateful that I have had the opportunity to meet these great men that have already changed the world around them for the better, and will continue to do so.
And now, I challenge you reading this to "BE the ONE!" Pay it forward, commit a random act of kindness, be a good person, and earn your place on this planet.
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