Transition to Freedom
Freedom is a wonderful concept which we all desire. Those of us who live in the United States have much freedom which they accept without a great deal of thought. However, when they achieve real "freedom" it can often become a fearful responsibility. Like to keep it secured and ensure there is freedom and the country is not invaded again as what happen on 9/11.
A story of my dad:-
His transition into retirement brought this home to him very quickly. My dad's first morning of being retired, he woke up and realized that, for the first time ever perhaps, he was truly free - he could do almost anything he wanted, almost anytime he wanted and as often as he wanted.
Then he thought, "What do he want to do?" He had done the usual preparation for retirement that included lifestyle considerations, health issues and monetary preparation, but he no longer had a definition of purpose. Vague ideas of travel, enhanced family time and community involvement were considered, but not much beyond that.
For the first time, he truly recognized the tremendous responsibility of freedom. He have been blessed with certain abilities, skills, opportunities and faith and he wanted to use those abilities. He needed to settle his new found fear of freedom, because he felt like he was swimming in water with no shore on which to land.
Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone rescued him for me from his self-imposed crisis. Dr. Stone recommends reading with a pen in hand, using your imagination by keeping an open mind and paying attention to what is really important to you. (He loves reading and I picked this habit from him. So after each book I read I would pass it on to him or vice versa. This where this books help me and him).
Dr. Hill emphasizes that without a definition of purpose, a person cannot reach either their goals or their potential.
Over the first few weeks of retirement, he returned to the basics. After much reading, thought and prayer, he wrote down what he think he want to accomplish in this new chapter of my life.
He gradually determined how he want to achieve these objectives and what he need to have to achieve them. All principles come into play at various times. He even have master mind groups! (A group of his retired friends plus some of their kids and some professionals who meet up every evening for a cup of tea or just some talk). They are not always the formal organizations he would use when he was "working," but over lunch, after hid morning chores and his mobile and brief bump into his friends and mobile calls, he was finding out that he still have much to offer and much to do.
He is enjoying the freedom of doing things at his own speed, in his own time, and often solely for his own enjoyment. He was what we loosely call, a people person and he enjoyed interaction with others for a purpose.
Most of my responsibilities are of my own choosing and he does see my goals being achieved so does in his monitoring and his responsibilities. He frequently return to his definition of purpose and keep Think and Grow Rich (a best seller with millions of copies and republished, must be a reason why it has help many and millions others too, right) in his active library, along with paper and a pen.
His goals and tactics change from time to time, but his definition of purpose remains on track. He is keeping his skills current, remaining professionally active - all on his own terms - now that is freedom!
He has transitioned, my dad, from a hard working, sweat pain taking work for his family and loves one, he has sacrificed his entire life for us his kids as a resposible father, for his family and parents as resposibility of a son and a brother, plus to his employer with pior dedication and effection. A person who has never taken a medical leave in his entire working life and a realy workaholic person.
My dad now drives a taxi, enjoys his live, read his books and spend times with his family and friends. But the attitude of a responsible father and with much concern never seems to leave him. A hard man, who is unable to show his love directly but share it indirectly with all around him and especialy his family.
This is my great dad who assisted me in my life in my transition to freedom, to a responsible man and a person with values in society.
Thank you dad.
Thank you to books like Think & Grow Rich, The Present, Who Move My Cheese, The Power Within, Awaken the Giant, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Why we want you to be rich, Chasing Dreams and many more, and to all the authors keep up the good work.
My dad
A story of my dad:-
His transition into retirement brought this home to him very quickly. My dad's first morning of being retired, he woke up and realized that, for the first time ever perhaps, he was truly free - he could do almost anything he wanted, almost anytime he wanted and as often as he wanted.
Then he thought, "What do he want to do?" He had done the usual preparation for retirement that included lifestyle considerations, health issues and monetary preparation, but he no longer had a definition of purpose. Vague ideas of travel, enhanced family time and community involvement were considered, but not much beyond that.
For the first time, he truly recognized the tremendous responsibility of freedom. He have been blessed with certain abilities, skills, opportunities and faith and he wanted to use those abilities. He needed to settle his new found fear of freedom, because he felt like he was swimming in water with no shore on which to land.
Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone rescued him for me from his self-imposed crisis. Dr. Stone recommends reading with a pen in hand, using your imagination by keeping an open mind and paying attention to what is really important to you. (He loves reading and I picked this habit from him. So after each book I read I would pass it on to him or vice versa. This where this books help me and him).
Dr. Hill emphasizes that without a definition of purpose, a person cannot reach either their goals or their potential.
Over the first few weeks of retirement, he returned to the basics. After much reading, thought and prayer, he wrote down what he think he want to accomplish in this new chapter of my life.
He gradually determined how he want to achieve these objectives and what he need to have to achieve them. All principles come into play at various times. He even have master mind groups! (A group of his retired friends plus some of their kids and some professionals who meet up every evening for a cup of tea or just some talk). They are not always the formal organizations he would use when he was "working," but over lunch, after hid morning chores and his mobile and brief bump into his friends and mobile calls, he was finding out that he still have much to offer and much to do.
He is enjoying the freedom of doing things at his own speed, in his own time, and often solely for his own enjoyment. He was what we loosely call, a people person and he enjoyed interaction with others for a purpose.
Most of my responsibilities are of my own choosing and he does see my goals being achieved so does in his monitoring and his responsibilities. He frequently return to his definition of purpose and keep Think and Grow Rich (a best seller with millions of copies and republished, must be a reason why it has help many and millions others too, right) in his active library, along with paper and a pen.
His goals and tactics change from time to time, but his definition of purpose remains on track. He is keeping his skills current, remaining professionally active - all on his own terms - now that is freedom!
He has transitioned, my dad, from a hard working, sweat pain taking work for his family and loves one, he has sacrificed his entire life for us his kids as a resposible father, for his family and parents as resposibility of a son and a brother, plus to his employer with pior dedication and effection. A person who has never taken a medical leave in his entire working life and a realy workaholic person.
My dad now drives a taxi, enjoys his live, read his books and spend times with his family and friends. But the attitude of a responsible father and with much concern never seems to leave him. A hard man, who is unable to show his love directly but share it indirectly with all around him and especialy his family.
This is my great dad who assisted me in my life in my transition to freedom, to a responsible man and a person with values in society.
Thank you dad.
Thank you to books like Think & Grow Rich, The Present, Who Move My Cheese, The Power Within, Awaken the Giant, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Why we want you to be rich, Chasing Dreams and many more, and to all the authors keep up the good work.
My dad
Comments