Introduction

Last night I had the privilege of being invited to an invitation-only seminar with some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the St. Louis area, and in some respects, the world. Now, this was no ordinary group of entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs were of a different mindset. They chased purpose, not profits.

Profits came with purpose, of course, but that was because of the personal development regimen they adhered to. This was especially impactful to me because of my recent reflections on where I needed to grow in my life. The principles these individuals teach extend beyond the business world; they reach every area of your personal life.

The Difference and Why This Matters

One of the things I heard repeatedly last night was, “If you don’t see progress in your personal life (i.e., you aren’t growing as a person) it will not make sense for us to continue this ‘vetting and education’ process”.

These individuals aren’t concerned about profits, in fact, that is the last thing on their mind. They said repeatedly that we had “earned” the opportunity to sit in that room. Someone had seen us, saw a drive or passion in us, and wanted to invest in us. However, like any investment or security, you only invest as long as in makes sense.

What Is Their Return on Investment?

Here? The return on investment isn’t money. It has nothing to do with any form of currency except time. The return on investment they expect to keep investing their time is character growth. Character, Compassion, Integrity, Drive, and Hunger. Not hunger for success. Hunger to improve your life, hunger for improving the world around you, hunger for leaving a legacy, hunger to help people, and invest in people, just like they invested in you.

This is almost a hidden gem that comes once in a lifetime. Actually, it really is. I get to become the man I want to be, and the only cost is to help others, and be compassionate and empathetic? I don’t care if I am buried under the ocean, I’m going to find a way to be at every meeting I can. This isn’t an opportunity for me to be successful. It’s an opportunity for me to change other people’s lives.

Something I was already trying to do but going about it all of the wrong ways. But now, not only do I have a clear roadmap on how to do it, but I also have people investing time into helping me build my character. Which was the one thing that caused me to lose every person who had invested in me before.

The Elevator Doors Open One Last Time

I wrote a post previously about the elevator dream. And how I had lived it out and lived out my worst fear. Somehow, the doors of that elevator opened one more time. And there was one more floor that I never saw. I got on the elevator; it went down one more floor, and I once more had the decision: Accept that it won’t be easy and put in the dedication and effort it takes to earn a place on this floor or pass up the opportunity and wait for “something better”.

I have lost a lot of things waiting for “something better”. Life only gives you so many chances to seize opportunity before it gives up. I thought it had given up. But whatever entity, being, force, or family member that is out there looking out for me, put in a good word for me, even after losing some of the most precious gifts they could have ever given me due to my own lack of effort, the elevator doors opened one more time.

The Marianas Trench Is a Recurring Theme. Now, I Know Why

I’ll be damned if death himself tries to stop me from taking this one. Whatever is out there believes in me. And I am hungry. Very hungry. They gave the analogy of the level of hunger you need to be in this group as the hunger you would have for oxygen if you were at the bottom of the ocean. Deeper than, say, the Marianas Trench.

I am out of oxygen, and I don’t care which one of my demons is standing in my way, I will stop at nothing to knock every one of them down to get that oxygen. I now have purpose, I now have goals, I now have vision, and I now know where I am going. It doesn’t matter which one of those dragons is staring down at me, I will find a way past it, I ALWAYS do. I will not stop until I have put in every ounce of effort it takes to get to where I want to be. I know WHERE I am going, I know WHO is going to help guide me there, I know WHY I want to go there, and know I have the roadmap on HOW to get there.

It would take a massive level of ignorance to not recognize that the chance for all of those things to align comes once in a lifetime. Not a few. Only. One. Time. And the only cost to me is not monetary. It is my time, my effort, myself development, and giving back what was given to me. It has been a broken road to get here, with a lot of mistakes, and a lot of people I have hurt, and may never see again. However, I now have the opportunity to help more people than I hurt. I have the opportunity to change. To leave light behind in my path rather than darkness.

Guiding The Black Pearl Home

I can’t control the damage I have already done, but I have the opportunity to build up people and legacies that I will come across in the future. I have the opportunity to change lives for the better, not the worst. Will that ever bring me peace, knowing the damage I left behind? No, no it will not. The peace comes from learning the lessons and changing my path and perspective. We are all the captains of our own ships. We choose the direction it will go. And just like Captain Jack Sparrow, we all have a compass that guides us on where to steer our ship. And that compass is driven by what we desire most.

I desire to leave the world a better place than I found it. And now? My compass is pointing in the right direction.