Doing What Is Right

"I consider the most enviable of titles the character of an honest man."
-George Washington

You hear it time and time again. Integrity is so important.

The problem with this is, it also seems like every day you hear of some executive doing something illegal or unethical. It runs the gamut. Just today, an Apple executive "settled" with the SEC for options backdating.

As a finance major and business owner, I find all these ethical lapses horrible. Honestly, I don't see how people could be so dumb. Admittedly, I'm almost violating Rule 2 and Rule 3 of "What is Da Free Life" but this is extremely important.

From a business perspective, every time you cheat someone or do something unethical you burn a bridge. Imagine everyone being on an island for a moment. You have many bridges to other "islands" (other people). Every time you burn a bridge, you limit who's island you can go to. Eventually, you are stranded on your own island.

Getting out of the analogies and other things, these lapses make business look bad. I really believe in a quote from Ben Cohen (Ben of Ben and Jerry) that said "Business is the greatest force in society." That could be taken as both a force for good (Kiva and Grameen with micro loans) or a force for bad (Enron, Worldcom, ad infinitum).

To be fair, as a businessman, I am proud to say I gravitate to the side of Kiva and Grameen. I also believe a super super majority of businessmen have extremely high integrity. They realize the golden rule applies and, when implemented, allows everyone to win.

"A Scout is Trustworthy" is important to remember (who ever thought Boy Scouts did more than camping :)

What Is Da Free Life?

Alright, so I've decided to revamp the format of this blog. Instead of my musings on "Da Free Life", I'm going to focus on real examples of it. For now, I will use 6 tenants of "Da Free Life."

1. Never sell out your integrity!!!!!!!!!!!!! (THIS IS IMPORTANT)

2. Keep a positive attitude AMAP (As Much As Possible)!

3. Accept all people (including yourself) as unique and amazing.

4. "Leave it On the Field" in all your endeavors

5. C.A.N.I- Constant and Never-Ending Improvement

6. Give back to those less fortunate.


As I grow and learn new things, more ideas will be added!!!!

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

"What you think of yourself is much more important than what others think of you."
-Seneca

Seems obvious right? How many of us think it though? It's ironic that someone like me would be writing about this because sometimes I still struggle with this concept. However, I have a few insights I've gleaned off this quote.

First, most people, especially young people like me, are very scared and think about what others think all the time. You see it in fashion, attitudes, and ways of doing things.

• Why is it so hilarious for college students to drink a case of beer in one night?
• Buying a 200$ pair of jeans (inevitably ripped and 'worn' as the fashion of today dictates)

My point is, quite simply, it doesn't matter what others think? Unless someone has the power to say "yes you can" then you shouldn't listen! People are scared and they don't want to be left behind so they berate and make fun of those who are trying to improve!

Believe in yourself. In Snow White, the witch said, "Mirror Mirror on the Wall, who's the fairest of them all?"

Who do you see as the fairest of them all? I hope it's you!

Pleasure in our Tasks

"Pleasure in the Job Puts Perfection in the Work"
-Aristotle

I remember getting this quote in the email a few weeks ago. It hit me like a load of bricks.

It got me thinking. "What am I good at?" I realized then that the stuff I was the best at gave me the most pleasure. For me, this includes investing, starting new projects, meeting new people, and living "da free life."

What stuff are you really good at? Don't take the easy way out by saying "nothing" and going on your way. Talk to friends and ask them if you really struggle with this. Also, don't let people tell you that you aren't good. We all have talent and are special.

The thing to take away from this is do the stuff that gives you pleasure. If you become the best because it's fun then you'll be living "da free life" and will find more joy in your life!

Dreams...the Keys of the Free Life Door

"There's no power behind small dreams. Only with BIG Dreams and a healthy dose of faith can you find the power to make you unstoppable."


-Vic Johnson

One thing I find amazing in my daily conversations with people is the lack of passion in their eyes. Some of it is fear and some of it is needing a bit of a push.

F.E.A.R is actually an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. Admittedly, we all suffer from fear and it's impossible to completely get rid of it.

The key though is finding ways to minimize fear. I've found that the only way to do this is "Just Do It." Maybe Nike knows more than just shoes :)


Here's a plan to help jumpstart your dreams.

1. Ask yourself why you haven't started? Write these reasons down to get them on paper.
2. After doing this, find a way to get past these fears.
   
3. Found solutions? GET STARTED AND YOUR DREAMS WILL BE YOURS!!!!

Dare I Judge?

I learned a lot yesterday. I met some new friends at a local cigar establishment. Then went out dancing with some friends of mine. At the club, I was rebuffed by some very pretty girls.

This is a very annoying thing for me since I really love to dance and have a good time but it wasn't meant to be. Now, why am I saying all this?

Simple. It hit me what actually was occuring. They were afraid. Now, me being one to be nice and friendly to all people, I didn't let it bug me. A simple quote (of which I found on one of my new friend's Facebook profile) was this

"Hate no one; hate their vices, not themselves"

Relating this to a free life (because that is our purpose here), the idea of this quote is important. We are all different. The uniqueness is what keeps things interesting. Give people the benefit of the doubt and most of the time things will work in your favor. Doing this, and your that much closer to a "free life."

The Power Of A Hug

This video is very inspiring. My friend Neil McGeehan sent it to me. At first, I thought "huh?" It wasn't until a while later that I thought of the implications of this.

What if we gave away free hugs? Cynics will laugh (free hugs....ewww!) but just maybe if we gave hugs to our loved ones more often our relationships would be better. Maybe if we hugged friends they would see how much we care. Just some food for thought. Feast!

How Can I Make A Difference?

"Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead, American Anthropologist

A common feeling that I had when I was younger was “How Can I Make A Difference?” A big question for sure. I couldn’t find an answer for many years but eventually I came to this conclusion, “Small things add up to big things.”

So I set out on a quest. My quest? I was going to find ways in my daily journey to make the world a better place. It started slow. A “hello” here and a “how are you doing” there. An amazing thing happened. Sure enough, my world got a little brighter. When I would see a person again, I would get a “hello” here and a “how are you doing” there.

Over time, I threw in a random smile to any person. Sometimes they would smile back and other times they wouldn’t. Slowly but surely, the amount of smiles increased.

So now, I get smiles and greetings from a lot of people. Not being one to gloat but it’s become hard to stay in a bad mood for more than a period of time. Having people greet and smile always brightens the day.

How can I make a difference?

• Smile at people you don’t know just because you can.
• Say “hello” or “how are you doing?” to a stranger.
• Surprise a friend with a gift or compliment (key: make it unique)
• Send a joke to someone you haven’t talked to in a while.
• Invite a coworker who you don’t usually socialize with to lunch