Sitting here, it’s my usual spot in Los Angeles. Starbucks, of course. That being said, I’ve come to this spot quite a bit (pushing over 100 visits) since my move earlier this year. Quite a few things have changed since that first night I came here, which was surprisingly similar to this evening; the temperature is identical but the mindset has reached important levels of maturing.
If you were to give my blog a ‘theme’ of sorts; an overall gesture of the written content over the years, it would be akin to the boy-to-man process that I have been experiencing for the past few years. As the years have gone by, I’ve noticed tremendous steps forward in my personal, professional, spiritual, and emotional development. This being said, with every step forward, I notice the number of great deficiencies that still exist.
The recent trip back to Ohio was a reminder to stay the course and continue to push forward in the line of developments that have been occurring. A few things have changed in the methods of how I do things. Multi-tasking has been a constant thorn in the side of those around me, as they’ve been victims of my attempts to do more than one thing at a time. While there are times where multi-tasking proves to be quite profitable (working on 3-4 websites at a time is excellent time management) phone calls and face-to-face time with those I love is definitely not. So, I’ve had to make a conscious effort to spend more time and attention on the task/person at hand. That being said, I’m also committing more time to client work. It may seem like an oxymoron, but I’m trying to devote extra hours to the work and quality I provide clients. No more cutting corners. If my ‘cut corner’ work in the past has been received as well as it has, I can only imagine how clients will react when extra polish goes into every detail.
The reason for the Ohio trip was to surprise my mother for her 54th birthday. Needless to say, she was definitely surprised as she was startled to see me walk up to the table at dinner time. Her expression was worth every cent of the ticket. The time spent with my sister and her husband was beyond extraordinary. I genuinely miss them dearly.
Moving to Dallas provides yet another leap of faith for me. The future is definitely certain. Several fears are popping up in my mind as I ponder the move; will the new location provide good client work? Will the business launch successfully or will there be challenges? Will I find new friends and contacts in Dallas? Will this finally be a step forward that will land me closer to the goals I have outlined for my life? These questions must be asked.
What I can say is that I have never been better positioned to make such a leap. Financially, I have the ability to make this move with comfort and ease. Professionally, I am able to draw from several income streams that aren’t necessarily related to the business; allowing me to focus clearly on growing it successfully. I have also matured and grown enough to handle and encounter the many stresses that can, and do, occur in the close living situations of working/living with a business partner. The biggest change of all has been the mindset I carry about this venture.
Earlier in my entrepreneurial ‘career’ of sorts, I carried back-of-the-mind awareness that every new project or situation I encountered could be used as a learning experience, or test to somehow grow my faith. At this point in my life, I feel confident that I’ve gained enough experience to begin a path that proves to be successful. This has shifted my mentality from looking at every situation as the possible learning experience, to that of determination to succeed. For this company in Texas, I am not approaching it as a ‘learning opportunity’ but as a prey that must be caught; the money is there, it’s just a manner of putting together the appropriate team, concept, and structure needed to gain it.
The biggest growth in my life has come in the realm of faith. When I first moved to LA, there were many questions I asked and explored. It may be hard to explain, but I’ll do my best. Through the process of asking these questions, my faith expanded and grew, as I explored areas many Christians do not venture near. Several subjects were intentionally pursued that are often topics which break down the faith of many who call themselves “Christian”. The real question is, if you had the opportunity to open a book that had the ability to make you question – and possibly reject – everything you believed in, would you do it?
Tough questions, friend.
I chased down these books and read them intently. I still continue to, as I believe it’s our biblical responsibility to study and know our faith better than those who criticize it. It all boiled down to a single question that slammed into my mind while I was taking a shower:
“Aaron, do you believe Jesus Christ was who He proclaimed Himself to be?”
It might sound like a no-brainer. But, in all reality, it is not. The answer is quite simple, with the consequences and sub-categories of questions to be quite deep. For example, if Christ is the son of G-d, then it would imply that G-d had utilized several methods quite contrary to His usual methods of working within the framework and mechanism of the universe. This question was something that I had to really wrestle with, as there have been many highly-respected individuals I’ve spoken to who have held onto the belief that G-d utilizes the natural laws and framework of the universe He created.
Were one to try and find answers to many of these questions, it would leave you running for all of eternity with no definite answer. I do not believe it is unintelligent to require all things must be properly explained in order for one to believe in them.
Many atheists, beliefs crafted because they couldn’t explain “why” about G-d; choosing to instead disbelieve, will gladly turn on the engine to their car, with no idea of how it works.
That being said, Los Angeles has taught me several important concepts. But the most important concept has been to proudly accept the faith I carry and be ok with the fact that I may not know all of the answers. I believe in Jesus Christ as my personal savior and continue to try and walk in the method He taught while here on earth.
Next stop, Dallas.
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