Kourt and I love and think the world of you.  You are a great momma and we are so happy you share your family with us.

Here is a little video I put together with you in mind :)

Before you watch the video, I want to tell you a bit about these guys.

I’ve known Andrew his entire life, so I’ve had the privilege of watching him grow up into the young dude he is today.  A few quick hitters, characteristics I think describe him:

• Open: to try new things like greenish-brown drinks and calamari
• Creative: he sings in choir and plays the cello
• Adventurous: he has been on some of my longest, most difficult adventures, including a classic barefoot 8 mile beach hike a couple years ago
• Loving: friends and family know it (and he used to call me his brother, so I’m family)

I haven’t known Caleb for as long as Andrew, but in the time I have known him he has left a great impression on me.  Not only was he a leader on our hike, helping us safely navigate the terrain and teach us about the wildlife, but he also participated openly and maturely in our IKE group sessions back at the hostel, sharing from his heart, touching everyone in the group.  Cool kid :)

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I invited him out for a burrito at Chipotle, so we walked!

Chaz and I quickly became best friends when he moved into the house across the street from me when I was in 3rd grade.  He is a main character is nearly all of my favorite childhood memories-trading basketball cards, my undefeated basketball team beating his undefeated basketball team, playing spy on our neighbors, and listening to Rasheed Wallace’s radio show.  The coolest thing is that after moving across town, going to different schools, and the passing of 20 years, we are still good friends and see each other on a regular basis.

Without further ado, I present Adventure Log #2!  Enjoy.

-cliche quote, author unknown

I haven’t developed the theory much yet, but I’m coming to the realization that life is an adventure.  Exciting, risky, and maybe worth sharing.  Without further ado, I proudly present Adventure Log #1.

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Comment below and let me know what you’d like to hear about IKE Quest and/or youth mentoring!

“OK already.  So I need to write a vision statement.  How do I even do that?  Life is so…big”

I’m glad you asked :)

There are a variety of methods to create your vision, googling “life vision,” or “creating vision statement exercise” gives you an overwhelming number of results to choose from.  As a group, the entire IKE Quest group listened to Michael Hyatt’s podcast, How to Create a Life Plan, which I borrowed from to create my own vision.

6 steps to your vision

1. Get alone somewhere with your journal and a pen.  Make it is somewhere you know you won’t be interrupted by people, screens, your dog, the buzzer on the dryer, this is alone time.

2. Meditate, pray, etc.  Whatever your thing is, get calm and quiet.

3. Describe your current reality, life as it is now.  Describe and/or rate your current living situation, work situation, family life, connection to friends, writing ability, physical fitness level, etc.  Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, but I hope it gives you a starting place.  Anything you do, write down your ability to do it.  One way to accomplish this is to grade yourself (A, B, C, D, or F) in each area.

4. Write down everything you want to be, do, or have.  The goal is to develop a picture of you in the future, Future You.  What does Future You do for work?  How does Future You get along with people?  What does Future You like to do on the weekend?  Where does Future You live?  How many books has Future You written?  I’ll give you a hint, lest you have some trouble with this.  Future You is awesome and is doing great things.  Future You works somewhere awesome, goes on awesome adventures on the weekend, and has written multiple bestsellers that your fans describe as “awesome.”

5. Share your vision with a few important people.  Think significant other, mentor, someone you look up to.

6. Read your vision.  Often!  Everyday?  Once a week (for sure).  Especially when you need that motivational spark to get back to work.

What now?

This truly can be a life-enriching exercise, it you let it be.  What you need is a date and time for step 1.  Go ahead and do that now.  I mean it, before you close this page, set a date and time for later this week where you will be alone with your journal and pen.  Better yet, write that date and time in the comments below, that way I can check in on you ;)

Future You is relying on current you!

The topic of the last couple Monday nights at IKE Quest have been finding a vision for life.  Vision is the big picture of your life, a description of what your life would look like right now if you had a magic wand to make it exactly how you would like it.  We believe developing a vision for your life is critical in helping you reach your goals.

Goals

Goals, like New Year’s resolutions, are easier to start than they are to finish.  The process of moving yourself from where you are now, to where you want to be later can be difficult, be painful, and take longer than anticipated.  Remember, significant, meaningful change requires hard work.

I’ve often found in my life that the hard work is easy to do at the beginning when I am fired up and ready to get started.  Then slowly but surely, life happens.  I’m tired.  I have a doctor’s appointment.  I pull a muscle.  My buddy invites me over to watch the big game.  I think you get the idea.  As time goes on, it becomes easier to find excuses that distract or prevent me from doing the hard work.  This is the exact moment when rereading that vision, my picture of what I’d like my life to look like in my wildest dreams, can be exactly the motivation I need to get back on track doing the hard work.

Doing the work

“I don’t feel like working out, I’m kinda tired.”  If I had one of those magic wands right now, I’d be buff.  Since I don’t have a magic wand like that, instead taking a look at my vision when “I’m not feeling it” can give me that reminder of what I want, a reminder of the reason for all the work, which give me that spark I need to go lift some weights.

“I don’t want to write this week’s blog post, plus I’m supposed to meet my friends for dinner in an hour.”  If I had that magic wand, I’d already be the owner of a well respected blog and numerous publishing companies would be contacting me to write the sequel to my best-selling, already-classic first book: Making It Special: The Larry System.  Since I don’t have the wand, I need to make them happen myself.  A quick glance at my vision might be all I need to get started on my post now, instead of waiting until after meeting my friends.

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Do you have a vision for your life?  If not, why do you think that is?  If so, how has your vision helped you to do the hard work required to reach your dreams?