Axiom 38: How Do You Define Success?

"...But...to sing,

to dream, to smile, to walk, to be alone, be free,

with a voice that stirs and an eye that still can see!

To cock your hat to one side, when you please

at a yes, a no, to fight, or- make poetry!

To work without a thought of fame or fortune,

on that journey, that you dream of, to the moon!

Never to write a line that's not your own..." 

-Edmond Rostand, Cyrano De Bergerac

So why have I made it all the way to Axiom 38 before I attempted to define for you what success is?

Let me try to explain....

Your specific definition of success will vary widely depending upon your current situation and where you are on your path in life. I would argue that most people see success as being manifested in future tense as material goods only. This I think is an incorrect mindset to have.

Success is the accomplishment of one's goals in a way that allows you more control over your resources and ultimately more control over your life. This control if done correctly should result in a higher quality of life, happiness, and the ability to influence your destiny.

The Axioms I have presented until now cover a wide variety of "resource building" topics to help you increase your awareness and help you gain control of what resources you have available to you. You have to become self-aware of your own situation and resources before you can figure out how to leverage long-lasting success.

The road to success is largely different depending on if you are younger or older. If you are younger the key to success is to aggressively dive in. Travel, read, experience, and learn as much about life as possible so as to become aware enough to avoid costly potholes early on that could be detrimental to success later in life.

As a young person intelligent choices are key and have vast consequences later in life. I like to think of these choices like a ship sailing from Europe to the new world. In the beginning of the journey small directional changes require little effort and produce a big changes in your final destination. However, further into the journey it requires huge changes and lots of effort to change course and change your destination. Keep this in mind as you make decisions as a young person.

As an older person success can be achieved by using the resources your already have. If you're not sure what these resources are go back through the previous Axioms and stayed tuned for the upcoming ones. We all have more resources available to us than we might initially think. Use the resources you have and create a snowball effect by building upon them to help reach the success you want.

And no matter what, stop every once in a while and examine the successes you already have in life. Realize that success means more than the amount of money you want in your bank account tomorrow.

Axiom 37: What is Your Legacy?

"Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day." -Billy Graham

Recently I watched an excellent documentary on the History Channel called, The Men Who Built America. This show is an absolute must watch for anyone interested in what it takes to become successful. It is a historical account of the great early American capitalists: John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, and a few others.

It was interesting to learn that as rich as the early American capitalists were they were also very generous with their charitable donations. Today we still often see their names even decades after their deaths. This brings up an interesting topic of what it means to have a legacy.

If you stop for a moment and ask yourself, "What do I want my legacy to be?", you might find that the answer probably has little or no relationship to money. We often get so caught up in tying money to success that we often overlook the bigger picture.

One day you'll be gone and what will remain? The memory of how much money you had in your bank account or the effect you had on the lives of others?

Now I know it sounds weird I am mentioning the success of early American business people while preaching that money is not important but hear me out. When it came down to it and these guys made their fortunes they then looked to see what good they could do in the world. They gave a lot of their money away and ultimately changed their legacy in the process.

So I ask you again, "What do you want your legacy to be?" It's not something that can be crafted in a few days, weeks, or months. It's something that takes your whole life to define. It is the sum of the work of your life, good and bad. It is the quality of your friendships, family, and actions. It is the one question you can answer that will help you align all goals underneath. The one question that will not be fulfilled until your last day.

Brew Your Own Beer

For most guys brewing beer at least once in their life is on their bucket list. After successfully completing my first couple batches of home brewed beer with the help of my brother-in-law I am here with a few tips and tricks for anyone that is thinking about giving it a try.

Tip #1 - Buy a Brew Book: Buy and at least skim through a good book on what it takes to brew your own beer. There is a great one called How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time

Tip #2 - Buy the Right Equipment: Brewing beer takes a little bit of upfront investment in good quality equipment. Don't cut corners on equipment to save money. If you're brewing your own beer just to save money from buying store bought beer keep in mind that it will take a while to make back your investment money. After you pay off the equipment you'll be able to brew good quality beer for around $.62 per 12oz, or cheaper, in ingredients. It helps if you can also find a good local home brew store to go to.

Tip #3 - Set Aside the Time to Do it Right - It takes about four hours to do the initial batch, and then two weeks later it will take another 4-6 hours to clean and bottle. The whole process takes about four weeks.

Tip #4 - Clean Everything Thoroughly - The main thing that can spoil a batch of beer is by not cleaning everything properly. Make sure that sanitation is your number one priority.

Tip #5 - Use Good Water - Good tasting water helps make good tasting beer.

Tip #6 - Take it Easy - Start off easy with a kit that has all the ingredients prepackaged along with a recipe. Once you get the hang of everything then you can try something a little harder.

Cheers!