Commit Yourself to Action Now

I've noticed a lot of changes in myself as a direct34. * Mt. Bromo, Java
consequence of aging. Overall, I have a higher35. * Grand Tetons
level of equanimity than I did as a 30 year old. I'm36. * Mt. Baldy, California
better at accepting without agreeing with points37.Carry out careers in medicine and exploration
of view that diverge from my own on almost(studied premed, treats illnesses among primitive
any subject. I more regularly and rigorouslytribes)
remind myself that my beliefs - even my strongly38. Visit every country in the world (30 to go)
held ones - are not facts, and that each of my39. * Study Navaho and Hopi Indians
corresponding points of view is simply that. I think40. * Learn to fly a plane
I've attained some wisdom (as distinguished from41. * Ride horse in Rose Parade
enlightenment) from having my backside kickedPHOTOGRAPH:
and as a result, make generally better choices42. * Iguacu Falls, Brazil
than I did at 30 or 40.43. * Victoria Falls, Rhodesia (chased by a
Three developments have surprised me as I'vewarthog in the process)
aged, however. First, my patience regarding some44. * Sutherland Falls, New Zealand
things has actually diminished, which contradicts45. * Yosemite Falls
what I was led to believe by my parents - that46. * Niagara Falls
I'd become much more patient as I got older. As47. * Retrace travels of Marco Polo and
a result, I now avoid two types of people like theAlexander the Great
plague: The first are those who uniformly put theirEXPLORE UNDERWATER:
own interests ahead of those of other people,48. * Coral reefs of Florida
including their own families and closest friends. The49. * Great Barrier Reef, Australia (photographed
key word here is "uniformly." The second area 300-pound clam)
people who I refer to as "naysayers,50. * Red Sea
doomsdayers, and dreamslayers." Those people51. * Fiji Islands
view every glass as half empty and every52. * The Bahamas
personal aspiration as out-of-reach or53. * Explore Okefenokee Swamp and the
self-indulgent.Everglades
The second development is my sense of urgencyVISIT:
to accomplish things as my vitality naturally54. North and South Poles
diminishes with age, albeit only a bit. Next year I'm55. * Great Wall of China
climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. There's nothing magic56. * Panama and Suez Canals
about this particular goal except as a metaphor57. * Easter Island
and for propulsion. I'm also publishing a book58. * The Galapagos Islands
entitled "Redefining Type A" (the subtitle is still59. * Vatican City (saw the Pope)
being debated). I feel as if I have a long way to60. * The Taj Mahal
go and a short - or shorter - time to get there.61. * The Eiffel Tower
Coincidental to what I do for a living is the third62. * The Blue Grotto
development: my frustration with people who63. * The Tower of London
have stopped growing and are OK with that.64. * The Leaning Tower of Pisa
These are people who seem to believe that the65. * The Sacred Well of Chichen-Itza, Mexico
first 25% of life is for growing and the last 75%66. * Climb Ayers Rock in Australia
is for resting. They are who they are going to be.67. Follow River Jordan from Sea of Galilee to
They're satisfied, entitled, bored or resentful. TheirDead Sea
skills are outdated and/or their perspectives haveSWIM IN:
congealed and solidified. They pine for the way68. * Lake Victoria
things used to be and whine about how things are.69. * Lake Superior
Many regard themselves as victims and all others70. * Lake Tanganyika
as villains. I'm fortunate, however. The people who71. * Lake Titicaca, S. America
gravitate to working with me are not those72. * Lake Nicaragua
people. My clients are executives and businessACCOMPLISH:
owners committed to fulfilling productive visions73. * Become an Eagle Scout
of their lives.74. * Dive in a submarine
The great business philosopher/consultant/speaker75. * Land on and take of from an aircraft carrier
Jim Rohn once said, in describing what he did for a76. * Fly in a blimp, balloon and glider
living, that he "worked on issues that matter with77. * Ride an elephant, camel, ostrich and bronco
people who care." I'd love to steal that and have78. * Skin dive to 40 feet and hold breath two
it printed on the back of my business card. Itand a half minutes underwater.
describes me and my business to a tee.79. * Catch a ten-pound lobster and a ten-inch
Here are my wishes for you: Create the life youabalone
dream about. No excuses, no blame, no guilt. Do80. * Play flute and violin
more; give more; spend some; save some.81. * Type 50 words a minute
Become the person you have always wanted to82. * Make a parachute jump
be. Establish goals and take relevant action toward83. * Learn water and snow skiing
their achievement. Measure your progress; make84. * Go on a church mission
course corrections along the way. Learn from85. * Follow the John Muir trail
your mistakes, of which there will be many if86. * Study native medicines and bring back
you're actually doing things. Read the great books.useful ones
Visit museums. Develop new skills. Make new87. * Bag camera trophies of elephant, lion, rhino,
friends and appreciate the ones you already have.cheetah, cape buffalo and whale
Most of all, whatever your aspirations, never quit!88. * Learn to fence
My friend and trainer to elite athletes (Drew89. * Learn jujitsu
Brees and LaDanien Tomlinson, among others),90. * Teach a college course
Todd Durkin, admonishes and encourages others91. * Watch a cremation ceremony in Bali
with the phrase "and then some." You want to be92. * Explore depths of the sea
a great leader? Be a great leader, AND THEN93. Appear in a Tarzan movie (He now considers
SOME! A great dad? Be a great dad, AND THENthis an irrelevant boyhood dream.)
SOME! Along the same line, here's my question94. Own a horse, chimpanzee, cheetah, ocelot,
for you: If it isn't worth doing well, is it worthand coyote (yet to own a chimp or cheetah)
doing at all?95. Become a ham radio operator
Don't wait; the time for action is now!!96. * Build own telescope
A couple of years ago, I invoked the name of97. * Write a book (about his Nile trip)
John Goddard to make a point about personal98. * Publish an article in National Geographic
growth. His name, his life and his accomplishmentsMagazine
are worth mentioning again here, for context.99. * High jump five feet
Goddard is one of the world's great adventurers.100. * Broad jump 15 feet
Articles about him have been written in many101. * Run mile in five minutes
renowned publications. At the age of 15, he102. * Weigh 175 pounds stripped (still does)
created a list of the things he wanted to do, see103. * Perform 200 sit-ups and 20 pull-ups
or experience during his lifetime. Among his104. * Learn French, Spanish and Arabic
accomplishments, he visited the Great Wall of105. Study dragon lizards on Komodo Island (boat
China; he attended the Rose Parade; he retracedbroke down within 20 miles of island)
the route of Marco Polo; he climbed the106. * Visit birthplace of Grandfather Sorenson in
Matterhorn in a blizzard that was so bad, evenDenmark
the professional climbers wouldn't do it.107. * Visit birthplace of Grandfather Goddard in
Here's Goddard's wish list. Items with an asteriskEngland
are those he completed by the age of 74.108 * Ship aboard a freighter as a seaman
The List EXPLORE:109. Read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica (read
1. * Nile Riverextensive parts in each volume)
2. * Amazon River110. * Read the Bible from cover to cover
3. * Congo River111.* Read the works of Shakespeare, Plato,
4. * Colorado RiverAristotle, Dickens, Thoreau, Rousseau, Conrad,
5. Yangtze River, ChinaHemingway, Twain, Burroughs, Talmage, Tolstoi,
6. Niger RiverLongfellow, Keats, Poe, Bacon, Whittier, and
7. Orinoco River, VenezuelaEmerson (not every work of each)
8. * Rio Coco, Nicaragua112.* Become familiar with the compositions of
STUDY PRIMITIVE CULTURES IN:Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, Ibert, Mendelssohn,
9. * The CongoLalo, Liszt, Rimski-Korsakov, Respighi,
10. * New GuineaRachmaninoff, Paganini, Stravinsky, Toch,
11. * BrazilTschaikosvsky, Verdi
12. * Borneo113.* Become proficient in the use of a plane,
13. * The Sudan (nearly buried alive in amotorcycle, tractor, surfboard, rifle, pistol, canoe,
sandstorm)microscope, football, basketball, bow and arrow,
14. * Australialariat and boomerang
15. * Kenya114. * Compose music
16. * The Philippines115. * Play Clair de Lune on the piano
17. * Tanganyika (Now Tanzania)116. * Watch fire-walking ceremony (in Bali and
18. * EthiopiaSurinam)
19. * Nigeria117. * Milk a poisonous snake (bitten by
20. * Alaskadiamondback during photo session)
CLIMB:118. * Light a match with.22 rifle
21. Mt. Everest119. * Visit a movie studio
22. Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina120. * Climb Cheops' pyramid
23. Mt. McKinley121. * Become a member of the Explorer's Club
24. * Mt. Hauscaran, Peruand the Adventure's Club
25. * Mt. Kilimanjaro122. * Learn to play polo
26. * Mt. Ararat, Turkey123. * Travel through the Grand Canyon on foot
27. * Mt. Kenyaand by boat
28. Mt. Cook, New Zealand124. * Circumnavigate the globe (four times)
29. * Mt. Popocatepetl, Mexico125. Visit the moon ("Someday, if God wills")
30. * The Matterhorn126. * Marry and have children (has five children)
31. * Mt. Rainier127. * Live to see the 21st century
32. * Mt. FujiWhat are you waiting for?
33. * Mt. VesuviusCopyright 2009 Rand Golletz. All rights reserved.