Twenty-four years ago, I was searching for what I wanted to do in life. I didn’t always see myself becoming a life coach or someone who could mentor people towards success. Like most 22-year-old adults, I was drifting around thinking there must be more to life than simply working a job with no sense of purpose.
I stumbled into leadership due to a family member pushing me toward an opportunity that would change my life forever.
Doubt crept in, but I still took a leap of faith and applied for a job I didn’t think I would qualify for as I had only the experience of helping with our local youth group once a week. Thankfully, I didn’t listen to doubt because I was hired to work with teens who were runaways, court-ordered, or simply having troubles at home. The Youth Crisis Center of St. Augustine Beach, Florida, was the first job I had with a clear purpose driven mission.
This was my first time working an 80-hour week. Looking back, I still made time to do all that I loved; surfing, playing weekly volleyball with family, wakeboarding, and so much more. Making time to do all things I enjoyed seemed effortless. I realized firsthand when we do what we’re passionate about, we quickly make time for so many things we enjoy in life. I was living a life of balance and purpose!
Embracing the humbling moments that connect us to something bigger than ourselves means allowing ourselves to transform from who we are, into who we were always meant to be.
Now fast forward 24 years into the future at the ripe young age of 45, and of course, my life looks completely different. I now have a beautiful wife and two gorgeous daughters who are learning starting their own path in life.
My second and current career started in 2006 (thirty years old), where I had a tremendous financial opportunity. I recently ended a relationship during this time, had $120 to my name, a duffle bag full of clothes, and some photographs. Traveling 4,000 plus miles to Alaska and taking another leap of faith that would prove to be life-changing in ways I wouldn’t see until later in life! It didn’t happen overnight, but I can genuinely say it has been more rewarding than I could have imagined.
I had goals to bring back balance in my life that I experienced in my younger years. I wanted to pay off all my debt, start traveling more, experiencing the world, buy a home that I could invest in, and build a career in leadership. It’s interesting how in taking these leaps of faith, the stars tend to align with our intentions no matter how big or small.
After a few years starting at the bottom of my company, I would have the opportunity to rise near the top with hard work and excellent timing. It was here where I would learn that the culture of a business was a far more significant impact than most realize. The same goes for our own culture or behaviors in life.
As I worked my way up the organization, it became more evident that other leaders possessed superior financial acumen or strategic prowess than I had. What set me apart was that I genuinely cared for each individual’s success (something I learned working with families). I cared for the human being more so than the employee serving the company. I genuinely believe that by caring for the person and guiding them to be their best in life, they, in turn, became some of the best employees.
My wife and I began traveling regularly in 2016 (started a blog and a YouTube channel). We quickly fell in love with the adventures, people we met, and lifestyle that came with such freedoms. My work schedule is unique because I only work for three weeks and then fly home for three weeks off. I have a vacation every three weeks that helps sustain our lifestyle of travel.
Genuinely, I believe we were all created for a purpose. What I’ve found during my experiences is people generally feel lost or weighed down by life. They think where they are is who they are. The truth is, as the Oola guys say, “where you are is simply where you are, not who you are.”
So many people worldwide are missing out on fantastic opportunities to change their lives because they feel that they’re not good enough or don’t have what it takes. The fact is, it’s usually the lack of direction or understanding of what is getting in the way of their success.
Which is why I decided to become a life coach to help guide and mentor those who feel lost and need someone by their side on their journey towards greatness! If I’ve learned one thing so far in life, it is this: I’ve been at the top and at the bottom several times and am constantly amazed at the perspectives I gain from each experience. Gaining a bit of wisdom with each season. There is a purpose in all of us that, when nurtured, becomes not only life-changing for ourselves but for those around us we love.