I Can See Clearly Now

The other day, I mentioned that one of the best things that has happened to me in the last week was my wife and I cleaning the windows in the whole house, inside and out. I can't believe what a difference it makes when I look out the window next to my desk. I also realize now, what a layer of dust had built up on that window. Of course, it didn't happen all at once. As with most things, it happened so slowly that I didn't even notice that I was adjusting my expectations of what I could see through that window.

In a funny way, I guess, the window mirrors my life lately.

Many of you who know me, know that I have been working two jobs for the last ten years or so (sometimes three!). On the one hand, I've had a part- or full-time job with the University of Michigan. I've worked there since I got out of graduate school. It's always been interesting and challenging and the benefits there just couldn't be beat. On the other hand, I've had my own company, Cyber Data Solutions. I've helped out some great organizations, from the Oakland County Regional Interagency Consumer Council, to the National Institutes of Health.

The thing was, working on both meant that I couldn't really excel at either. And, because I had been doing it for so long (17 years at U of M!), I wasn't really aware that I was limiting myself. Eventually, my expectations of what I could accomplish lowered to meet the energies I could expend in two different places. Oh, I kept saying that I would give up one or the other, but I never seemed to get around to it. And, let's face it, I had gotten comfortable with the way things were.

That brings us to a point a few weeks ago. I started reading a book called "The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind" by T. Harv Eker. There was a section in the book where the author maintained that poor and middle-income people "want" or "choose" to be rich. The truly wealthy "commit" to it. It was as if my mind was a super-saturated liquid into which someone had thrown a pebble. Suddenly, my intentions crystallized and in that moment I decided that I would devote my full attention to my business.

Today I met with my boss at U of M and gave him my notice. Of course I'm not going to leave him in the lurch, so I will finish out the year, but as of January 1, 2007, I will no longer be employed at the U. A new year and a new chapter as it were.

Am I a little nervous? Sure. It's a scary thing, working without a net. In reality, though, I feel like I did when I was a kid and it was the first day of summer vacation. I'm excited and feel a great anticipation of all the challenges and adventures which lie before me. Lisa is with me and is ready to support me in this endeavor no matter what. I'm a very fortunate guy.

So, when was the last time you cleaned your windows, either real or metaphorical?

56 days.