I’m on a journey to fulfilling a dream, a dream that I have struggled with for quite some time.
I’m on a mission to further defining myself, and helping you do the same!
Why am I here? What is the deeper purpose of my existence? I’m on a journey to finding myself.
Finding myself ?
Bill, What are you talking about?
Let me explain.
Maybe a brief account of my life will help you see my inner struggle.
I was born in the Eastern-Part of the USA, the oldest of eight. I went to grade school and high school, as most all the youth of my day.
Up to this point I had done what my parents and society had asked. I liked school and managed to achieve better than average grades.
Upon graduation, my father encouraged me to enter the University. I, however, had no idea what I wanted to pursue. I had no inclination as to my future career upon completion. I, nevertheless, gathered up my confidence and apprehensively enrolled in a 4 years Arts & Science Program.
I clearly remember my affirmation. ” I would honor my father’s request.” “I decided I would enroll as a Pre-Med Student, the hardest curriculum in the Program, and if I made through the first year without failing grades, I would continue.”
Pretty dumb reason for continuing my education, if I do say so myself.
Well, as it turned out, I learned something the first year, not so much the material of the subjects I studied, but, several life lessons:
1. No one could tell me I couldn’t succeed! I studied my _ss off. I had a hard time with Chemisrty, Zoology and only managed a 2.3 on a 4.0 scale….but I passed!
2. I really learned how to concentrate, not like high school. The half hour review was replaced by four to five hours of study and research. At the University Level, I was far from the sharpest crayon in the box. I really needed to apply myself to keep up.
3. I learned to manage my time. I attended all the basketball and football games and had a good time, but I always gave study-time a priority. If I failed, it wasn’t because I didn’t try.
While I am thinking about it, let me share a story with you.
It occurred during my first year at the University.
I remember, 3 credit hours of my 18 hour schedule was a class entitled, Introduction to Psychology.
Most of the Pre-Med Students complained about it. It had no apparent value to them, on the road to their profession. Well, like I said, I really didn’t intend on becoming a doctor.
The University I attended was a Private University, and was fairly small in comparison to a State University. The Psychology Class of which I partook was comprised of 40 or 50 students.
Anyway, there was a young man named Doug, who sat directly adjacent to me. He was clearly bound for success. He had an IQ far superior to 95% of then Freshman Class. In a word, he was, brilliant. He scored high in all of his classes, Summa Cum Laude, I believe it was called.
Anyway, I remember him gloating everytime the test papers were passed back to us. He never scored below a 90%.
As I said, he sat right next to me.
The guy was very likeable and we developed somewhat of a friendship,
at least in Psychology Class.
What I am about to share was one of the proudest moments of my College Career.
The Professor was in the habit of scheduling a weekly review test on Fridays.
The material for that week was very challenging and required not only memorization but understanding a lot of theory.
He had received his paper back before me that day.
I can still see the the score on his papers, 88%. Not bad, infact quite good, considering the content of the material that was covered.
I was all smiles!
I had recieved my score now.
He must have seen my expression, for I couldn’t contain feelings.
The look on his face was priceless.
I had scored a 100%.
He almost ripped the paper out of my hands to study my answers.
How could I, a 2.3 student, beat him on a test like this!
On that day, I was the best!
I had proved to myself that I could outperform even ‘the best of the best’, but only in my area of expertise.
On that day, or shortly thereafter, I decided to switch my Major. I would manage to graduate with a 3.5 grade point average, Majoring in Psychology.
Now what ???
It was time to find a JOB.
I had worked every summer to help my parents to pay for my education. I worked on an auto assembly line during two summers, and as a custodial groundskeeper for the other two.
What was I prepared to do now?
With college degree in hand, I realized my beginning venture into the job market was not all that promising. It was kind of depressing.
What was a college graduate, with a bachelors degree in psychology, supposed to do.
My father was an accountant. He seemed to know exactly what his goals were.
Without further study, a myriad of psychology classes and fifty cents could maybe get you a soft drink.
I took a job at a department store for a lesser hourly pay than my summer jobs had yielded.
It was more or less,in my mind, a temporary position, until someone recognized my true value and offered me thousands of dollars for my services.
Yea right.
I didn’t know it, but I was entering the next level of my education, at the School of Hard Knocks.
Nothing would come easily to me.
I did meet a young lady that year. To make a long story short, we worked together, fell in love, and were married shortly thereafter.
She is still the love of my life,
after 30 odd years and 4 children, we are still together.
Getting back to my story,
the story of my journey,
the story of my life purpose,
I guess I always relied a lot on others to set my direction.
I have always been employed by someone, never the one that owned the company.
I have traveled a difficult, but rewarding road.
After leaving the department store life, still kind of drifting along, I accepted a position as a restaurant manager trainee. This was mainly due to the higher pay incentive. It was quite foreign to me, but the ability to train, organize and work under pressure came somewhat quickly to me.
I worked for a small company, as the general manager of a quick sevice restaurant, for 5 years.
Again, with growing family obligations, I accepted a management position with a larger restaurant chain, with more benefits and a higher pay.
Six more years as a general manager, I finally earned the position of Area Manager, with the responsibility of supervising a handful of restaurants. This was a tough position, hiring, training and assuring all of the stores were being operated efficiently, achieving their maximum P&L Potential.
After 3 years of intense pressures of staff problems, management problems and upper management demands, I decided to change direction a little.
I stepped down to the general manager position and began looking for something a little more calm.
For some time I struggled. Did I make a mistake? Should I have kept pushing myself to maintain my middle management position?
A year later, I came accross a newspaper ad. The owner of a new concept restaurant franchise was looking for a Training Director.
Interesting.
I had trained several management people. I was good at it. I was the man they were looking for!
Well, as it turned out, I am still with this, now quite larger company. I have been the Training Director, Franchise Supervisor, and a Regional Director of Operations.
I have, as you might say, “done it all.”
Recently, however, I have been looking to advance myself further. Something inside me is telling me there is more that I can share with my fellow man.
I have finally decided my journey lies in an entrepreneurial design.
I have been an employee all of my career. It is now my time to stand in front of the crowd and further define myself.
It is time to take the skills that I have developed and go beyond what was once ‘my boundary’, into something new and more challenging.
My new direction is:
helping others find value in their lives,
helping them develop their true potential,
helping them find their purpose in life,
helping them define themselves.
I would like to help YOU answer the questions:
Who are you?
Why are you here?
Where are you going?
How will you know you have gotten there?
When I get there,
I will have reached ‘my dream.’
“I am not here for everyone, but for someone.”
I hope to meet you someday, “On the Road to Greatness.”
I am in the process of starting a Mentoring Program, a Coaching Program.
I am at your service.
Please let me know if you are the kind of person who may benefit
from a Life Coach.
P.S.
A Hint,
If you got to the bottom of this long-winded post….You probably are!
E-Mail me, for more details.
Thank you,
Bill
Bill Baumgartner
Hamilton, Ohio USA
Bill@gathergreatness.com
www.gathergreatness.com
