Immeasurably improving your life………

I had a crazy dream last night. I would imagine it was because Wednesday I’m driving down to Charleston, SC for the NPPA (National Press Photographers Association) Convergence Seminar.
Convergence is the name for the new technology that has still digital single lens reflex cameras also making High Definition video. So the dream went something like this; I was the main speaker,
which I’m not at this conference, and I had a morning and afternoon program to present. After the morning program, during lunch, I discovered that my battery had died in my Mac Book Pro. Now of course at any photojournalism conference getting a charging cord or borrowing a battery for a Mac would have been no problem, but dreams rarely are logical in that way.

So I had to present again in the afternoon and my pre designed program on the computer was not available. It was ten minutes until time to step up to the podium, so I decided to give a talk about
something personal, How To Immeasurably Improve Your Life. In the dream in ten minutes I scribbled down a brief outline. Here is the talk.

* Remember this was being shared with photographers, but in review I think you will agree it would work for anyone, doing anything.

How would you like for your life to be immeasurably better? Then please allow me to share a few key things that I promise, if followed, will result in just that, a better life.

Step One: Determine for yourself why you are doing what your doing. Why are you a photojournalist, or a pharmacist, or a plumber? Why did you decide to devote this part of your life to this activity? I most imagine, you have always wanted to do what you’re doing. Dig down deep and remember what it was about what you do, that you love so much, that you wanted to do it for
all your life. When you can answer that, you will have the key to doing what you do with all the gusto it deserves! Anything done with out great enthusiasm (gusto) is not worth doing.

Step Two: Make a careful assessment of yourself. It is easy to fall into a couple of traps in life, we either think too little of ourselves or too much. In reality, are you the hottest photographer in the world, or just a very good one? Are you the worst person you know, or just another struggling human being in need of improvement (that’s all of us, by-the-way!). The issue of your self-worth must be settled. Here is a simple formula, “The” God, gave up His only Son to die for you that you might have eternal life. I think that clearly defines your value. As to overstating your value, I will leave you to work that one out, but just remember pride goes before a fall. I have a very simple way to keep myself in line as a photographer; I know these two things to be self-evident truths,
I am an exceptional photographer, and today, exceptional photographers are dime a dozen.
Kind of puts some perspective on things, don’t you think?

Step Three: If you really want everything in life that you desire, help others get it. If you spend your life trying to help others succeed, and realize their dreams, yours will follow. The act of giving will become more important to you and more satisfying for you, than getting just what you want alone. If you really think about it, I’m sure you already know that almost nothing you ever
desired, resulted in lasting satisfaction, after you had attained it. Material possessions may be the most over-rated of all our earthly accumulations.

Step Four: Learn that SIMPLE is always best. It is the simple pleasures of this life, the simple acts of kindness to others, the simple moments with family and friends, the simple breeze, and shade on a hot day, that satisfy the most. If you want to ruin anything, overcomplicate it.

Step Five: Trust in someone far more powerful than yourself. If you want all the issues of life to become clear, and move towards good resolution, give your heart and life to Jesus. We live in a society that says, you must solve your own problems. Actually God doesn’t want you to ball up in the fetal position and live in mortal fear, He does want you to be part of the answer, but He also wants you to wait on Him. Charging into battle with no plan is never a good idea. God will guide you and give you the strength to accomplish every task, but wait for your marching orders before you march.

Step Six: Spend a few minutes everyday, being thankful for all you’ve been blessed with.
I try to tell Bill Pekala, the man who hired me at Nikon and a life long friend, thanks so much for this job! Is my job a joy every minute, of course not, but the moments that are not pleasant are far and few between. I thank God for my wife, my children and my grandchildren, my friends and associates. I thank Him for my health, my love of life, for photography, and all the really great simple pleasures of this life. Most of all I thank Him for His Son, because of His actions, when this life is over, an even better existence starts for me…………

Start today, to have a great, and immeasurably improved life……..

the pilgrim

* Photo note: Painting on an old store’s wall, Taos, New Mexico.