Risks and Rewards E-Book

Ronald Stephenson

• Herausgeber: BooxAi
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

This is a book of one man's life journey in a time in America when anything was possible. Any person with ambition and drive could do whatever they had set their mind to. It was a time of prosperity, and people were judged on their character, not so much on 'credentials'. Opportunity was everywhere, and most anyone could chase and catch their dreams. Like most journeys, there were obstacles to overcome, and the path was not often an easy one. It still required a certain amount of risk, but the rewards were there if the dream came true. Even back then, careers took several turns for the entrepreneur, and failure was always looking at the participants. The ability to pick one's self up and dust off the damage was expected, and everything that was tried had its challenges.

Leseprobe

Ronald Stephenson

Risks and Rewards

All rights reserved

Copyright ©️ 2022 by Ronald Stephenson

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Published by BooxAi

ISBN: 978-965-577-968-4

RISKS AND REWARDS

ONE MAN’S JOURNEY

RONALD STEPHENSON

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

‘DESIDERATA’ BY MAX EHRMAN

* * *

An introduction is in order: First, this is not a self-help book, or a get-rich-quick essay. It is the story of one entrepreneur, his life, his failures, and successes. I have always believed that we all start out life on an equal footing, and everyone has the same opportunity to do what I have done. Of course, being born or finding yourself in America is a huge advantage. From the beginning, people have come to America to live out their dreams. It is the land of opportunity, and it is up to you to take advantage of what you have been given. There are about as many choices in life as there are people who make them. We live in a very new world, and all the old approaches to going about making a living have changed drastically. Once upon a time, you could get a job and if you wished, you could stay there until you dropped over or retired. Now, if the job lasts five years, that would make you an ‘old timer’. Things are changing so rapidly that people find themselves in several jobs, and even then, they may be in totally different areas and require retraining or a lot of readjustment. For those who can adapt, this is an age where all the things you dream about are still possible. The internet has opened the entire world to you, and you can learn anything you set your mind to. It also offers countless opportunities to pick and choose how you would like to work. You no longer have to go some place, but can work from your home. To some, this can be overwhelming, representing a huge change in their life and routine. But for many, it leaves their future wide open.

Striking out on your own is not everyone’s cup of tea. Everyone is not an independent thinker, and that is not a bad thing. So many people are easily contented with what life throws at them. Others will spend their life trying to find their place. Still, a few others seem to have a built-in plan on how they are going to do this thing called life. I can’t stress enough about how we are all individuals, and it is up to each of us to choose our path, ignore the naysayers and get on with the adventure. It is important to never let someone try to run your life for you. When this happens, it is almost always doomed to failure.

It is a well-worn phrase, but a mind is a terrible thing to waste. I have lived long enough to meet and know a lot of unhappy people. It is sad to see folks with amazing potential that is literally thrown away. So often, people reach their fifties and realize that they have nothing to show for years of work, and have not saved anything for their retirement. Many were caught up in the idea of getting all the things they see others have, and waste their time, energy and money chasing things that won’t make you happy. You only have so many years to get your life together, and the time you have flies by. It is tragic to see people give someone else twenty years of their life, or more, and still find themselves living paycheck to paycheck. For some, this is an unavoidable rut, and they accept it as normal. Others manage to escape the rat race and break out of this mindset.