Ring, ring. It's your wearwolf calling.

A lot of people think opportunity knocks. I'm here to tell you that it howls.

Ready to let it all howl out?

For the past few days my head's been buzzing with questions. At times I'm so frustrated that I fully expect steam to come whistling out of my ears teapot-style. The last time this happened, I compared it to Noah's mission to build an arc. But this time the feeling is less like slow, lazy construction, and more like a gravitational pull. In short, I feel like a werewolf just before the full moon.

I'm not going to run and hide this time.  And if you're brave, neither will you. When your inner wolf is ready to howl it means you are ready to do your life's work. It calls out to you from within, and no one can discover it for you. According to all the "howlers" I've ever met, and those I've read about, whether you choose to face your calling or not will define whether you live an extraordinary life, or just a regular existence. 

A Tale of Two People....

To illustrate just how different your life could be should you rise to the challenge of finding yourself I shall tell you the brief Tale of Two People. It's about a man and a woman born around the same time, in similar places, with similar intelligence. They were carriers of the wolf gene, just like you and I. When the gene was ready and their inner wolves started to howl, each of them responded differently, and thus they wrote the stories by which they'll be remembered. 

Each was born in the Spring of the 1950's; one in Mississippi, one in Louisiana. He lived in the city, and was the son of working class parents. She lived in a country farm, and came from a generation of servant families. Her grandmother said to her one day, "You better learn how to wash those clothes and hang them on the line, because you'll be a maid the rest of your life." She looked out into the field, into the clear blue sky, and thought to herself, 'No, that's not right at all.'  It wasn't a thought - it was something she knew to be true, even as a 12-year old child.

As a kid He also knew that he was capable of doing great things. He was not a minority like she was, so his road may have even been a little easier. Yet for some reason he chose not to see his gifts like she did. He would attempt projects, but at the first sign of adversity, abandon them. Whereas she would grab the bull by the horns, and get back on whenever thrown off. She was highly motivated; he never did the "inner-work" necessary to find his passions.  

Fast forward 50 years later. She is the world's only Black billionaire. Her philanthropy has touched countless lives. She's raised over $51,000,000 for charitable programs of all kinds.

He lives in the same city he grew up in. Despite that he is known amongst many to be a man of great intelligence and potential, he struggles through life and does only the bare minimum to survive. Worse than that, he has denied the world the benefit it could have received from all his gifts.

As much as it pains me to share this story about Oprah Winfrey and my father, I feel that it is necessary. How do the lives of two people take on such a contrast? Why does one person feel a hunger to discover his calling, while another feels the desire to bury it deep inside them and pretend that it's not there?

We Are All Carriers, But We Are Not All Howlers

I feel the hunger, and I bet you do, too. Like the moon pulls the tides, it reaches into the werewolf's insides and begins to take control. He can't do anything about it - the metamorphosis is instant. Ugly horns as big as bananas sprout from his head; thick hair springs from the pores on his arms. Maybe he sprouts a few extra eyeballs. It reminds you of a scene from the video of M.J.'s Thriller. Maybe M.J. was trying to tell us something about our own inner wolves.

When the patient, flacid 'soul searching' part of you snaps like a twig the wolf comes to replace it. He's like a big, hairy, non-profit lawyer that smells bad and asks all sorts of questions for which most people don't have answers. Am I the only one who hasn't found her "calling"? Where is my burning desire for accomplishment? Why does this beast torment me? Why don't more people grapple with this? Are they afraid? Should I bury her back inside me, or allow myself to come.. La Loba? (the she-wolf.)

I found the beginning of these answers in a book, and not only did it soothe my Wolverine, it also compelled me to share it. I decided that the only wrong way to handle the Wolf is to ignore it. I do not fear it, as most people do. Instead, I would let it cover me like a coat. I decided I would trust that I'm exactly where I need to be inside this labyrinth of a search.

Perhaps life isn't about the exit-strategy.. Maybe it's about running inside the maze and finding different paths and people inside it. After all, the walls will continuously curve and change if you let them. And that makes the labyrinth an interesting place to be.

But the most important thing that I realized is that we have to embrace the wolf because the world needs to hear us howl. If you don't take the time to find yourself, your calling, and your gifts, then you have done a selfish thing indeed. You've denied the people, creatures, and the Earth of your contribution. 

We all have an equal chance to do something significant. But getting inspired is your own job, and no one else's. This is harder than it seems, and that's why I believe that once you've found your calling, your life would be greatly enriched by helping others do the same. How selfish are those who have discovered the great secret in life, but never share it.

Imagine that your favorite artist never wrote that one song you absolutely love. He sat around the house with a lot of good thoughts, but never found the motivation or courage inside himself to put them on paper. Or picture your favorite author before she started writing. What if she decided she couldn't bear the thought of the publisher's rejection, so she never sent off her manuscript? It would have been one more Pulitzer buried in the attic. Or how about if Thomas Edison had given up his 9,999th try at inventing the light bulb? After all, it took him 10,000 failures to hit pay dirt.

If the only contribution you can make at the moment is to raise your kids to be as great as they can be then go out and do it. Rear the next Mother Theresa or Steve Jobs. After all, that's all the man in "A Tale of Two People" could do. Do what you can with what you've got. That is the start of your calling. And don't stop.. don't limit your thinking. When one calling is fulfilled, look to the next full moon and find the next one. You could end up being the woman in the Tale, no matter where you came from.

All you have to see is that first step, and take it.. The staircase will reveal itself, said Dr. King. 

I believe that if we live our lives always searching for ways to bring a service to the world, then all our wants and needs will be satisfied by "Infinite Intelligence." Go in peace, friend. When you're ready to howl, you can count on me to be along for the ride.

Joy to You & Your Journey,
"La Loba"

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"The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be. "

Oprah Winfrey 

For Your Listening Pleasure:

Count On Me by Bruno Mars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJYXItns2ik

 

Inspirations of This Week's Blog:

My good friend, a hard working woman, and my soul sister Courtney. Also Michael JR., her son who enjoys 'stroller skating'

The Creator, who sees my doubt as I stumble upon this dark path, and shines just enough light for me to continue.

What I'm Reading This Week:

What Should I Do with My Life?: The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question

by Po Bronson

What Are Old People For? How Elders Will Save The World

By William H. Thomas  

It's OK to fry your brain, but use good oil

"Testing: 1, 2, 3. Brain testing. 

Is this thing on?"

It's official, folks – I am hooked on crack.

Brain crack, that is. 

It's a harsh metaphor, but if you think about it, we all have some kind of cerebral drug. An intellectual stimulant, subject of interest, or even a game that we can't get enough of. We all choose to 'crack out,' just with different ingredients. How else can I describe my unexpected love affair with a subject that formerly sent alarm sirens blaring through my skull?

'Econ' is the quickest and most painless way that college students can refer to a subject that no one should broach unless in a moment of absolute necessity (you know, the night before a final, or at gunpoint). But Econ to me has recently taken on a new identity, and in the words of Nat King Cole, “ it's almost like being...... in loooooooooove!”

Before you wheel me to a room with rubber walls, let me plead a case for sanity. First, even if I am a finance geek, can't you think of worse things to be? (Like a real crack addict, or a “Wookie”). 

Second, the study of Economics provokes free thought and fun, intelligent, often controversial, conversation. This means you get to know people who not only follow the current financial situation in America, but have actually pooled enough neurons to form an original opinion about it. There is something sexy about a non-conformist; of that I'm sure. 

You may want to join this group of market watchers, and I'll give you some good reasons to do it. Many don't realize the consequences of all the money being printed by the Fed, or how it will affect them. But knowledge is power, especially in this case. We're cranking out $1 trillion a year with no signs of slowing down. That much cash is diluting our money supply, just like melting ice dilutes what was once a good, cold drink. This is why the American dollar has been losing its value for almost an entire century. 

This is also the reason that inflation will continue to rise. What does this imply for us average American joes? The game of follow the leader goes sour when the leader walks off the cliff. So you can be a sheep, and follow Uncle Sam into certain doom, or you can break formation. In order to think originally, you need information! This is where Economics can help you.

Clear your mind of what you think you know about Economics, and try to view it as an investment in yourself. Your mental health is your greatest asset, and therefore understanding money and the way societies use it is an essential foundation for anyone who hopes to exit the 9 to 5 rat race. These are not my words - they are those of a billionaire investor. When billionaires talk, it's probably a good idea to listen. 

The truth is we don't learn about the real value of money and assets in traditional school, so those of us who want to explore our curiosity about the market and use it to our advantage must take our education into our own hands. It doesn't matter if you have a little money or a lot. It's better to start off wise and poor than to suddenly find yourself rich, but with no idea as to how money works. As my father says, “a fool and his gold are soon parted.”  Sit back and think about all the people you know who suddenly earned or somehow came into a large sum. Chances are good that they burned right through it (just Google "the curse of the lottery" if you need extra assurance.) 

Yet if you choose to go against the majority, and allow yourself to be educated, you will be fascinated. 

For instance - do you know the difference between money and currency? And that one is much stronger than the other? Why do only 1 out of 10 people in Singapore drive a car, and does this have anything to do with the nation being home to a higher percentage of millionaires than any other in the world?

Would you be interested to know why have so many U.S. businesses have disappeared overseas, and what can you do to protect your money despite impending dollar inflation? How did Jim Rogers retire at 37 doing something you can do, too?

Oh, and should you consider being a farmer? According to some very wise, wealthy people, yes, you should!

Economics answers these questions, and will make you think about so many more. You might even get to the point like me at which you have a favorite economist. That's when you are knee-deep in dorkiness. Not even Screech from Saved by the Bell will challenge you at this point. But come on.. who wouldn't value the opinion of the only person to predict in detail the housing crash and depression of 2008 – 2010? Peter Schiff, cheers to you.

Does anyone smell a wealth transfer cooking? Crank up the heat. 

Cheers,

Cherry Pie

Leaders are Readers! ...What I'm Reading This Week:

Crash Proof 2.0 by Peter Schiff: interesting insight into how the U.S. got into its current mess, and how it's going to painfully wedge its way out 

The Advocate: the newspaper is powerful!

Environmental Report: How Asphalt Shingles Are Recycled, and Their Potential Uses

-----Do you have any good books to recommend? Please comment below..---- 

One of my goals of 2013 is to acknowledge those who inspire my blog posts, so, this week's inspirations are:

My Dad, who finally talked business today with me after what seems like years of pestering. Thanks, Grogg!

My future business partner who just by believing in me makes me feel invincible

My close friend Ray Schlabach, who has always inspired me to dream big