I am not sure what you think of half birthdays. When my kids were little it made a big difference. Ask a youngster how old they are and the will gleefully tell you that they are in fact 4 and a half. It is a big deal. When you are 4 and half you are no longer just 4.
Look you get is that of a person that is ready for youth days of pre-school to be over and ready for the grown up world of Kindergarten. A half birthday matters.
Well I just had my half birthday. And it was a big deal. Not because my wife made me a cake. (She actually did.) Because at my house we love to find reasons to party and reasons to make a fancy deserts. It tasted great, even if my friends mocked the occasion.
It was a big deal because I turned 43 and a half. I realize you are still wondering why that is worth noting much less worth writing about. Let me explain.
I started working full time at Willmar Electric just after graduating from college and just before my 22 birthday. For the connivance of math we are going to round up 18 days and say I started at Willmar Electric at 22 years of age. That means I have work at Willmar Electric (full time) for 21 and a half years.
If I work another 21 and a half years I will be 65. In America 65 is generally assumed to be the age of retirement. No I am not announcing my retirement or making a promise but it seems that I have reached the mid point of my career (22+21.5+21.5=65). I am on the downhill side of my work life and maybe the downhill side of life, if I live to be 87.
When you are going downhill you can afford to coast.
That brings my to the purpose of this article. Last week went to the 2 day telecast of the Global Leadership Summit put on by Chicago's Willow Creek Church. Going to that seminar got me excited. I made me energized about the future of Willmar Electric.
It made me excited and energized about my role at Willmar Electric.
It made me excited and energized about my coworkers at Willmar Electric.
It made me excited and energized to get back to Willmar Electric and get to work.
I have learned a lot in the last 21 and a half years. I plan to continue learning during the next 21 and a half years. I plan to continue to go UP HILL.
Coasting wouldn't be fair to the people I work for, with and around. I plan to press the gas, not coast downhill.
If we were using the old cliche about is the glass half full or half empty I would say who cares because I plan to keep filling the glass.
So happy half birthday to me. Gifts will be excepted but not expected. Feel free to try out a new cake recipe on me.
If you work with me and wish I would let up a little. I plan to disappointed you. I plan to increase the speed at which Willmar Electric is moving forward. I would apologize but I am not sorry.
If you have any ideas on how to improve things, I am all ears. A self help book recommendation, I am ready to hear about it.
I haven't reached the peak of life on earth and I don't plan to get there any time soon. I may only live to be 87. But if I do only live to 87 it won't be because I decided life was half over at 43 and a half. If I die before 87 I plan to be moving forward.
If you are reading this and you are older then 43 and a half I would encourage you to join me in picking up speed by stepping on the gas pedal in your life. Life is too short to spend any of it winding down. (Be like my Dad or Steve Bowen. They moved into new careers in their 60's.)
If you a slightly younger then me don't allow yourself to get down because your not where you want to be for this time in your life. Be encouraged because you have a long time left and you have a lot you can do to either continue or start on a upward slope.
The first step is to take a first step toward the direction you want to be going.
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