Looking Outside In

Good morning! Ah, what a great night of sleep. I seriously think something may be wrong with me when I wake up at 3:45 AM and feel completely and utterly refreshed. None the less, I do. For me, yesterday was a busy day. Professionally, I have become involved with some pretty smart people with specialty in the non profit arena. Most specifically, they specialize in building non profit brands - I.e. Livestrong, the 3 Day, Team in Training, etc. One of them is even writing a book. These are clever people. I understand the concepts, the technology, and the know how to create something. I can build. I can do that. I can even be somewhat successful. But how, how, how do you create something that has truly national impact? How do you make neuroblastoma a common household name? I know how to make something big. How do you make it gigantic? I know where I want to start - and - I know where I want to end. How do I get there? It is for this reason that I have tried to begin to understand the strategic steps necessary to get where I want the name 'neuroblastoma' to be.

It is fun to dream and envision. It is invigorating. It has gotten my mind racing and I am ready to start pulling all of the pieces of the puzzle together. There are, very definitely, pieces I do not have. However, for the first time, in a very long time I can envision them and I can see how they can come together. This has brought me to the realization that stepping outside and looking back inside is absolutely critical. It can provide new insights and make you realize that the boundaries and obstacles that you once thought were there are, in fact, non existent.

It is funny, as the kids have gotten older, I have noticed the same thing with them. I am often frustrated by the chaos. It is very easy to become wrapped up in it. You can be very calm one moment and then it does not take but 1 or 2 fights from the twerp peanut gallery before you, yourself, become swallowed up in the nuttiness. From that perspective it is very hard to tread water. However, stepping outside of the situation and looking back in often gives you insight and the tools to accomplish the end goal - non loopy kiddos in a non deranged world.

Moral of the day - Don't forget to take a deep breath and look at your life from the outside.

Your purpose becomes clearer.