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Life Begins at the Intersection

Friends,

It’s interesting to think that the road ahead might not be where our headlights are beaming at the moment. Many of us can already feel our course changing; our turn signal is blinking. Others are stalled.

Will we rank among the skeptics, paralyzed by fear and unable to move until every indication is safe? Perhaps we accept our predestined misery in quiet resentment with our heads down, unable to look strangers in the eye? Are we merely punching the time-clock, enduring the familiar, redundant routine with no end in sight? Or will we dig deeper, find courage, embrace risk, and ignite each other with the flames of relentless creativity and passion?

At the end, we all hope to have traveled a road that is memorable and compelling. Regardless of where previous streets and highways have led you, your route could take a wild turn at any moment. Do you stay the course and expect something different? Or take a hard turn and hit the gas? Your next destination may not even be on your map. How frighteningly magnificent.

What would it be like to look back on a deeply fulfilling, rich life expedition teeming with people and flavor and experience and discovery? And joy? What would it look like to have your working hours included in the above?

There are those of us who will wonder what it would have been like, and there are those of us who will remember what is was like. And it won’t ever be based on what we intended to do down the road. Or someday. Or 2 years from now. Or even tomorrow. It will be based on what we decide at the intersection today.

-marc

(photo by Amy Pearson Photography | ©2011 | All rights reserved)

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03/16/2011 | 5:07 pm

Tags: amy pearson, intersection, life, marc neidlinger, mindlightning, work
Posted in Inspirations

Soles (By Seth Godin)

This was forwarded to me by my friend and photographic cohort Amy Pearson. It’s brilliant. You can find the actual post here.

All you’ve got, all your brand has got, all any of us have are the memories and expectations and changes we’ve left with others.

It’s so easy to get hung up on the itinerary, the features and the specs, but that’s not real, it’s actually pretty fuzzy stuff. The concrete impact of our lives and our work is the mark you make on other people. It might be a product you make or the way you look someone in the eye. It might be a powerful experience you have on a trip with your dad, or the way you keep a promise.

The experiences you create are the moments that define you. We’ll miss you when you’re gone, because we will always remember the mark you made on us.

There’s a sign on most squash courts encouraging players to wear only sneakers with non-marking soles. I’m not sure there’s such a thing. If you’re going to do anything worthy, you’re going to leave a mark.

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