BUSINESS
I recently returned from an extended Labor Day weekend in Santa Monica, California with my wife and two daughters. My California experience far exceeded my expectations. I am a New York City born and bred individual, so naturally I am biased in favor of the city that never sleeps. It has everything imaginable; theatre, restaurants of all cultures and pricing, diversity, entertainment, museums, shopping for all budgets etc... New York City has always been my measuring stick when comparing it to other places. So it pains me to say that in my opinion, New York City is second to Santa Monica. Santa Monica is a city within Los Angeles County, which is very large. Technically, Santa Monica is incorporated separately and has its own municipal government separate from the City of Los Angeles. However, Santa Monica is woven into the fabric of LA, city and county and could be thought of as a suburb. Why I give Santa Monica the upper hand is because the weather is absolutely perfect and, it is on the Pacific ocean. The beach with the Santa Monica mountains in the background make the scene picturesque and stunning. Now, Santa Monica has some unappealing conditions. It has a large homeless population and some of the streets leading to the beach are filled with litter but over all this is a small price to pay for the overwhelming advantages it offers. It makes you wonder how a State that has the largest taxes in The United States can have the aforementioned problems. Also before I forget, marijuana for recreational purposes is legal so wherever you go, you will be exposed to a skunky stench that can be overwhelming for the none-marijuana consumer like myself.
In addition, I have never seen more high end luxury cars concentrated in a suburb as in Santa Monica. I'm referring to Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Rolls-Royce's etc... Many of the vehicles I saw are priced in the millions. There were more high end vehicles on the road than ordinary ones. So I started thinking, what kind of business must all this wealth come from? So the obvious industries came to mind, professional athletes, successful actors, cannabis dispensary owners etc... But looking inward for answers as I always do, I started thinking that we are all business people but most of us don't know it. And, for the ones that figure it out, it will bring you what the aforementioned businesses can not bring you which is freedom and peace. The way I see it there are two businesses that we are all involved in without exception. Our business or someone else's business. You see, individuals get stressed, depressed or angry, the over whelming majority of time when they get into someone else's business. When you do that, you are judging someone else and trying to change them. Well, I'm here to tell you, you will never change someone else. If you think you can do that you will live a miserable life. If your success or happiness depends on someone other than yourself, you will fail. You will never live to your potential by depending on someone other than yourself for your happiness. Living in someone else's business is none of your business. Plain and simple! I hate to sound cold and rude but even if that "someone" is a child, family member or a loved one, it doesn't matter. Their business or choices that you disapprove of, is none of your business. That is their life path that they chose.
Moreover, your business is totally under your control. You are the chief executive officer of your business. You and only you decide how to run your life or what I refer to as your business. The difference between the homeless or the person who was driving the rare G-Class convertible SUV Mercedes priced at $1.800.000.00 in Santa Monica, are just choices that he or she made in life and it all starts with how you think. I understand that the truth is at times difficult to accept. It is always easier to blame others or conditions for your bad choices. If you blame your race, ethnicity, religion, sex, parents, environment, circumstance or any other factor other than yourself, you will be in a self imposed prison where the gates are wide open but you can't seem to understand that all you have to do to free yourself is to walk out. In my work as an immigration attorney, I have many examples of immigrants that came to the United States with absolutely nothing and have created a wonderful life for themselves through perseverance and thinking not only that they can succeed but expecting to. I encourage the reader to think about the business that they are in. While doing so, ask yourself a simple question; "whose business am I in?". If the answer is not "your business," then, you're in someone else's business and that my friend is the wrong business to be in. "You have little control over the world around you, but full control over the world within you." Matshona Dhliwayo
Just a thought.
In addition, I have never seen more high end luxury cars concentrated in a suburb as in Santa Monica. I'm referring to Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Rolls-Royce's etc... Many of the vehicles I saw are priced in the millions. There were more high end vehicles on the road than ordinary ones. So I started thinking, what kind of business must all this wealth come from? So the obvious industries came to mind, professional athletes, successful actors, cannabis dispensary owners etc... But looking inward for answers as I always do, I started thinking that we are all business people but most of us don't know it. And, for the ones that figure it out, it will bring you what the aforementioned businesses can not bring you which is freedom and peace. The way I see it there are two businesses that we are all involved in without exception. Our business or someone else's business. You see, individuals get stressed, depressed or angry, the over whelming majority of time when they get into someone else's business. When you do that, you are judging someone else and trying to change them. Well, I'm here to tell you, you will never change someone else. If you think you can do that you will live a miserable life. If your success or happiness depends on someone other than yourself, you will fail. You will never live to your potential by depending on someone other than yourself for your happiness. Living in someone else's business is none of your business. Plain and simple! I hate to sound cold and rude but even if that "someone" is a child, family member or a loved one, it doesn't matter. Their business or choices that you disapprove of, is none of your business. That is their life path that they chose.
Moreover, your business is totally under your control. You are the chief executive officer of your business. You and only you decide how to run your life or what I refer to as your business. The difference between the homeless or the person who was driving the rare G-Class convertible SUV Mercedes priced at $1.800.000.00 in Santa Monica, are just choices that he or she made in life and it all starts with how you think. I understand that the truth is at times difficult to accept. It is always easier to blame others or conditions for your bad choices. If you blame your race, ethnicity, religion, sex, parents, environment, circumstance or any other factor other than yourself, you will be in a self imposed prison where the gates are wide open but you can't seem to understand that all you have to do to free yourself is to walk out. In my work as an immigration attorney, I have many examples of immigrants that came to the United States with absolutely nothing and have created a wonderful life for themselves through perseverance and thinking not only that they can succeed but expecting to. I encourage the reader to think about the business that they are in. While doing so, ask yourself a simple question; "whose business am I in?". If the answer is not "your business," then, you're in someone else's business and that my friend is the wrong business to be in. "You have little control over the world around you, but full control over the world within you." Matshona Dhliwayo
Just a thought.