I know I’m almost two days late but better late then never!

I’m in LA with family and friends which is the usual Thanksgiving tradition for me, on Sunday I head to London where I’m speaking at a conference and then I’m back home in the Bay Area on the 4th of December.  It’s been an exciting year for me with the McGraw Hill book I’m working on, the traveling, and fun projects I have been able to work on.  I’m thankful for all of that and for everyone who has been supportive of me (whether they directly show it or not).  I’m thankful that I have such a great business partner (Connie) who is far smarter than she gives herself credit for and for my loving girlfriend who I have so much fun with as we both conspire and think of new ways to build our little empires.

I also had the opportunity to visit my grandparents in Australia this year who I love very much although I don’t get to see them as much as I’d like to.

Although I’m grateful for so many things and so many people; this year I’m most grateful and appreciative of time.

I’ve always considered myself lucky to be able to work for myself since this has given me the ability to fit work into my life instead of having to fit life into my work.  I do work hard but I get to work when and how I want and I’m fortunate enough to be able to do something that I love to do, so work doesn’t really feel like work.  This year, more so than any other year, I’ve begun to appreciate and respect time and how fragile it is.  To me this means spending more time and energy focusing on the things and the people that matter.  Of course I still work hard but I no longer give up weekends to work and I no longer work until the wee hours of the night every day like I used to.

I’ve begun to really appreciate time and how valuable it is and I try not to get upset at things that I used to such as canceled meetings, traffic delays, canceled flights, emails that don’t get responses, rude people, or clients that don’t always close when they say then will.  I know that at the end of the day there is no point getting upset about these types of things when there are plenty of other things in the world that we should be worried and upset about such as the health of family and friends and the treatment of people around the world, both which are far more important.  We can’t always control the situations we are put in or the things that happen but we can oftentimes control how we act and behave and I’ve become more conscientious of this.

I’m hoping that as my life continues I will become even more respective and appreciative of the time I have and how I spend it.  It’s a precious gift and I’m thankful for every second I get, or at least I try to be.