I am amused by the contrast between 48 hours ago when my husband and I walked our dog in spring-like weather in shorts, and today’s sleet, snow and blustery north wind. That’s Texas for you! Nothing eliminates the radical swings of Mother Nature around here- even if it is the week before the Super Bowl in DFW!
It’s been a while! In fact, since the last time I blogged we’ve celebrated the arrival of fall, Thanksgiving, wrapped and unwrapped gifts for Christmas, and rang in a new year! It’s 2011! Belated Happy New Year!
I don’t know about you, but 2010 was a busy year for me. In addition to executing responsibilities at the bank, I traveled for speaking, and spent time with my husband on a mission trip to Sudan. Though I managed through annual sales goals- the moment of bliss passed quickly as I realized it was time to do it again. As I busied myself scheduling “person to person” weekly calls, creating my Top-15 list(s) from my Top-30 list (in Excel, Word, and in a sales data base!), charting my path to this year's version of success- I learned our bank was being acquired! What?! Instantly, I had a flashback to an illustration I read recently of that feeling you have when you encounter a ‘surprise you weren’t expecting’ (if there is such a thing!). It’s like sailing down the interstate at 75 mph, windows down, right on time, when you approach a “road closed ahead/detour sign”. As you pull behind the long procession of cars experiencing the same reality check- all you can see is what must be millions of bright orange arrows pointing in another direction. Your GPS is now officially recalculating.
I had a choice to make regarding my attitude about this news- like we all do at certain junctures in life. Being the eternal optimist that I am (I am in sales!), I concluded I’m in! As they say in the popular P90X extreme workout series- “Bring it!” The real challenge is how we personalize the inevitable uncertainties (which I prefer to call possibilities). This might be best accomplished by adopting the philosophy perfected by my older and wiser friend, Mr. Zig Ziglar who sees red traffic lights as “go lights”. You just have to wait until it’s time to go!
All that said- I am eager to watch the detail of our announcement unfold. In the interim I will spend my time doing what I have always done- selling the financial services I believe in. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 27:1 not to boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Now what better example of truth is there than that!
Shannon
