Originally Posted by v8plus4

Lou,

Wow, that car looks great in black!

Originally Posted by ClayJ

This discussion reminds me of back when I was 19 or 20. I was involved somehow with this old guy - he was somewhere in his 60's - we were involved in a hobby or social activity of some sort and we'd meet once a week with a large group of guys. He had owned a carpet store I think and had sold it and retired when he was like 51 or 52. We were outside of the building after the meeting or function/activity, whatever and we were talking, about some of the other guys in the group. I remember that I was telling him how I admired so-and-so because he had a nice this-and-that, and this other guy because he was only 40 or whatever and had a happy family and a nice house...and blah, blah, blah.

He stopped me in my tracks and said that there was no yardstick to measure other men with. That there was no point in comparing myself to other men, or in trying to emulate them - that there just wasn't any truth in that, no valid way to do so, and that it was a losing proposition for me to do so. He told me that the only yardstick that I could apply to measure anyone up was with myself. "You measure yourself. You apply that measuring stick to yourself and see how you measure up to how you think that you should be. And if you don't like the result? If you measure yourself in something, in an area in yourself or your life and you think or find that you come up short - then you do something about it. You change yourself or something about yourself, or something that you're doing or not doing. That's how you become successful - by measuring yourself and your efforts -- not other men. You don't know anything about them -- but you'd better know something about yourself."

That was one of the things in my life that I've always remembered, that 10 minute talk with an old man outside of a hall or whatever; back when I was a very young man. And of course it has had its effect on me. I never have cared what other men make. How successful they appear to be. How happy their family-life seems to be. I payed attention to myself; and monitored myself; and bettered myself -- because that's what really counted...and it has.

What difference would it make to you if I told you that I make well over a million dollars a day, day after day, all year long, year after year; and that I don't have to work for it -- because I already have. Because I applied myself to myself; and I kept doing that, year after year. That is why I was successful; and that is why I can enjoy that success now.

It is your life -- you go live it, and make the best out of it...for you. Don't waste time or energy or focus measuring up others.
That's my opinion. My 2 billion cents on the subject.

Gotta go put my soapbox back in the closet....

Originally Posted by ClayJ

You guys are always welcome -