Part 2 - My Secret Ambition
As you all know by now, I coach entrepreneurs remotely via Zoom and run retreats for these same clients, as well as others, at my properties in Hawaii, Florida and Austin. I love this work. It brings me great joy. But, as much as I love these pursuits and will continue to enjoy them, there’s something important left for me to do.
I have a secret ambition. So secret in fact, that I’ve hid it for 25 years. I finally revealed it to my wife, two of my best friends and my writing mentor over the last few months. I even nervously showed three people my work thus far, revealing my process at my hidden craft.
It’s a burning passion inside of me. I suppressed it after my best friend, cousin, and mentor Beth Lochtefeld got murdered in 2004. I had my reasons which I wont share here. A few years ago, after 15 years, I finally completed my grieving for her loss. I’m all out of excuses.
Why now? Well, after inspiring people to pursue their secret ambitions these last four years, I’m finally owning up to the fact that despite pursuing and sleighing many bliss journeys as a role model in what I teach, I have chosen things that are, well - how should I say this? - rather safe and not all that challenging to me. To others, they might seem huge, but if I am bring 100% honest with myself, I don’t see them that way looking back.
The hardest thing, the thing I desire most, and the biggest long shot, has been left undone until now.
Why? The usual reasons I see in my coaching all the time. It’s my thoughts about it. Things like: People might laugh. My work might not be good enough. Who do think I am taking on such a challenging and massive identity and career change? I won’t be loved. Etc.
Just a whole lot of limiting beliefs - which, by the way, happens to be my area of expertise in coaching entrepreneurs struggling to commit to following their bliss. Oh, the irony!
You see, the people who inspire me the most are my customers or friends who commit to, and courageously undertake, the most incredible transformational bliss journeys. Total 180’s!
A guy like my friend and client Garrett B. Gunderson, who was a world renown financial guru on easy street who woke up one day in his 40’s, looked in the mirror with zero experience and said, “It’s time to begin my journey to become a stand-up comedian!”
This was such a massive career change that I’m sure a whole lotta people in his life thought it was gonna be a short lived hobby. Others probably thought it was one hell of a self-destructive balsy move! Walking away from the top of the ladder in his industry to do comedy? Is he crazy? No guarantees of success. No promises of riches. Starting at the bottom. He overcome these fears and many more to commit to his secret ambition.
Another real life example is my friend and business partner Patrick Combs, who scratched and clawed his way to become a highly paid motivational speaker. Despite being at the top of that hard won food chain, he woke up one day with the courage to finally embark on what his heart really desired for over 20 years - to write, produce and act in a one-man comedic show.
Garrett just sold out a nation wide comedy tour that gets headlined. Patrick’s one man show “Cash Me If You Can” was so wildly successful that Hollywood is now making a movie about it. 
These are the people that impress me the most. They are my heroes. Their transformations were so courageously epic! I’m no slouch in the dreamer category but I don’t think I’ve pulled off anything like this. I’m not ready to reveal it just yet, but as a hint, it’s not comedy (like those two guys) and I do have other heroes that will play a significant role in my chosen journey.
As I often tell my coaching clients, if you hide from your secret ambition your purpose becomes a curse. I’m not going to allow this to happen. Between now and the next time I write about this, ending the cliffhanger, I’m gonna reveal my greatest bliss journey yet - my secret ambition.
Oh shit! I just said all that publicallly! I’m in it now!
