I Am The Captain of My Fate

We were all on a Zoom call with a bunch of professionals who were top of their industry.

The host went around the Zoom room and asked each participant…

“Who was one mentor that had a significant impact on your life?”

As each man spoke about these wonderful mentors, I quickly scanned my brain, looking for that person. Scan…Scan…Bueller…Bueller

One man spoke of a person who was a giant in his industry and took him under his wing…and the rest is history.

Another man spoke of his high school football coach who taught him how to be relentless with his pursuits.

As they were wowing each other with their amazing mentor stories I kept drawing a blank.

This was a big question and I didn’t want to just name anyone.

To be honest, I started to feel a pit in my stomach because at that moment I realized something…

I never had that ONE person who radically changed my life for the better.

Sure, one man named his father, and as much as my father did a good job raising me and I loved him, I’d be lying if I said he was my mentor. (No offense Dad!)

Then as the guy before me was just about to finish and the spotlight was ready to glare on me…

It hit me.

I remembered something I heard from another man who overcame extreme odds…

He said, “As soon as I stopped looking outside myself and decided to become the person that I wanted to emulate…EVERYTHING CHANGED!”

“OK Greg, how about you? Who had a huge impact on you?”

Well…As much as I’ve had some great people around me, got some great advice, had some good coaches and loving parents…

I would have to say in this life, I had to learn and become the mentor who would impact me the most.

Some great examples are out there yes but at the end of the day, I wake up each morning and decide on BECOMING the person I most admire.

There are days when I fall short of that man. Yes.😔

But nothing stops me from answering to that man.

And with the help of God using subtle signs to hold me accountable like that whisper that says, “Greg, get a hold of yourself and stay the course.”

“Greg, brush it off and keep moving forward.”

“Greg, really? Is that the best you can do? Really?

When you hold yourself accountable for becoming the person you would want to admire, then the answers will find you.

So one day when my son and my daughter are on a Zoom (or maybe by then a virtual hologram) or even better, in person with their peers…

…And they get asked the question, “Who had the most impact on you in your life?”

I hope they will always think of me.

Even if they choose their career-related mentors.

It will always be my honor to show them how to put in the work of becoming.

Becoming who they would most admire.

In your corner,

Greg

P.S. As much as I like the Invictus poem, I would have probably changed the ending to, I am the master of my fate. God is the captain of my soul. 😊