TODAY IS THE DAY TO LEVEL UP!!!!

So the day started innocuously enough… that is to say innocuous for a weekend that started with a deepening recognition of my own value that resulted in a global raise of my consulting fee. My friend, and one of my success inspirations, Clint Arthur and I awoke in the hotel room in San Francisco we’ve been sharing while we attended a Expert’s seminar. We laughed and joked, and got dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast. Once there we crashed the table of a couple of other guests at the seminar, and enjoyed coffee and a simple breakfast.

From there, we entered the seminar and spent the next few hours enjoying a presentation by success guru Brian Tracey. It was inspirational. He taught us that all it takes to be a millionaire is to simply DECIDE to be a millionaire. Now, being a millionaire has never been an ultimate life-driving goal of mine. If it happens along the way to my life goal I’ll be happy to accept it, but it’s not what drives me. For the last year, what has driven me is the desire to be known commodity in the Macintosh community. I have envisioned myself writing a column for a popular magazine, having my own radio show or tv show, being an invited guest on talk shows to discuss technology, and many other things. And in that room right then and there I DECIDED that I would make that all happen. Easy to make a decision like that, but as Brian Tracey said, once you make that decision you irrevocably step over a line….

And so I stepped over that line.

When the presentation came to an end, we got an hour for lunch, and Clint and I headed for the restaurant to crash someone else’s table and enjoy a great meal. At least I thought Clint was with me, but when I turned around he was nowhere to be found. I chatted it up with a man I had met the prior evening, and prepared to crash his table and join him for lunch, when Clint reappeared, grabbed my arm and said “You have to come with me RIGHT NOW!!!”

So I did, and along the way, he explained that Brian Tracey was letting people take pictures with him, and Clint wanted to get a picture of Brian holding Clint’s Wealth Doubling book, and I needed to take the picture, which I did. Then I figured as long as I was there I would take a picture with him as well, and have him hold my ipad with my website showing on the screen. Clint shot that pic, and Brian and I laughed as he played with my iPad and I told him what I do for a living.

I walked away stunned, and over the next couple of hours came up with a title for the book and a marketing plan to sell it. I came back up to Barbara at the next break and told her my book would be called “You Can Be the Smartest Person in the Room; How to stop fighting your technology and start LOVING it!!!” She smiled and threw her arms around me…”I love it!!!” she exclaimed, “I have no doubt that that is a New York Time’s Bestseller!!!”

Which only served to piss off (but not really) Clint, who has spent the last several years declaring that HE would be a best-selling author, while it has never even occurred to me.

Now, that evening there was a special VIP dinner scheduled for many of the participants of the seminar… including Clint, but not including me.

As we sat through the next presentation, an awesome One Man Play by ex NFL star Bo Eason, I realized that I was SUPPOSED to be at that VIP dinner, and I decided that whatever it took, I was not going to let Clint go to that dinner without me.

Over the past couple of days, I have networked and hobnobbed, and connected with many of the influential people who were outing on the seminar. I walked up to one, and asked her to help me, and get me into that dinner. She told me there was no way to do it, the room was completely filled. My heart sank, but based on everything I had learned today, I was not about to let one NO stand in my way… “I’m supposed to be at that dinner.” I stated. But she swore that there was no way she could do it. The dinner was completely full.

I walked up to the next person, and the next person, getting a NO each time. There just was no room, but I was unshakable in my belief that I was SUPPOSED to be at that dinner. Even Barbara couldn’t help me get in. Unsure of what to do next, I walked towards the front desk, and waiting for inspiration…

At that point, a man walked up, and put his hand on my shoulder. He was huge. Easily 6’7. “You’re the mac guy….” he said, and I smiled and said that I was. He looked me in the eye and said, “I heard what you said in front of the room yesterday, and I have some people you NEED to meet… I’m closely connected with Brendon Brouchard(the man putting on the seminar), and I’ve worked with Tony Robbins, and I want to introduce you around.”

He went on to tell me that he had just bought a Mac a couple of months ago and was completely lost. I smiled, and put my hand on his chest…. “I can help.” I said, and I felt his entire body relax beneath my hand.

“Thank God, then I can stop worrying.”

“But I need your help too,” I continued… “I’m supposed to be at this VIP dinner…”

“Don’t move.” He said, and walked off to talk with one of the event organizer. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t dare move a muscle. A moment later he came back, and said “I’m sorry. They have a full room, and a full table, and there’s just no way to get in… but don’t worry, everyone will be coming straight back after dinner, and I will call you when we get here, and I will introduce you to the people you need to meet. See you after dinner.” and he took my card, shook my hand and walked away… and I knew then as I do know, that that was what was SUPPOSED to happen. That would give me a chance to collect my thoughts, take a shower, call my beautiful woman at home, connect with my business partner, have a nice quiet peaceful dinner in my room (which sounded much, much more appealing to me anyway), and write THIS blog.

So, I expect that call any minute, and I will go downstairs, cross that line, and trust in whatever is SUPPOSED to happen….

And whatever it is, I will be grateful. In the past 96 hours, I have leveled up in my life, my business, my career, my dreams, and a million other areas… and the night is still young.