Achievement Ladder Whose Who and When

To remember the many persons who made a difference in our lives as we climbed up the Ladder of Achievement demands a discriminating scrutiny. In addition, when these persons touched our lives seems the most important in making an impact on our decision making. In our formative years, our parents, teachers, friends, relatives, and acquaintances are the most influential to determining our motivation to positively move ahead or to negatively go backwards in our selective decisions.

In my life, my elementary school teachers especially in the eighth grade touched my life by their dedication and their caring attitude about how I learned and why I should learn. My parents were always there to make a significant choice for us or to guide us in our choices. However, we soon learned that peer pressure and to fit in with the "gang" or "group" was more important than our parents' or our teachers' suggestions. During our high school days, we are seeking independence and struggling with the multiple influences that the world, the flesh, and the devil sent our ways. In making many mistakes, we found out that we had to take responsibility for our own actions rather than blaming those mistakes on others including our parents and teachers.

As we moved on after high school graduation or GED completion, we find the work world that wakes us up to the "real world." The "fantasy world" is gone unless we regress through some form of addiction that ignores the best choices to be made. Why is it that we are easily influenced by the fleeting moments and the distractions of a sex-crazed world that distorts the beauty of the human body for instant gratification? Who benefits from our poor decisions to have it all but at what price? We are seeking for find ourselves...who we really are and not what we are...Job titles are meaningless if we lose our identity as a human being. Respect for ourselves and for others is trapped in the "fantasy" that we can have instant gratification at any cost despite the long range consequences.

There are many good managers/bosses. There are also many poor managers/bosses. We learn from those managers/bosses who respect themselves and respect others in the way that they treat those under their employment. There are good coaches, and there are poor coaches. Good coaches touch our lives, but great coaches affect our lives by their dedication, vision, determination, discipline, diplomacy, and other positive characteristics of great leaders. Leadership is learned from effective and positive leaders who also know how to follow and to listen to others.

Every day we will learn something new if we are open to listen to the person who you least expect to touch your life. Being aware of the many opportunities to grow as a mature person and to climb our Ladder of Achievement depends on our personal choices to make a difference in a world that often ignores the value of each independent human life. Human life is precious from conception to natural death and is a continuum with many persons making an impact on the many choices that will be made. However, in the final analysis, each person is responsible for his or her own actions and decisions. What you do in life, does make a difference to someone that you least expect. People do not care what you know, but how much your care. Are you willing to air, care, share, and bear to continue your quest in climbing the successful Achievement Ladder?

"Always remember who touched your life and from whom you learned. Your lifelong education is your life. Guard it well!"