GETTING WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE! (Is it Chance, Providence, or Planning)
(written 2003, updated 2008)
Even from an early age, probably around 12, I had a vague idea at least, that I wanted to do three things in life. These were: Go to college, become wealthy, be a boss. Nothing special about those, I guess. I have long since learned to value many other things above the latter two.
The fact that I had a long series of happenings that propelled me in these directions, leads me to speculate. Were these events happenstance, or did I program them to happen even at an early age? Looking back on this statement now, I have to modify it to read,” Did God have a major role in this?” I don't know the answer totally, but you can judge for yourself if I tell you what actually happened. I am certainly of the opinion, now, that most people can design their own future with God’s help, think their way to success, program their life, or whatever else you want to call it. I certainly don't mean programming just to achieve material things, but to achieve any objective that you care enough about to strive for. Among the worthwhile goals would be to have a happy life, to have peace of mind, and to have time to enjoy your life, your loved ones, friends and your material possessions. All are worthwhile goals that can be planned with full expectation that they will be fulfilled if God is with you.
At an early age, I was not in possession of this knowledge, at least not consciously, or perhaps I was? While I do not believe that what happened in my life was unique, I also do not think that it was accidental. Each of you may have a similar situation. Your analysis of it may be different from mine. To me there is no explanation other than planning with God’s help, because too many things fell into place each time when I decided what I wanted out of life. The Bible tells us that there is no such thing as a pure accident, all events are caused by something.
I had assumed in most of my early life that I was a very lucky person. My definition of luck was having good things happen to me with no apparent cause. Yes, I was lucky to be born with a healthy mind and body, with great parents, and in a land of opportunity. However, I found out later that you can make your own luck. Anyway, I thought that I was lucky. It seemed that everything that I hoped would take place in my life eventually did occur.
As a youngster, I had one advantage some children don't have. Although we were poor financially, I didn't know we were poor since all of my friends were no better off. While poor in terms of money, my parents gave me the valuable key to change that. They believed in me and expressed that on many occasions. They both said they knew that whatever I wanted to do in life, I could do. I believed them. At that time, though, I didn't set my sights very high. Raised in a small farming community I was unaware what the world really had to offer.
After my parents, the second major influence in my life was my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Barnhart. She took it upon herself to insert career planning into the 3R's. She reviewed with us many careers, and at the end of the year, we had to write down one for ourselves. Then we were required to plan, in a small way, how we were going to go about it. At that time, I put down engineering as a career. We were required to plan both our high school and our college programs. This planning took me through the first part of college training.
The next person that had a major impact on my life was Bob Wheeler, a high school friend. We hadn’t discussed the military at all, until one day he convinced me to join the U.S. Navy V-12 program right after Pearl Harbor. This led to being able to get a fine college education, which otherwise I would not have been able to afford. This was with the college training program that the Navy offered at that time. Sadly, Bob wasn't able to qualify for the program. Another important thing that this decision set in motion was the meeting with Anita (my wife since 1946) in Seattle, where I was in training.
I again chalked up this series of events to being lucky. This continued to be my explanation, if I thought about it at all, for all of the good things that happened in my life. Now I know it wasn’t just luck, it was informal planning plus all the people that God put in my life.
The next influential person was Anita's father. He was sure at that time that chemistry was the key to the future. He eventually convinced me to switch from Mechanical Engineering to Chemical Engineering, in the middle of my junior year! This, of course, was again very important, since it led to a career with a chemical company in Seattle.
My first job was at Boeing for three years as an Industrial Engineer, my second degree. Another man, Dr. Moulton, my professor at the University of Washington, also had a real impact.
He kept after me to get a job with the chemical company, even after having been rejected twice.
Once at that chemical company in Seattle, Harold Warner, my first boss there, taught me to be tough in business and also taught how to be a good practical engineer. Another major impact was from my next boss, Bill Blesse. Bill was a real planner. He could take any kind of situation, analyze it, and write a detailed step-by-step plan to achieve a desirable conclusion. I learned this well and had a chance to practice it on several chemical plants that I designed and had built.
However, Bill's real influence was in getting me to make a LIFE PLAN. One evening in 1956 he and I put together a plan on a yellow pad of paper while sprawled on our living room rug.
This became the first plan for my future. Bill asked what I wanted to be ten years from then. I said I didn't really know. Bill persisted and finally I admitted that I would like to be General Manager or possibly President of a major corporation. Bill said "A-Ha!" and said "write down President in 1966." Then he asked me what I would have to do leading up to becoming president. Before the evening was over, we had laid out a schedule of events for the ten-year period. To my amazement, as I compared the plan to what happened, the events took place almost according to the schedule. In fact, some were achieved sooner than the plan called for, with one event lagging the plan by a year. I referred to the plan from time-to-time during the ten year period, and I still have that original sheet of paper in my file.
There were other important people that influenced my life. My wife Anita, most of all, as she was always willing to go along with whatever I thought was best for my career. She never complained or wanted more than was practical for us at the time. Actually she conserved our resources so well that we were able to save even when my income was low. Also, she picked up and moved away from our home several times, without seemingly a second thought, although I knew she didn’t really want to make the change. Also, she believed in me and expressed her confidence in many ways that reinforced my will to push ahead on the plan.
Another man was Jay Myers, who told me soon after we were well acquainted and had some business experience together, that I could succeed him as president of the Canadian company. I still don't know why he expressed this confidence in me at this early stage. However, this fit into my plan, so I accepted it at the time. While this was a small company when I joined it, we built it into a formidable industrial enterprise over the years. Many other people influenced me and were helpful during those years and, of course, right up to the present. I may someday write more on the importance of these individuals. Until I was made president, I still had the opinion that it was planning and luck that was carrying me along and giving me a beneficial and happy life. I also attributed it to guidance from a higher being.
In my belief, this guidance plays a strong part in the mental process. My mother, who was very religious, also was a wonderful influence. I was not only aware that she believed in me, but also knew that I was in her prayers. She continued to be a close supporter, and I could "feel" her influence for the good, even after she died. Even now, although she passed away many years ago, I still think often of her support, and it gives me added courage. In saying that she supported me and believed in me, I certainly do not mean that she thought that I was perfect, of course not. Although I have always enjoyed the story, I hope that I am not like the fellow that said "I hate people that won't admit their faults. I'd admit mine, if I had any." My Mother simply believed that there was some spark and ability that would allow me to achieve those things that I set my mind to.
My Dad too was a wonderful influence. He taught me that being honest with everyone is the only way to live. He worked very hard all his life, but took the time to teach me many skills. He loved the outdoors and we spent much time tramping through the woods and fishing. My Mother went along with this, supporting whatever we wanted to do, and going with us on camping and fishing trips.
During these years, and into the early 1970's, I still didn't realize the full power of planning with God’s help, and the total impact that it was making on my life. I especially did not suspect that it could be such a powerful tool on the personal side. That is, not until I sent for the book by Joe Karbo called "The Lazy Man's Way to Riches". This book was about all kinds of “riches”, material things being only a small part of it. The book opened my eyes to what had really happened to me during the years before reading it. Suddenly I began to see what I had been doing with the life planning process.
However, I also saw that this was only a small part of what was really possible. After reading it several times, underlining the passages, and carrying out some of the exercises, I decided to put it to the test. I made out a list of the key things that I would like to have and achieve over the next several years. The list seemed very ambitious at the time. I still have that old list, even though it has been updated several times. Miraculously, the desires of that time were achieved and more, and sooner. There were a couple of things on the original list that haven’t been achieved completely, but a big improvement has taken place.
Other than the value of planning, I learned the remarkable influence that other people can have in your life. If you remain receptive, almost everyone you meet can have a positive influence.
Since I believe that my life and my situation are not unique, if you haven't already tried a life planning system, why not give it a whirl? What do Have to lose?
Post script: After Jesus came into my life I began to realize that the luck was caused by God, even though I did not deserve anything that He did for me. He had a purpose for my life, and it wasn’t just in achieving business or financial success. Because of this success I have been able to benefit many others. Originally written January 18, 1980