First off if you are reading this, thank you. Thank you so very much for being one of the exceptional few who genuinely have interest in others, their backstory, empathy, and human connection.
I am a career military officer who started off enlisted. I emerged from failing two high schools and being expelled to earning many coveted awards. I joined the Air Force in 1999 with the hope of cleaning myself up and earning my place in society, as even my recruiter likened me to a parasite on society. I was only taking not giving; I was in survival mode. He said we must give, give of ourselves, to find ourselves and thus be valuable to the world. I told him to send me in the dirtiest, greasiest, lowest job available. I needed to use my two hands, work ethic, dedication, and mental vision to get myself ahead and earn my place in society. I read voraciously, fixed my poor grammar, posture, and wanted to be the best person who shows up each day. I volunteered to do all the worst jobs and stayed until they were done. I was a Crew Chief on a C-130. It was a backbreaking, dirty, and sometimes thankless job. But when the plane flew, I felt gratitude. I had reinvented myself.
With those skills, I won Airman of the Year, Professional of the Year, an Air Medal, and a Medal from the President for Heroism. I was also given a commission to be an officer.
I then again started over reinventing myself--this time as an officer and a gentleman. I wanted only to serve and every day was thankful I wasn't laying in a gutter somewhere or in prison, so I looked for every opportunity to serve and volunteered for as many things as possible. I started working out and training. I've been to nearly a dozen National and World Championships and have won two World Championship invites, one was on Netflix, you can watch me. Ask me and I'll tell you where.
I am also a brain injury survivor and suffered a lot of pain as a result of a deployment to Iraq. I was forced to find myself again and heal myself by learning all about the human body, mind, and spirit. I am now the strongest, smartest, and most determined I've ever been. It's been through learning from some of the world's best minds and applying them with my own two hands. I seek out and apply the best advice in the world. I am a prolific contributor to those in my community, the folks who work in the shadows to protect this nation's interest and preserve pluralism and capitalism.
Now as I reach retirement I look ahead at and reinventing myself. I found it in the book Unscripted . MJ talks in a language and style (especially his audiobook guy) that is completely in coherence with myself. Plain, to the point, and gets me energized. I am thankful for him. I am ready to turn on the laser discipline, insight, and ethics that have gotten me where I am now.
I am ready to LIVE the American Dream. I know the future of value creation in society is about human-to-human interaction and self-to-self discovery and I have developed years of necessary skills and knowledge in these areas. Because of the recovery process, I love myself far more, now that I know how amazing it is be human. As a result I love humanity and the world far more and feel I must serve a greater good, but also live on my terms now.
If you've read this far, here is the punch line. I feel a bit of regret. I see how my life was compartmentalized by the Script and packaged as serving others and being compliant. It's been tremendously difficult to come to terms with what is in the book and how I've lived my life. Part of me feels misled and lied to. Another part of me still feels that gratitude and fulfillment from a life of service. Years of government service doesn't set people up to be Unscripted , nor does it grow many of the skills to become that way.
I am scouring this forum and have read the massive book three times. I would love any wise words and anecdotes from your journey to lived Unscripted and if you too have had your own inner journey.
Ken
I am a career military officer who started off enlisted. I emerged from failing two high schools and being expelled to earning many coveted awards. I joined the Air Force in 1999 with the hope of cleaning myself up and earning my place in society, as even my recruiter likened me to a parasite on society. I was only taking not giving; I was in survival mode. He said we must give, give of ourselves, to find ourselves and thus be valuable to the world. I told him to send me in the dirtiest, greasiest, lowest job available. I needed to use my two hands, work ethic, dedication, and mental vision to get myself ahead and earn my place in society. I read voraciously, fixed my poor grammar, posture, and wanted to be the best person who shows up each day. I volunteered to do all the worst jobs and stayed until they were done. I was a Crew Chief on a C-130. It was a backbreaking, dirty, and sometimes thankless job. But when the plane flew, I felt gratitude. I had reinvented myself.
With those skills, I won Airman of the Year, Professional of the Year, an Air Medal, and a Medal from the President for Heroism. I was also given a commission to be an officer.
I then again started over reinventing myself--this time as an officer and a gentleman. I wanted only to serve and every day was thankful I wasn't laying in a gutter somewhere or in prison, so I looked for every opportunity to serve and volunteered for as many things as possible. I started working out and training. I've been to nearly a dozen National and World Championships and have won two World Championship invites, one was on Netflix, you can watch me. Ask me and I'll tell you where.
I am also a brain injury survivor and suffered a lot of pain as a result of a deployment to Iraq. I was forced to find myself again and heal myself by learning all about the human body, mind, and spirit. I am now the strongest, smartest, and most determined I've ever been. It's been through learning from some of the world's best minds and applying them with my own two hands. I seek out and apply the best advice in the world. I am a prolific contributor to those in my community, the folks who work in the shadows to protect this nation's interest and preserve pluralism and capitalism.
Now as I reach retirement I look ahead at and reinventing myself. I found it in the book Unscripted . MJ talks in a language and style (especially his audiobook guy) that is completely in coherence with myself. Plain, to the point, and gets me energized. I am thankful for him. I am ready to turn on the laser discipline, insight, and ethics that have gotten me where I am now.
I am ready to LIVE the American Dream. I know the future of value creation in society is about human-to-human interaction and self-to-self discovery and I have developed years of necessary skills and knowledge in these areas. Because of the recovery process, I love myself far more, now that I know how amazing it is be human. As a result I love humanity and the world far more and feel I must serve a greater good, but also live on my terms now.
If you've read this far, here is the punch line. I feel a bit of regret. I see how my life was compartmentalized by the Script and packaged as serving others and being compliant. It's been tremendously difficult to come to terms with what is in the book and how I've lived my life. Part of me feels misled and lied to. Another part of me still feels that gratitude and fulfillment from a life of service. Years of government service doesn't set people up to be Unscripted , nor does it grow many of the skills to become that way.
I am scouring this forum and have read the massive book three times. I would love any wise words and anecdotes from your journey to lived Unscripted and if you too have had your own inner journey.
Ken
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