There’s an old song by Billy Joel called Piano Man where one of the lines says: “Now John at the bar is a friend of mine, he gets me my drinks for free. He’s quick with a joke, or to light up a smoke, but there’s someplace that he’d rather be….He says ‘Bill I believe this is killing me,’ as a smile ran away from his face. ‘Well I’m sure that I could be a movie star, if I could get out of this place.’ ” Those last eight words are the reason I think this song is so popular - ”If I could get out of this place.” A place is just a situation we’re in.

We all think our life would be different if “we could get out of this place.” The point is we can! We can do whatever we want to do! The only thing holding us back is our limiting beliefs in ourselves. We’re not prisoners destined to be stuck somewhere that we don’t belong. We were created for a God-given purpose. Our job is to find that purpose.

Almost 3 years ago, my wife Joanne passed away after a short battle with cancer. We had 9 children together. It would have been so easy for me to say, “Things would be better if “I could get out of this place.” Even today there are still days where I say that. But I hung in there and went through the grief and struggles and I still do. But I know that life is like a giant painting and we only get to see a small corner of it. According to my faith I know that when my time is up I’ll get to see the rest of the picture. I know that my situation was intended for me to grow and become better. And that’s how I try to look at it.

As a result I made the decision to go out on my own as a coach. My situation tested every foundational belief I had in my life. And only after I struggled with it for a year did I decide that I wanted something more and bigger for my life and for my children. So I quit my rat race and started over. Starting over is something I’m getting good at.

Challenges are everywhere and they show up every day. If you “B and Moan” about them, you will always struggle. But if you look at them, step around them, check under them and behind them, you’ll find the lesson. That’s how you overcome anything. When you believe that every problem has the seed of an equal or greater benefit inside it, suddenly the waves in your life will calm.

I know you can do it and I definitely believe in you!