The last two weeks travels brought me to another Sam Palazzolo first…The New England states! There are several highlights to the trip, and several lowlights! Over the next several weeks I’ll write about them all. One of the high’s was going and visiting Plymouth, Massachusetts…Home of the Plymouth Rock.
I couldn’t help but stare at this iconic masterpiece that stands for so much. Imagine being there in 1620 with the Pilgrims as they set foot on land. If it was a day like mine, it was gray, cloudy one with an occasional misting rain that blew sideways in the bitterly cold 33* weather (Wind chill temperature=27*…Sam’s coat=Still in Texas!). Imagine the hopes and dreams of those involved that would get them to set out on a boat the size of most average houses today. Imagine the long, long, long journey across the Atlantic. Imagine what greeted them in Plymouth…Nothing. Nothing or was it Everything? I mean, today I can barely travel without a great cup of coffee in the morning, noon and night (Insert Starbucks plug here!). You know that the coffee generation is in full swing when people give you directions by telling you “You’ll drive a mile, take a right at the Starbucks and …”.
As I sat there and stared at this rock, I asked myself “What were they thinking?” and “What are you thinking not bringing a coat?” Perhaps their thoughts back then can give us some insight as to how we should think today. If your thought patterns are driving you to give everything that you have up in order to go for something you believe in is better, then you’ve arrived at the Rock with me that afternoon. I remember reading a quote from Tom Peters back in 1995 when he was saying “If you’re not pushing hard enough to get fired, you’re not pushing hard enough”. There weren’t any Pilgrims during my visit that weren’t made of cement or metal (i.e., Statues)! Who can blame them with the weather and all? If there had been, I bet we could have found out some pretty deep “Influential Leader” qualities. Qualities that would lead an individual to truly influence their future. Qualities that lead individuals to change the course of their future, and in so doing change history as we know it.
What are you doing? What are you actually doing to influence your future? Are you leading yourself to be something better? Are you pushing hard to get fired? Are you changing the course of history for yourself and others? If not, be more like a Pilgrim!
Here is how the story ends…Now a rock in any other town is simply called a rock. But not this one, this is the “Plymouth Rock” we’re talking about. Sean Connery and I met later that evening at a pub to discuss the Rock as it’s known locally and…
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