Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek 

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.  

Day 1 of our Trek

As I mentioned in our first episode on Day 0, I will strive to be transparent and authentic in all of our daily podcast/journals.  This means that I am inviting you into our camp and our trek to join with us.  I will not extensively edit these episodes, just for the sake of trying to have them sound perfect, any more than when we are sitting around base camp or on our trek, I would not be able to edit everything that I said.  This is life, and I want to live it before you as if we were literally on this trek together, which through the magic of technology we are virtually sitting next to each other.

Since I will be recording  either from “The Big House” in Marietta, or from our “Home 2” located south of Charlotte, North Carolina, you may hear external sounds of the outdoors, such as birds singing or other noises which, instead of being distracting, will add to our authenticity of life.  I may not always present a perfect podcast/journal, but I will provide valuable content in an excellent manner  If you have not taken the opportunity to listen to Day 0 or read the corresponding journal, I would encourage you to do so.  Also read through the About Wisdom-Trek to learn more about the podcast and me personally.

As with any journey in life, it is best if we have a destination in mind before we begin. It is difficult or impossible to measure progress and success if we don’t know our destination. Once we determine our destination, we should know the best path to take to reach it.  It is best if we remain on trails that have been forged before us by others.

Life will take us through many hardships and dangers. At times it will seem like no one has ever traversed the path that we are taking, but there are few, if any, circumstances in life that others have not already traveled. In fact King Solomon, the wisest person who ever lived, in the later years of his life wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, and in chapter 1:9 he declares, “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.” So we can take “comfort” in the fact that others have been on the same path before us.

What is our destination? As we trek together our purpose is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. In doing so, we will setup the framework in our lives that will truly allow us to “Live Long and Prosper.”  

I believe that most of us would desire to live a long life and to prosper. Prospering, though, will take many different forms. It could be financial, but that does not need to be our primary way of prospering. Becoming wise and creating a living legacy by making a positive impact on our world will allow us to truly prosper. The primary purpose for us pursuing and obtaining financial prosperity is to allow that impact to be even greater.

We need to be a river and not a reservoir with our financial gain. Allowing financial prosperity to flow through us to others, instead of hording it for ourselves, will help us to gain wisdom.

In addition to setting a destination, our best hope of arriving safely is to have suitable navigation tools.  We need to follow a GPS, map, compass or other tools that will allow us to be reasonably sure that we are on the right path. These tools are important, but are only useful, if we follow them. As I am sure each of us has experienced, even with the best GPS or map we sometimes end up on a wrong road, and so it is with the trails in life. We may find ourselves at places or in situations that we never expected, either through our own choices or the choices of others.

We may get off the planned trail, but with the right tools, we can still head towards our destination. While my primary map in life on my Wisdom-Trek has been The Bible, I have also studied and followed many others that have traveled before me. Some of my “virtual mentors” that have reached their destination in this life have been Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, and Earl Nightingale.

Using these combined resources, when I have found myself on a unexpected trail in life (which there have been many), I am able to head in the correct direction because my destination remains the same. There have been many steep uphill climbs and some dark valleys, but as I continue my trek, I have the strength to continue.

What are some basic guidelines that we should follow? I have determined that there are four essential guidelines.

1. As much as possible, stay on the trail. – Don’t be looking for shortcuts in life. There are no shortcuts that are worth taking.  Be persistent and consistent and pace yourself for the trail ahead
2. Never trek alone. – Find others that have gone through the trails before you. Allow them to help you, and learn from them.  As you join me on our Wisdom-Trek, allow me to be one of your guides. I may not have reached my destination yet (since I am still alive), but I have studied the map for years and have dissected the journals of those individuals who have made the trek successfully and have created a proven plan on how to assist you. To grow wise make sure you surround yourself with wise people.
   

3. Keep moving forward, but take time to enjoy the scenery. – If we have our head down looking at the trail all the time we will miss the best part of the trek.  It is not the destination that we will enjoy, but the journey itself. No matter how difficult the trek is, take time to enjoy each day.
4. Establish positive habits that you practice each day. – Every day we will run into obstacles on our trails of life.  Figuratively, a tree may have fallen blocking the path, a stream may have washed out the path, or boulders may have cascaded down into our way. In each circumstance we will need to determine whether we will climb over, under, or go around. Regardless of the path that we need to take to get us beyond the obstacle, if we have certain positive habits ingrained into the fabric of our lives, then we will know how to make the decisions that are correct for us. This is called our “integrity.” Decisions that are right, just, and fair for ourselves and those that we impact.

Below are 7-Habits of a Successful Life that you can weave into the fabric of your life. If you will apply these habits each day, so they become 2^nd nature, then when the obstacles do block your way, it will be easier to successfully get beyond the obstruction and back on the trail to your destination.

These are the habits that will impact eternity.

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Legacy Each Day

If you would like a full color PDF of these 7-Habits, please click on the image below or in the side bar on the right.

So as we end our Wisdom-Trek journey for today, apply these 7-Habits to your life each day. Review them each morning upon rising, and again before going to bed.  If you follow this routine for at least 30 days, you will see a change in your life that will begin the trek of Creating a Living Legacy.

I encourage you to leave a discussion topic, comment, suggestion, or question in the comment form below, or email me at guthrie@venturecg.com.

I would be honored if you would take the time to visit iTunes, or the site that you are using to access Wisdom-Trek and subscribe so that Wisdom-Trek will be available for you each day.

Please leave us a rating on each episode, and spread the word to everyone you know to join us on our Wisdom-Trek. Thank you!

Always remember to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy the Journey, and Create a Great Day!

See you tomorrow for Day 2 – Tools Required for a Successful Wisdom-Trek.