Thursday, July 30, 2009

A public experiment, please help me.


A very public experiment.

I want to write a book. I have a burning desire to help others realize that their dreams are achievable. Unfortunately there are a couple of factors getting in the way. I can't seem to bridge the gap between having an idea and turning it into reality. Like most of us, I have these great ideas that pop into my head all the time. Then life gets in the way and they stay just that, ideas. Also, I know absolutely nothing about writing a book. That actually doesn't really matter to me. Sometimes not knowing "how its done" leads to a better approach. Before I tell you about my very public experiment you need to have some background about how I started my business, National Powersports.

National Powersports started because I had a burning desire to own my own business. I didn't know what type of business I wanted to own, but I knew that my time working for others was over. For over two years I had a hard time sleeping because I could feel the longing to turn this desire into reality, but I just couldn't get the idea clear enough in my head to know what to do. I read business book after business book. I read every magazine related to it that I could, but still I couldn't get the picture clear enough. It was agonizing. Emotionally I knew I had to do this, but in my head I couldn't figure it out.

Then one day I simply placed an ad in the newspaper looking for old motorcycles. The idea was simple, buy a couple bikes on the side, fix them up, then sell them quickly on the internet. I took the first action, even though I wasn't sure where it would lead me. I'm not even sure at that point I knew that this would be the business that I had been searching for. The important thing was that I did something. Sometimes I forget how simple it was. The clarity of what I wanted it to become developed along the way and is the key reason that it has become such a success. National Powersports is so well defined now that I forget that it didn't start that way.

I've got that longing again. Its been tugging at me for about a year. I love National Powersports and what it has become. I am so proud of the group of people that I have working for me and how bright and hardworking they are. The business is doing great and providing a nice livelihood for my family. But life for me isn't about just making money. Its not enough. I don't know why I feel that way, I just do. I see people everywhere underestimating their own worth. I see people living their lives unfulfilled and unsatisfied. Perhaps it is just my giant ego, but I think I can help. I just don't know how yet. I know that the book I write has to be more than an autobiography. Big deal, I started a business. It has to be about the actual steps that I took to change the way I looked at life and how those steps can help others do the same thing. I'm positive that if you have a burning desire to change your life you can.

Again, I find myself in a position of not having the answers yet, but having the burning need. So I am going to take a first step. I know that I have to get in the habit of writing down my thoughts. I am going to start by making a commitment to writing in my blog every single day for a month. Hopefully most of the posts will be about this process, but either way, it will be a commitment to write. I find that I do much better with commitments if I have somebody holding me accountable. Therefore I am asking you to help me. If you can find a couple minutes a day to read what I'm writing and maybe even leave a comment or two I know that I will have a much better chance to succeed with this experiment. If I don't write EVERY day in this blog please hold my feet to the fire and blast me with emails.

I'm about to change my life. Want to help?

Thanks in advance!
Nate

11 comments:

Ryan N said...

Rock on man, seems as though you and I have a pretty similar mindset. Its funny how many people worry about making the RIGHT first step, instead of just taking ANY step to get moving towards where you want to go.

I'll checking in to see whats up!

Buck Beaudoin said...

You've already started! Keep your stream of thought running through the blog and start to formulate your outline of major concepts. That will eventually become your book. You know what you want to say, you just have to organize it so that it flows and creates a story.

Nathan Sanel said...

Buck, your right. Thats one of the reasons I'm asking my friends to hold me accountable. I may not have the chapters of the book oraganized and in order yet, but they are all in my mind. I just need to make myself write them down. The organizing and polishing part will naturally follow. Thanks for reading.
Nate

Unknown said...

Action is living. Inaction is dying. The Universe sticks something in your craw for a reason...Go for it - I'll add this link to my daily repertoire! KICK BUTT NATE THE GREAT! You never stop pushing the envelope and for that I am immensely impressed and proud to know you and love you. KCuz www.MotherEarthHardwoods.com

Anonymous said...

A belt buckle? OK, liken it to a pressed wood type substance trophy. I got it.
Fascinating Nate, you're still a crazy effer, and you will succeed.
Avanti!... Ann D (Broad Squad Racing)

Tony said...

Nathan, if you haven't read the book "LL Bean-The Making of an American Icon" you should give it a read. Their first product was the Maine Hunting Shoe and out of the first 100 pairs sold, 90 were returned as defective. Thats how this great company got its start. Your desire to start something is great, not knowing exactly how its going to turn out is even better. The trick is to keep the momentum going, despite setbacks, of which there will be many. The will to WORK HARD will push you through all the problems, in fact, you will eat the problems for lunch. Your goal is very realistic. There is no way to fail unless you don't even try.

sherpajohn said...

Yo man! Hey... I'm still alive and I'm glad to see you are too. We haven;t talked much since the race... as I'm certain you're far to busy to. I figure we'll catch up when we both have a minute.

Regardless... I'm real excited that you;re gonna take the time to write in your blog and start working towards your dream. Nothing is easy... but if anyone knows about hard work, determination and everything that goes along with it... its You.

I'm here for ya bud.. and I'll be reading.

Yours,
SJ

Nancy said...

You're off to a good start, Nate. 30 days should get you in the habit. I am a poet and find deadlines are a great help in my work; instead of waiting for the muse, I start throwing down incomplete ideas when the 2nd Wed. of the month is nearing (my writing group meeting day) and I don't have a poem yet. Like you in your endeavor, I don't entirely know where the ideas will lead me, but having a deadline moves things onto the front burner. I'll be checking in on your progress and wish you good luck. --Nancy

Barry Sanel said...

Practice Practice Practice. Jot down some ideas and create a rough draft or outline. See if you can hire a ghost writer to help. It could take a year to get through it. Try writing without using the letter "I" and see what happens.
Barry

Nathan Sanel said...

Thanks Barry.
Actually my blog posts will be filled with lots of "I"'s. This is about how I go through the process of taking myself out of my comfort zone. Hopefully it will help me develop a clearer process that I can turn into a system that anybody can use.
Here's something to ponder. I find that you can't be successful in chasing your dream without being somewhat selfish. If you can't sacrifice some of your commitments to others you can't work on your own life. We are all brought up to be kind and unselfish to those that we love, but we are being selfish to them by not becoming all we can be.

Ron Abramson said...

Good stuff, Nate. One lesson that running teaches us (and long distance/ultrarunning especially) is that the hardest part is getting started. After that, there's measurable progress as a result of our actions.

What have more people done: write a book or run 100 consecutive miles?

Your book will be excellent, though you may fumble a bit to get there.

Best, ESG (aka, Ron A.)