I have been told that people who have almost died have a new perspective on life. Once you almost lose your life, you stop taking life (especially getting up each day) for granted. Having been in the hospital twice in the last 3 years I would concur. One of those was a near-death experience (I was hours away). If my wife Kim was not home that Sunday, I would not be telling you this today!

Although on this last trip I was not in critical condition, if I had not driven myself to the hospital and taken responsibility for my life and health, it could have been a not-so-happy ending. I was filled with anxiety and worry that if things had gotten worse, I would not be there for my family while in the middle of a big life change of moving to a new state, and prepping to move us into a new house.

There are so many details from pre-close walk-throughs, getting our belongings (in a POD) and new furniture bought and delivered, to finances, and keeping my business running smoothly. Kim left her job in Illinois and it could be months before she gets a new one.

There is a lot of stress associated with selling a house, moving to a new state, and building a new house. I take none of that for granted. It's a huge blessing. So is continuing to get up each day and greet life with purpose and grace, and meeting those challenges head-on.

One Step At A Time

I begin each new day with a routine. I post a positive quote (called ‘Deep Bacon Thoughts ?') on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It's my way of sharing my appreciation with my friends and followers for being there for me. It encourages me as well.

The other day I posted a quote that said, “No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.” Not only was that one of my most liked and commented-on posts in a while, but it resonated deeply with me personally, as well. It's not how fast or how far you go. Life is about putting one foot in front of the other and keeping moving forward!

When I walk Layla, there are power lines above the Greenways. It's an amazing site. from tower to tower, they string together a system that delivers energy to thousands of locations. We often take for granted how we simply plug in the toaster or phone charger, and these strings are what deliver the power to each and every device and lightbulb that make a huge difference in our lives.

What I'd like to do is share a personal string of wins that have energized me that are all connected like those powerlines, each day!

Personal Wins

Back At It

Two weeks ago I was golfing and running every two days. The weather in North Carolina is very conducive to outdoor activities. That is especially good when you go from a big house to a small apartment. Then A-Fib sidelined me for a while. Doctor #1 said to take it easy for a week. Doctor #2 (Kim, my wife) said to take it easy for two! Since I have had no further issues, I was able to golf and run (although a bit less aggressively) this week. It was great to get back to working out, which is good for both my physical AND mental health!

New Home

It's been almost one year since our house was struck by lightning. That was the impetus for us to downsize our home to something that was more conducive to empty nesters with a dog and a business. It will be a year to the day that we will have our first day in our new home. On March 1st we expected it would take six months to find a new home, but on March 2nd, we put down a deposit on new construction and expected that to stretch till October before we could move in. In only 175 days, we sold or donated almost everything, moved 800 miles to an apartment, and are ready to move in.

Business Wins

Never Missed a Beat

While I was in the hospital (albeit for only a day and a half), business was chugging along. Kudos and thanks to my project manager Laurie, and all my workers (Julie, Svetlana, Marc, Jennifer, Carrie, Vicki, Lori, Michael, and more). I spent years designing my business to be more fluid and flexible, and that was no more apparent than when I was out of the mix. Keep in mind, that I still had to miss some business meetings and host a webinar, but I was able to pick up without missing a beat to get everything back on track quickly.

I have built my business with a project manager and systems that allow us to maximize creativity, speed, and quality. This is what I provided my customers as a solopreneur, and now can deliver with a team of specialists who constantly work to embrace and grow their Zone of Genius!

It's comforting to know that I can focus on creating new and innovative ways to help my customers increase sales while minimizing their marketing costs.

Life Wins

I was able to get out and do some networking in Downtown Raleigh last week. It was really nice to hang with some homies while getting to meet some new people at an AMA (American Marketing Association) Triangle (Raleigh) chapter event.

The drive to and from Raleigh is such a departure from the drives I remember heading in and out of Chicago. It only took 30 minutes from a suburb here, while the same would take 2 hours or more in Chicago.

The drives here are hilly and filled with tree-lined roads. You can park on a street for $1.50 an hour. In Chicago, you pass buildings, and parking in a garage is $20-30 or more.

There are pluses and minutes in every city or place where you live, but I am enjoying the difference, and I am grateful that I am here to appreciate and enjoy it!

Final Thoughts

So how are you stringing together wins in your life and business? Just remember… “No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.” That starts by putting one foot in front of the other to keep moving forward. Even if you hit a bump in the road (or Greenway) that causes you to take one step forward and two steps back, keep trying to string together those wins! It's the line that powers your life and business, and lights up all the world to see!

“Imagination has a great deal to do with winning.”

– Mike Krzyzewski

I would love to hear about your challenges or successes in overcoming your, “You are still lapping everybody on the couch.” attitude (if you have ever had one).

Comment below and share your thoughts, ideas, or questions about stringing together little wins.

To learn more about this and other topics on B2b Sales & Marketing, visit our podcast website at The Bacon Podcast.