Priorities

It was a much needed 4 months off.  Some time to regroup, rethink, and most importantly, prioritize. This blog is about entrepreneurship, the dream and pursuit of it.  It's a noble cause; one which crosses the mind of all of us who have not made the transition to the dream of self-employment.  But it begs the question, what is it that drives us toward this or any other pursuit?  What is TRULY your passion behind the curtain, the veil of this pursuit?  There is a lot of romance in the ideal of entrepreneurship.  Come on, let's recite the benefits:  Freedom.  Let's stop there.  There are many definitions of freedom.  What is your definition of freedom?  Is it financial? What does it even mean to have financial freedom?  Finances are a finite concept.  It comes, and it goes.  Cash flow is king, but it takes a lot of effort to keep cash flow alive.  That is probably one of the most fundamental concepts of entrepreneurship.  And when you don't have a steady paycheck coming from The Man, you might not feel so free anymore.  Isn't it nice to not to be charged (at least directly) with the responsibility of maintaining cash flow at the company you work for?  Does that idea feel free to you?  Can you conceive of the idea of working without a weekly paycheck until you get the ball rolling, as entrepreneurs do?  Therein lies the challenge within the idea of freedom as it relates to a career.  But then again, a steady paycheck under the constant threat of being sacked is not my idea of freedom, either.  In fact, it can be painful, if not tortuous at times.  And that, my friends, is why they call me THE PERPETUAL WANTREPRENEUR. 

All joking aside, I digress.  I mentioned priorities before.  Do you have your priorities in order?  You cannot possibly succeed in any pursuit if you do not prioritize.  And I'm not talking about organizational skills here.  I'm talking about PRIORITIES.  I recently spoke to a very dear friend about what is important in life.  We were discussing our present employment circumstances (he was fired about a year ago by the company I currently work for, and he is now employed by another large corporation).  I met him in training my first two weeks with my current company.  He's a southern boy, and his self-deprecating humor regarding his heavy accent and lazy eye may lead some to believe that they are smarter than he is (he loves to make the point that he isn't very smart).  But oh, he's smart.  Really smart.  He was crushing the rest of the region month after month in managing his location's financial plan before he was terminated (in my opinion, wrongfully).  And he accomplished this feat working 6 hour days, five days a week.  I spoke with him about a week ago to see how he is doing.  And as always, as he was even when he was unemployed, he is doing great.  He asked me to tell him something good, before I pulled into my driveway to see my wife and 1 year old boy.  So what did I do?  At first, I found a way to complain about my job situation and the relentless pressure of a new GM (more on that later, if I ever feel like devoting any more energy to it).  But I did manage to honor his request, to tell him something good.  So I told him that I am the luckiest man alive.  I have a beautiful wife who supports me (even though I can make her life very difficult).  I have a beautiful baby boy.  We have a roof over our heads.  But Glenn stopped me as I gushed about my non-monetary fortunes.  He told me that I have to stop using the term "lucky" and replace it with "blessed."  He said, at this point of our lives, we aren't lucky.  We're blessed with the treasures of our lives.  And I have treasure.  And a beautiful wife, and a child with her.  And I have the most amazing family as well, who love and support me, no matter what.  So, it's all about priorities.  If you can realize your priorities, you can realize your potential.  That's what I'm doing.  And you should, too.  And you will be blessed, and maybe even a little lucky.

Blocks

There is a reason why this blog is called The Perpetual Wantrepreneur.  Amongst many things, it's about the journey, a journey, in this case, my journey toward entrepreneurship.  This has been an evolutionary process, longer than I care to speak about (I believe I mentioned a 30 year journey early on; it hasn't been quite that long, but long enough).  Entrepreneurship, as well as many other things in my life, has gone unfinished.  I am the classic brilliant artist, my work incomplete, for others to discover after my time has passed (just allow for some license here, and pretend that I actually AM a brilliant artist).  But we ARE artists, right?  All of us. I'll spare the excessive cliche here, but honestly, what's your canvas?  I've selected the dream of self-employment as mine, for the sake of this blog, hoping that some divine inspiration may come of it all, in the process lending some inspiration to others.  I have other dreams, too.  Not just entrepreneurship.  Even if it seems like an eternity to realize these dreams at times.  I've had my moments of glory in expressing this in my 18 posts, but it's still really early in the game.  And I like to believe that the same can be said about my journey toward entrepreneurship.  But it's simply not true, to be honest..

I had a friend tell me recently that there must be some kind of block in regard to my pursuit.  In all of my years of thinking about this, she was right.  It has to be a block.  I would like to explore this much more deeply, to get to the root cause.  I'm a troubleshooter by trade; why can't I figure this out on my own?  How can I explain such a grand delay?  Jesus, I've started and finished so many things that I can't stand doing so much more efficiently than this pursuit.  This is supposed to be my dream, my legacy, my livelihood!  Yet here I am, blogging about my dreams and not making them my reality.  Aside from my own block, how much longer will you hang on, as I drag you through this agony?  Surely you must see some of the pain in this; and maybe that's why you tune in (or will eventually tune out).  Either way, I'm ok with the outcome.  I have no expectations here.  If you are honest with yourself, you are sure to find a block in your life, something that inhibits your progress to attaining your dreams.  Do you dream?  What does a dream life look like to you?  What direction is this dream headed, if you have even had the courage to have one, and who are you sharing it with?  Dreaming is easy.  Chasing a dream is another matter entirely.  I've shared a bunch of them with you.  Have a frank conversation with yourself, and think about what you can really do differently tomorrow to take that first step in your thousand mile journey.  Many times over the course of this journey, my first instinct was to run:  I'm in the wrong place.  I can't make it happen here.  Pursue my dreams here?  I hate it here!  Guess what..I'm going to preach presence again.  Because it works.  Remember where you are, right here, right now.  I'm pretty far removed from what I'm accustomed to (simply put, I'm in a sparsely populated area).  There is a lot of farmland.  And a lot of natural beauty.  No matter what the outcome of my life, I am staying put today, staying present.  No more running for me (although it is a constant temptation).  I'll never get anywhere unless I don't go anywhere.  And you may be at mile marker 999, and you don't even know it.

I'm not posting a title (or, the essence of not doing)

I am losing focus of my entrepreneurial goals.  I said it.  I don't make excuses for my actions (or inactions) whether they are at the office or in the home.  And it's easy to be distracted.  We have so much to compete against.  I don't have to go through the list of our daily distractions.  I've shared them in earlier blogs (see https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2474698936458418914#editor/target=post;postID=3174183968777868833;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=16;src=postname). IT'S SO EASY.  I've read articles on how to combat these distractions.  I've meditated (and continue to meditate; here's another shameless plug https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2474698936458418914#editor/target=post;postID=7334310094380346452;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=10;src=postname).  But we succumb.  It's not always media driven distraction.  Sometimes it's just life.  Maybe you're dealing with serious personal issues at home.  Or pressures at work.  Maybe you're drinking too much (or not enough; there's some duality for you.  That's what yin-yang is all about.  Don't be so hard on yourself).  Or maybe you're looking for a place to live (like I am). Pick a time of day, and you'll likely find more distraction than you care to even deal with anymore.  Focusing on finding a home where I don't have to pay property tax would make this process so much more pleasurable (one more https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2474698936458418914#editor/target=post;postID=5805356391740649090;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=postname).  Just another distraction..the fact of the matter is, we are here, right here, right now.  Regardless of where "here" may be.  And in this presence, we should do by not doing.  That's right.  Doing by not doing.  I love this concept.  And when I apply it, it never fails.  Never.  Do you need help understanding this?  Simple concept.  The Tao Te Ching is full of simple concepts, many of which I don't understand, after reading them dozens of times.  I have a copy on my desk, and I refer to it often. So I keep reading it.  Over and over.  Some concepts are easily grasped.  The rest I'll understand once I'm enlightened, but by then I won't care anymore that I never understood them.  Anyway, here you go..

Chapter 63

Act without action
Manage without meddling
Taste without tasting
Great, small, many, few
Respond to hatred with virtue

Plan difficult tasks through the simplest tasks
Achieve large tasks through the smallest tasks
The difficult tasks of the world
Must be handled through the simple tasks
The large tasks of the world
Must be handled through the small tasks
Therefore, sages never attempt great deeds all through life
Thus they can achieve greatness

One who makes promises lightly must deserve little trust
One who sees many easy tasks must encounter much difficulty
Therefore, sages regard things as difficult
So they never encounter difficulties all through life

If this is too much, try this condensed interpretation by Oasis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8DRI-D7-WQ

"Be Here Now"

Wash your face in the morning sun
Flash your pen at the song that I'm singing
Touchdown bass living on the run
Make no sweat at the hole that you're digging 
Wrap up cold when it's warm outside
Your shit jokes remind me of Digsy's
Be my magic carpet ride
Fly me down to capital city in the sun

Kicking up a storm from the day that I was born
Sing a song for me one from 'Let It Be'
Open up your eyes get a grip on yourself inside.....

TAXES! (you will be intrigued, I assure you)

Let's talk taxes (I'm not kidding).  I'm not an expert on the subject.  As I may have mentioned in past blogs (if I didn't, I will tell you now) one of my dreams of entrepreneurship is in the arena of being a nomad entrepreneur.  For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it is essentially an internet-based business endeavor that can be run from anywhere with an internet connection.  Now, this is a simplistic description; there must be much more to it.  But I discovered tonight through the Nomad Capitalist (http://nomadcapitalist.com/, one of my LinkedIn connections) that there are many benefits to being a nomad businessperson.  For starters (and for the sake of this blog, in conclusion) there are many tax benefits, depending upon where you decide to base your business.  Like I said, I am no tax expert.  My tax return should take me 15 minutes to do on Turbotax, but last year it took me 3 hours (this may have been because I was about to shut down the plant I was running in Connecticut, to move to upstate NY-aka, Canada-and the wine was flowing as my attention span deteriorated).  This year I went to H&R Block, paid the $275, and hit a pothole, blew a tire, wrecked my bearings, and did $800 damage to my car.  Anyway, my point is that my forte is not in the tax arena.  But some recent events got me thinking, and drew me to this subject.

As I stated, I want to be a nomad entrepreneur.  Very romantic idea.  In one of my earlier blogs (https://theperpetualwantrapreneur.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=saLx90cBAAA.3lYHRxF_CvooyeGa3FvcCA.tiiCqnwLSFzOrF9SfECGUw&postId=6319805919763263002&type=POST), I've decided to stay put for the time being here in upstate NY.  I want to continue to generate a good income from my present position as I continue to pursue the dream of entrepreneurship.  When I'm ready, I will jump in.  But where to?  The world is our oyster; but is it?  Where would you want to live, if you made the choice?

We started looking for home this past weekend.  With a 7 month old baby who continues to eat, crawl, and grow, it was time to dip our toes into the real estate market.  And it was sobering.  We are in sub-arctic Canada (it's really cold up here).  You would hope that real estate is cheaper, relative to say, the tri-state area of NYC, New Jersey, and Connecticut.  And it is.  But taxes are outrageous!  How much do we really have to pay in property tax to justify a child's education?  It's ludicrous.  Regardless of your mortgage amount and how long it takes to pay it off (many of us take on 30 year mortgages), you will continue to pay PROPERTY TAXES.  And in our area, we are looking at 9-10K/per year, minimum.  Surrounding suburbia around here is even higher, in the 12K range/year.  And property taxes don't usually fall; they continue to climb, year after year.  So essentially, you may eventually own your home (when your 60+, provided you bought your home at 30), but think about those taxes!  Over that period, you may end up paying 200-300K in property taxes!  So, you may own your home, but you are paying rent to the local authorities FOR ETERNITY.  You might as well keep renting until you can buy a house in say, Fiji, where there are no property taxes.  Or Croatia.  Or Malta.  Or Liechtenstein.  Or Israel.  Not to mention the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, where there is no income tax.  Now, stating all of this may be controversial.  This is a hot button topic, politically.  But the rich have known about these havens for a very long time.  Do you want to think like the rich, in the knowledge that you will soon be one of them with a successful business, or do you want to whine about how the rich aren't taxed enough?  I'm not financially rich, but I plan to be.  Don't you?  Isn't that possibly one of the reasons why you are reading this and so many other blogs, geared at ramping you up for success?  I'll be damned if I piss my money away.  I've done enough of that.  So, in my dream scenario, I launch while still employed by my employer, ramp up, and jump in, leaving my employer for good.  Then get out of Dodge.  And save MY money for MY own personal use.  I don't want to rent a house, or the land that it sits on (Hungary fits this bill very nicely).  Just to reel it back in a bit, this is my vision.  Not everyone wants to live the nomadic life (most of us probably don't).  But regardless of what opinion you hold, this is valuable information.  There are choices, if you dream a little bigger, outside of your little box (I live in this box, and sometimes it is very comfy).  We all work hard for our money.  Whatever you decide, don't piss it away.

Momentum, redux..

I recently wrote a post about momentum, and how important it is to maintain it in life.  If you haven't noticed already, I AM FLAWED.  I know, how is that possible?  I mean, I write my own blog (on average, probably about once every two weeks; hardly a regular contribution to my work).  I came home from Hungary with all of the inspiration I thought I would need.  But wine will only take you so far (maybe I should reconsider this particular inspiration; your thoughts are welcomed).  This particular hiatus lasted three weeks.  Hardly a case for maintaining momentum.  I've been relaxed, to be sure.  Very relaxed.  So relaxed that the thought of putting my fingers to the keyboard has been an afterthought, by the time my son has been put to bed.  Eight o'clock PM used to be prime time (actually, 10 pm is prime time)!  It's not like I haven't had any material; I've had plenty.  And it hasn't all been inspired by the idea of winemaking (but much of the inspiration has come from wine drinking).  And here I am, once again.  Wine glass in hand (on the high chair, in this case; don't judge me.  Or go ahead and judge me; I won't care anyway.  I learned that from my father.  Thank you, Apu).  Actually, I will spare you the trouble.  I will go ahead and make some judgments of my own.

It isn't easy to maintain momentum.  In the period following Lance Armstrong's fall from grace, I got to thinking about his rise.  I was a huge fan; the battle back from cancer, the 7 straight yellow jersey finishes in the Tour de France, the LIVESTRONG foundation for cancer research and support.  Nearly all of my father's side of the family (he had six brothers and two sisters) died from cancer, including his father.  Not to mention my mother's sister and mother (seven girls and two boys on her side).  Cancer has had it's way with my family (my mother, father, and sister have had it and survived; my father has had three different cancers, not to mention his aortic valve replacement..82 years old, and still kicking ass).  I read Lance's autobiography (despite his decline, it's still an inspirational story.  As controlling as he was, I have to believe that he still beat the cancer that spread from his testicles to his lymph nodes to his lungs to his brain, etc.).  We are all flawed, and I won't judge him.  After that battle, he admitted that he still took for granted the fact that he had cancer and survived.  He never wanted to forget the fact that he was almost dead, and he wanted to live every day like it was his last.  But we all do this, every day.  And most of us haven't had to contend with such pain and suffering.  It was an important truth that he shared with the world.  We all want to live our life that way, even if we haven't been struck with potentially terminal cancer.  He survived it all, and still took his life for granted.  So do I.  And so do you (it's ok to admit it.  Can you imagine if we all did that every day?  I'd be Bill Murray in Groundhog Day..).  The fact that he beat this cancer, as advanced as it was, is far greater an accomplishment than any Tour victory.  It doesn't matter that he doesn't live every day like its his last.  He's alive to face his charges, pay his price, and move on.  I don't follow anything about his life anymore.  But honestly, who cares about the yellow jerseys.  HE'S ALIVE.  And so am I.  And so are you.  

So I slipped.  I let three weeks go by without a blog to write.  It's not a proud moment, but life is full of questions and complications.  It's what makes it fun to be alive.  Who the hell wants to be predictable?  I've predicted the behavior of way too many people (some of which have had way too much influence over my life, for way too long).  I like being unpredictable.  It's not by choice, it's my nature (and Mum, if you're reading this one, you know better than anybody).  There is no hook to this blog, so don't look for it.  I'm not going to tie it up with any words of inspiration.  On this one, fill in the blanks.  I plan on providing inspiration to the people who are reading my blog, before and after this one (and I am grateful and humbled by this, every day.  I do NOT take that for granted, I promise this).  Take this moment to do a little introspection, and take a hard look inside of yourself.  I don't care what you find.  But pull it out, and shake it off.  Kick it, shuffle your feet across it.  It's time for a self examination.  There is a danger in writing a transparent blog.  But in the end, you have to be true to your message.  I'll stand by you on this one.  And with that, a great song that has been a regular part of my repertoire as of late...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maTP315XZCQ

The most influential Austrian wine you have ever had (at 35,000 feet)

In the days leading up to my vacation, there was quite a bit of change on the work front, and the home front.  Changes in leadership at work, and I married my long time girlfriend after way too long.  Change is good, they say.  I believe that to be true.  But I needed a break, and some inspiration.  And I got both on my long overdue trip to Hungary.  

A lot has changed over the nearly four years since my last visit.  Back in September of 2010, my trip was an exploratory one.  I set up interviews with several recruiters in Hungary, in the hope of landing a management position with a multinational company. And I traveled the country (parents in tow) to meet with each of them over a 10 day stay.  There was a lot of romance to the idea of working there, and a lot of high expectations.  I fully expected to land an interview with a big company as a result of this trip, with my dual US/EU citizenship, intermediate Hungarian language skills, and desperate hope.  One of the recruiters was so excited to hear that I could actually converse in Hungarian that he was sure that he would land me an interview.  I needed a change, and I needed that job. And I wanted out of Florida, once and for all.  And as you know, if you have read any of my previous blogs, this did not pan out. Despite my best effort, it was not to be.  And it was devastating.  It would be another 18 months before I was working at my new position in Waterbury, Connecticut, with my present employer.  

The motivation for this trip was different.  Above all else, I needed a break.  I hadn't had any sort of extended vacation since my last trip to Hungary.  It was necessary, and I don't recall a time in my life where I had been more ready for a change of scenery.  I didn't know what to expect this time.  I met my parents there, and it was a whirlwind for much of the time, given my enormous family.  I spent a lot of time amongst the grapes that grow behind my property, and even more time imbibing on the fermented fruit's delightful wine (in my cellar, the kitchen, the bedroom, the grass..).  Much inspiration has come from sipping on the nectar of the gods (my blogs included, on more than one occasion).  But it was my trip back home on Austrian Airlines that provided my biggest inspiration from the trip.  

We flew United on the way to Vienna, and they charge for wine (out of a plastic bottle).  Now, I'm not a wine snob.  I know a little about wine, even less about growing it.  But if you're going to charge 8$ for a split, please bottle it in glass.  Austrian Airlines, and every other European airline that I have ever flown, doesn't charge for their wine.  And I got my money's worth on this flight.   

The Austrians are known for their white wines.  So I started with that (in a glass split).  I navigated the programming options on the screen in front of me, and there were several Austrian programs to choose from.  I chose a 48 minute program that covered the wine growing regions in Austria.  Amidst the stunning views and history of Austrian wine growing (which did not begin until about 30 years ago, after a 150 year hiatus in most parts of the country), there was one story that compelled me to:  1.  Try the Austrian red wine offering, 2.  Have 2 more whites and another red, and 3.  Finally take seriously the idea of turning my tiny little vineyard into a business opportunity.  It was the story of a man, about my age, who had always wanted to grow his own wine after his father retired from the family business.  He had his vines tested, and as it turned out, his grapes were of an ancient, somewhat rare status, with several other types of grapes in its lineage.  And low and behold, one of those grapes were precisely the type growing behind my unassuming summer home.  Of course, this man's life of wine growing was somewhat romanticized in this documentary; but honestly, what isn't romantic about the idea of having your own vineyard and profiting off of its bounty?  He even sells some of his wine to a local chocolatier, who makes chocolate laced with his wine.  I would have never bought my little property if I didn't feel the same way.  And I have been discouraged in the past by people close to me when I would entertain the idea of pursuing a business in Hungary, built around the idea of selling wine.  The gentleman in Austria runs his business off of 1 hectare of vines (about 2 1/4 acres).  I haven't measured it out yet, but I think I'm damn close to that.  Whatever the case, it has me thinking.  And I want to get my vines tested by a European commission, to verify the lineage.  Why not me, to pursue this dream?  And if you have a dream that has been shot down, why not you?  If you are reading this blog, you have a dream of building something of your own, whether lofty or modest (or maybe you have already traveled this road, and have fulfilled your dream.  If this is the case, please share with the rest of us!).   This has been my dream since I bought this slice of heaven 10 years ago.  I renewed my Hungarian passport on this trip, which will actually be an EU passport when it arrives.  Changes in motion; and I am initiating the change.  Things don't happen by accident or by osmosis.  You have to chase these dreams.  Are you ready to take the necessary steps?  Am I?  I can say that you will be reading about my steps as I continue to write.  Some may seem relevant to this dream, and some may not.  But I'm putting it out there, dammit.  And so should you.  Throw it up against the proverbial wall (of the Universe), and see if it sticks.  It may stick on the first toss, or the seventh, or the twentieth.  It doesn't matter.  We are persistent and tenacious, we wantrepreneurs/entrepreneurs.  It's what makes us special.  So wind up, and let it fly.  The world is waiting for you...

Momentum

Momentum is a crucial part of growth in life, love, or business.  I believe this.  You can use sports analogies as proof; pick your sport.  I watched Costa Rica play Greece in the World Cup round of 16 today, with one less player for more than half the game, and they won. Greece attacked on several occasions, but Costa Rica played a great defensive match. They repeatedly repelled Greece's onslaught, right up until regular time ended.  And Greece had its opportunities.  Then came the penalty kicks, and they pulled it off, winning 5-3 on the penalties.  Same thing with the Netherlands today.  They were down 1-0, tied it up in the 88th minute, and won on a penalty kick just before the end of the match (this is the team I picked to win it all, by the way).  I wasn't sure that they would beat Mexico, the way they were playing.  But they swung the momentum in their direction.  The penalty kick was controversial, but instant replay showed that they were robbed of a penalty opportunity earlier in the match.  So turnabout is fair play, right?  And besides, I wanted them to win.  

As I said, momentum in sport is as important as it is in life.  It's tough to kickstart a pursuit over and over again as it lies dormant in the back of your mind.  I feel the same way in regard to this blog; the blogs flow much more easily if I continue to write on a regular basis.  I can write after a long layoff, but it is tougher.  Momentum makes it easier, like gravity rolling a ball downhill.  It's one of life's greatest sayings, "I'm on a roll."  It doesn't mean that your mayonnaise slathered on a ball of baked dough.  It means that you're rolling, creating, moving the needle in the intended direction.  And you need a spark, something to move the needle.  Sometimes it's referred to as the "a-ha" moment.  Whatever the case, you can't start a fire without a spark, to quote Mr. Bruce Springsteen.  We all need a spark. As you may know, if you read my first post, I am an incredibly slow starter...

http://theperpetualwantrapreneur.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-perpetual-wantrepreneur-my-journey.html

But you can create momentum in your life, to move yourself closer to your goals and your dreams.  My momentum has been slowly rolling for a couple of years now, some of the details of which being shared in earlier posts.  My latest momentum?   A beautiful baby six months ago tomorrow, and a marriage to my beautiful wife two days ago.  I have to build the momentum, to keep the spark alive.  I have to decide upon the legacy I will leave my children.  There is much that I have preached that I haven't done enough in practice.  And the biggest one? Take  a guess.  I've been preaching since my kids were old enough to speak that they should work for themselves, and don't depend on anyone else for a living.  They were old enough to understand this about 4 years before I was fired from my long time employer. I should have been exploring my entrepreneurial journey a long time ago.  But regardless, I continued to preach.  My son is 6 months old.  I want him to remember the fact that his father owned his own business, once he is old enough to recall such events.  That's the legacy I want to create.  And I believe it's time to set a deadline; August.  Before September 1st, I want to have an idea for a business and begin the necessary steps to start it.  I'm leaving for Hungary in 4 days, for a much needed vacation, rest, and inspiration.  I've been going there since I was 9 months old, and it is calling me again, as it always does.  It is home, and full of life.  My entire family lives there.  And I plan to spend a lot of time with them, and time in my summer cottage, near the Austrian Alps, overlooking the beautiful Hungarian countryside.  Man needs to experience nature, to be outdoors, to be fed the inspiration that nature provides.  There is more inspiration in the Universe's creation than anything the internet can provide.  See for yourself.  Find your favorite place outdoors.  Then go there.  Take a deep breath, and hold it.  Close your eyes.  Then open them again, and look around.  Feel your surroundings, and ask yourself; what is your spark?  Start the fire, and burn it completely.  Leave nothing but ashes.  Then you will succeed in your pursuits.  Pick your spot, and seek your inspiration.  You'll be very surprised to know that it's closer than you think.