TIMING IS EVERYTHING: FINALLY JOINING THE MILITARY

Something happened in my life which changed everything. Up to this point, the timing wasn't right for me to join the Military. I had something happen to me which at the time was a great sadness that I couldn't understand. I found myself living again with my Parents, and without a job at that particular point. I was at the hospital visiting either my grandfather or the woman to whom my grandfather was married; when the suggestion came to mind that it was time to think again about enlisting in the Army. At this point the timing was absolutely right. I went and approached the recruiter. I took care of the preliminaries: physical, ASVAB, DLAB. On July 27 1981 I enlisted in the US Army as a Russian voice interceptor for which I needed to learn Russian. That night I was off to Fort Leonardwood Missouri for Basic Training.

The timing was right. It had not been right 6 years prior when I first had tried to enlist; nor 2 years before in 1979. But things had changed to where the timing was perfect in 1981. That is one thing we have to keep in mind in our Network Marketing Business. The prospects that say 'no" today, who can tell what their situation will be like a year or so down the road. Life isn't static. Things have a tendency t0 move around and change. So what is a 'NO' today, could very well turn out to be a 'YES" at a later date. Somestimes sooner rather than later. The important thing is don't give up or prejudge someone just because they say no once. NEVER take them off your list. Periodically contact them. Buid a relationship. You may be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

While I am at it, I will tell you the last chapter about timing and my Military experience. When I enlisted I was going through a dark tunnel experience. My first inclination was to look at the Army as a carreer and stay in. Some how More than half-way through I decided that being to much of an individual, that the Army or Military wasn't for me. So I ended up getting out after 4 years. I was in a regular Reserve unit in Detroit for a year and the remainder of the reserve committment was spent in the Individual Ready Reserve. Had I stayed in I never would have gone back to the IRS, I am a career IRS employee, And one day a friend with whom I had lost touch, saw me downtown one day. The started a chain of events which worked to lift and help me recover from the great darkness which I was in. So as you can see from what I've related about my own life that timing plays an important roling in our personal lives; also in our business. NEVER GIVE UP!

TIMING IS EVERYTHING;Enlisting in the Military

When I graduated from High School in 1971, the Vietnam War wasstill going on. That year, I'd jsut turned 18 years old, and I registered with Selective Service because it was the law. They had just started the Draft Lottery. They drew by birthdates. My birthdate in the first drawing was very low. I started into the university the fall after graduation. so I was able to get a College Deferment. Thankfully, praise God, that I didn't get drafted, because it was during this period of my life that God had awakened me to see my need of a Saviour, had led me to a good church, some good people, and eventually I got saved. So it was really important to me and my life that I didn't get drafted at that time

In 1975, due to a recruiting brochure which was published by the US Navy. I almiost enlisted for 6 years on active duty, in the Navy's Nuclear Power program. I went and took the Military physical examination, and I took the ASVAB 'Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery. This is a series of tests designed to measure ones aptitude to learn the various types of occupations represented in the Military Services. They got a slot for me to go to Boot Camp at Great Lakes. All that remained for me to do was to come back and raise my right hand, get sworn in. The enlistment would be completed, and I would be on my way to Boot Camp. I got up that morning troubled about whether I was doing the right thing. I was expecting that God had a plan for my life, and I didn't at that point want to tie up my life for 6 years. So, I called my recruiter that morning, and told him that I wasn't going through with it.

There were a lot of things happening in my life in 1979. Among them was a period of unemployment, when I moved back in with my Parents. As it turned out, I nearly joined the Military again, this time it was the Army. I was interested in the Linguistic program, and learning a foriegn language. This enlistment would have been for 4 years on Active Duty.. Again I took the physical, the ASVAB battery, I took a special test-(DLAB) test which measured my potential for learning a Forieign Language. I got a slot for Basic Training, and the Language School in Monterey California. Again, I came right up to the point of Raising My Hand, and getting Sworn in as an enlisted person. I backed out of it. Again feeling that the time wasn't right.

Timing is everything in life. In business also. There are some prospects you talk to, and at the time they are not interested. But who can tell in the future, a year or two down the road, what will change in their lives, to where they might become interested. We can never give up on people. Those people , not interested, whom you talk to today, keep them on your list. Make occasional contact with them. You never know just when things will be different for them.

In the next Post, I will relate how in 1981, I did enlist in the Army. This time the timing was right.