From the Desk of Thomas Ott

I woke up one morning and decided to build a life instead of making a living. 
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December 15, 2009

Building a life requires a strategy

Some people ask me how can they successfully build a life instead of just making a living?  How can they  break free from the latter and create the former?  

My answer: you have to create a personal strategy. Yes, you have to create a strategy tailored for you that's sound, flexible, and easy to implement, or else you won't do it. 

I found my personal strategy in an old military treatise that I adapted to my personal use; I began to build my life after I read Sun Tzu's Art of War.  Don't let the title scare you, its more about creating situations where success is inevitable, than about violence.  It truly is a masterpiece and I highly recommend it.

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Filed under  //   Building A Life   Strategy   Work-life  

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December 5, 2009

What is the most valuable thing you can give somebody?

I've been waking up to a strange feeling over the past few months.  I wake up and realize that my life is accelerating toward light speed and there's nothing I can do about it.  Life is getting so busy with a lot of seemingly "important at the time" things that compete for my dwindling time.  I also realize that I have to make it a daily goal to spend as much time as I can on the truly important things around me.  Whether its throwing a ball around with my son or daughter or sharing a pot of tea with my wife, all those things are time well spent for me.


Remember, the most valuable thing you can give anybody isn't money, gold, or a car.  It's your time. On who are you going to spend your time with today?

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Filed under  //   Philosophy   Work-Life  

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December 3, 2009

No dirt nap for me today!

Today was a long and tough day but I'm happy I didn't participate in the dirt nap.  Looking forward to fighting the good fight again tomorrow in Philadelphia! 

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Filed under  //   Philadelphia   Philosophy   Photography   Work-Life  

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September 12, 2009

The World Needs You to Do What You Love

And remember, the world needs you to do what you love. Nothing else can create more change, or have a greater impact.
via zenhabits.net

Not only the world but YOU need YOU to do what you love. Makes you feel all warm and cuddly inside.

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Filed under  //   Inspiration   Work-Life  

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September 10, 2009

Work / Life Balance

The joke at my former employer was the belief in a healthy "work-life balance." They went to great strides to talk about maintaining the work-life balance and that work always came came first. :)

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