Susan and Tammy had been
together since the first
grade. Through school and
high school they were in
classes together as well as
the sports and a few
parties.
Both went to college and
got their degrees in
marketing together.
Susan now works for a
retail company at the local
mall doing her shifts on
weekends and rotating
holidays.
It’s July 1 and Tammy is
doing some shopping for the
long holiday she has
planned when she sees
Susan.
“Great to see you Susan,
you’re looking good!”
“Thank you Tammy, what is
new with you these days?”
asks Susan.
“Oh the kids and I are
going on a ten day tour
over the 4th
holiday. We’re going to
follow some of the original
landmarks of the
Revolutionary War so the
kids can get a feel for
what the Fourth of July
really means.” Tammy
responds with a smile.
“That sounds absolutely
great! How is it you can
get so much time off and
afford such a trip?”
inquires Susan with
anticipation.
“I guess it has been some
time since we’ve talked.
Actually I took my own
Independence Day about a
year ago…..That’s when I
changed careers and went
into a commissioned sales
position and have not
looked back since.” is
Tammy’s reply.
“Oh my, you went on
straight commission in a
new position? You have kids
and a mortgage, how can you
make it?” exclaimed Susan.
“That is what so many
people have asked me since
I made the change. You know
what, I call it my
independence day because
now I make almost all the
kids events and games
because my schedule is
mine. As long as I am
producing and hitting the
goals my company tells me
to be at the kids events!
That’s what I call
freedom!” says Tammy in an
excited voice.
“Wow, that’s great. I make
a few of the kid’s events
on my days off, but most do
not fit the schedule.” says
Susan. “What about your
income, you never know what
you’ll make. What if you
didn’t get a sale? I’m
looking at a part time job
next door to make ends
meet!”
“Yes, that was a concern
when I made the change, yet
when I talked to the other
salespeople and saw what
they did, that fear went
away. In my first six
months I made as much as I
did in my old position and
I have no limit to my
income!” exclaims a wide
eyed Tammy.
“I would be terrified; we
need to have a steady
income just to cover the
expenses. I could never
take that chance.” Susan
replies in a concerned
voice.
“You know Susan, a couple
hundred years ago a group
of people decided to take a
risk and separate from the
king. Now the king wasn’t
very happy about this and
sent his army over to put
these people in their
place. I wonder how many of
the people were terrified
at the possibilities. But
to the kings dismay the
people fought back despite
their fears and after a
couple years of fighting
the people won and the king
left them alone.”
“One of the main leaders
was a man named George and
the people wanted to name
him king! But George
understood what they had
fought for and refused to
be a king, he did become
the first president and
helped to establish the
type of government that
allowed people to make
choices and take chances.”
“Because they were allowed
the freedom to choose and
to take chances, this group
of people became the
strongest and wealthiest
nation on the planet. They
made sure everyone had the
freedom to make a new
choice everyday. Even those
who had nothing or were
more disadvantaged than
others still had the
freedom to make a new
choice everyday!”
“These people believed so
strongly in this freedom of
choice for everyone that
hundreds of thousands of
them went to war to keep
this freedom of choice
available to them and
others. Many times this was
in other countries and
fight for others freedom,
not just their own.”
Tammy continued, “A year
ago I thought hard about
this idea of freedom of
choice each day. I realized
that if anything was to
change in my life and my
family’s life, it was going
to be because of my
choices. If thousands of
solders have died to give
me this freedom of choice,
who am I not to utilize it?
I went looking for a new
career the next day!”
“That is a different way to
look at it that I never
thought about before.”
replies Susan. “If I think
about what freedoms I have,
if I choose to use them,
there’s more opportunity
than one can imagine!”
“Here is the interesting
thing about this,” says
Tammy, “The more I utilize
my freedom of choice, the
more freedoms I realize are
available to me. The really
neat thing is that all I
have to do is choose, act
and be responsible for the
choice!”
“You have really changed
Tammy! I’ve never seen this
excitement and adventure in
you before! Are you on some
kind of drugs??” asks a
shocked Susan.
“Absolutely I’m high on the
drug that freedom of choice
gives you! Now getting up
everyday and knowing I can
make a choice. That choice
can be the same as
yesterday or be moving in a
completely different
direction and no one can
really stop me except
myself!” an excited Tammy
replies.
“This excites me and scares
me at the same time. I feel
somewhat guilty for not
taking advantage of this
freedom of choice. Did you
feel this way to?” asks
Susan.
“Yes” replies Tammy, “I had
some reservations and fears
to deal with. Yet when I
once made the choice I took
responsibility for it and
made it work. Now I have
more income, more time and
more freedom because of
those choices!”
“Tell you what Susan, when
I’m back let’s get together
and talk about what choices
you could be making. I
would love nothing better
than both are families
taking a ten day trip
together next July
4th!” says Tammy
with a gleam in her eyes.
“Yes, I will be looking
forward to it! You have a
fantastic trip. This has
been one great
conversation, my head is
spinning about what choices
I could be making!”
exclaimed Susan.
To all our readers, the
best of wishes for this
Fourth of July holiday.
Please remember what it is
about and the freedom of
choice it gives you.
Hug your kids, salute the
flag and thank a soldier!
It is about a freedom of
choice that we have that
many others do not. Are you
utilizing your freedom of
choice to its fullest?
Harlan Goerger
National Director of
Training
© Harlan Goerger 7/2007
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