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The ActiveRain Nature Station: Finding your oasis

I'm pretty sure we all know what an oasis is.

For over forty years, I've been creating my own little oasis with my life and businesses, places where I feel safe and secure.

I do it by creating a five-year business plan, breaking that plan into years, months, weeks, days, and hours.

Then I work those hours and days persistently and consistently, which has always created an oasis that shelters me from any doom and gloom that surrounds me and over which I have no control.

Recently, I got to see first-hand what a real oasis is, and what I've been basing my life on.

Here is a picture of where I was, somewhat desolate looking, surely full of doom and gloom if one ventured off the beaten path:

Joshua Tree National Park

Deep down in that forbidden-looking landscape, though, was a real oasis.

Oasis in Joshua Tree National Park

Enjoy the slide show, but if it doesn't work on your computer, simply click on "View All Images" to watch it at slide.com.

Links to more posts are below

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Posted by Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector on 11/05/2009 09:51 AM

Comments (11)

Nature in the ActiveRain Channel

inspired by nature, oasis

Post is included in group: EXPRESS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AT ACTIVERAIN
Post is included in group: Cosmic Cow Pie
Post is included in group: BananaTude
Post is included in group: Addicted to Active Rain
Post is included in group: ActiveRain Nature Station

11 Comments on The ActiveRain Nature Station: Finding your oasis

NOV

Russel,

Wow, I really love your five-year business plan! Every year I set goals and plans for myself and my business, but I have never broken it down to the hour level. I think I will try it your way! Thanks so much for more inspiration and ideas. Really beautiful puctures, too!

Great slide presentation... Looks warm there..getting chilly here in Philly..have a great day..:o)

Thanks for the story. I don't have a five year plan as I can't see that far ahead.

Russell the five year plan sounds good. A plan is a guide just so you know where to go and how to get there. If you get on the wrong path you may have to make a few adjustments along the way. Thanks for sharing the nice video.

Hi Russel,

Wow! A five year business plan! I will have to think about that....I do mine yearly. Love your slide show presentation! Thank you!

Rita

Looks like your cat has found a little oasis in the garage at the feeding trough.

Hey, Carra - I started breaking it down to hours when I was in college at Texas A&M University, and I've never quit. That allows me to get my ActiveRain daily comments in from 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time when the new ActiveRain day starts.

Hey, Hannah - We've been having some Santa Anas lately with highs in the upper 80s and low 90s. Today was a pleasant 77.

Hey, Gene - There's a book out that espouses creating a 10-year plan. I can easily see where I want to be in five years, but ten years is really pushing it.

Hey, Carl and Ceil - If one breaks that plan down into hours and days, it becomes very easy to make adjustments as necessary so that one lands exactly where one wanted to be at the end of five years.

Hey, Rita - I find one year to be too short, especially since most marketing requires anywhere from six months to 12 months to determine whether or not it works, so rarely will one make one's yearly goals if there is nothing to look at for the longer term.

Hey, Bryan - I think the whole house and garage is an oasis for Zoey the Cool Cat.

Hi Russel - Spring and fall are excellent times to visit Joshua Tree. I did some real estate development in Yucca Valley (right next door to the National Monument) several years ago and spent a lot of time in the area. It can really be beautiful.

NOV

Joshua Tree looks so inviting, especially in the environment that it rests in. We all need an Oasis or a Haven or whatever you want to call it..

In business, a plan is part of that oasis..

Great analogy.

I skipped a couple of days checking in and you changed the name of the group?!! I feel like the kid who left for college and found out his family moved and left no address...

NOV

As always, great message and awesome pictures..... Thanks a zillion...

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