I had an interesting question posed to me recently. A FB friend asked, "when do you work". I think it was prompted by the posts and video I put up showing alot of my hobbies such as fishing, hiking, photography, hunting, and of course, baseball. It got me thinking about work, and how that word means different things to different people.

When I was 26 years old, I heard a very successful person describe her life as a "lifestyle by design". That caught my attention. I listened as she described what "lifestyle by design" meant to her. She talked about choices, goals, plans, dreams, aspirations. But she wasn't just a "pie in the sky" motivational speaker. Despite her very optimistic outlook, and almost surreal description of what life could be like, she also talked about fears, doubts, limits, barriers, adversity and the status quo. She recognized them, but cautioned us to not let those things be the driving forces in our lives. She said there is a big difference between a lifestyle by design and a lifestyle by chance. I remember her saying this catchy phrase; "Choice or chance, you choose".

More than anything about her talk, my take away was that we have one life to live. We don't get "do overs". Regrets most often come from the things we don't do, not the things we do. I remember her saying; "people will come from miles away to watch your burn". She meant that people who are on fire, and high on life, attract others. They inspire others. I remember as a young man thinking, I want to be like her. I want to inspire others.

So, to answer my friend's question, my work is inspiring others. I started a baseball program in 2006. It's called US Elite Baseball. To date, we have helped over 500 players move on to college and professional baseball. We recruit young men to our program by talking about the journey and the process of reaching their goals, in baseball, and after baseball. One of my favorite questions to ask our young men is "who are you becoming in this process". It sparks meaningful and enlightening conversations that I can assure you, are not the typical topics teenagers are routinely talking about. We talk about things like commitment, dedication, managing "failure", overcoming adversity, selflessness, relationships, academics, focus, integrity, determination, communication skills, servant leadership, community outreach and career aspirations. At US Elite we inspire young men to set goals and reach their goals, both on the field, and beyond. We help them along their journey. My work at US Elite is not work at all.

I also am involved in the network marketing profession. It's not by coincidence that I found network marketing, or maybe it found me. The lady who first exposed me to "lifestyle by design" was a successful network marketer. When she described what the life of a successful network marketer could look like my heart raced, and my mind opened to so many wonderful possibilities. She didn't talk about cars, boats, mansions and living on a yacht in the Caribbean. She talked about freedom, both time freedom and financial freedom, and whatever that meant to each of us. She talked about having the time to help others. She talked about having the time to invest in meaningful relationships. She talked about having the time to give back. She talked about wealth, but not only in a financial capacity, but also in a way directly related to bringing value to the world. She said some of the happiest and wealthiest people in the world have little, or no money, but they bring tremendous value to the people around them. She also talked about financial wealth. I remember her saying that money just brings out who you already are. If you're a jerk with no money, you can be even a bigger jerk with more money. But, if you have love in your heart, and kindness in your spirit, your money can bless many, many people. Wow, that's very different than what the world thinks wealth is.

The secret to success in network marketing, and probably in life in general, is simple. How much value do you bring to the world around you? How many people do you help? How many lives have been positively impacted by you? How many problems can you help people solve? In my network marketing business we (my team) look for people who have problems to solve. Specifically, we look for people who have challenges with their weight, or their overall health, or for those seeking fulfillment (happiness). We look for people who say they have no time. Of course, we look for people who want or need to make more money. Our Isagenix products and business opportunity can help solve many of these problems. Our eyes and ears are always open to finding people who acknowledge they have some challenges in one or more of these areas, and most importantly, understand, they can do something about it if they find the right vehicle. My brother Austin Helsel has a license plate that says "Ask For Help". I love that.

In conclusion, when do I work? I work every single day of my life. It's just that my work is not a job at a location with set hours. I don't have a job title or a job description. I don't have an hourly wage or a dollar amount placed on my value. Its not better or worse than anything else. It's just much different. That's all. Both my wife, Dotty, and my sister Deb, are school teachers. They are impacting lives every day, too. What they do is awesome. We all get paid in many ways, some financial, some not. It's a lifestyle by design. It's not by chance, it's by choice. Every day I have choices to make. Zig Ziglar said it best, "You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want". I believe that, and it sure makes every day a new adventure.