INTRODCUTION

TONY SALIN
http://tonysalin.efoliomn.com/Home

Defining a purpose in life can be difficult when one is reflecting in the social mirror. This is an introduction to my eFolio. Here, my attitude changed after finding my hidden talents and that would not have happened if I did not read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Anthony Salin

An Introduction to eFolio

My name is Tony Salin and I am an artist who feels as if I experienced a "writer's block" over the past sixteenyears. Here, I studied art history, advanced drawing, dynamic figure drawing, mechanical drawing, visual communications, journalism, and English during high school and as an inquiring mind during much of my twenties. I wanted to be good at something and I grew up with people telling me that I was a gifted artist. Sure, I could draw, but I wasn't really painting an effective picture of myself. In matter of fact, I became exactly opposite of what I set out to be... I couldn't find it in myself to advance with my artwork because I wasn't satisfied with the life I created for myself. So I continued to draw and write... The content I created was considered to be dull in nature. My illustrations were dull because they were always in black and white. I personally feel that my "writer's block" had to do with the fact that I frowned upon the notion of studying color theory and color harmony until this past year. The theory of color and harmony didn't dawn on me until I seen the light and that didn't happen until I developed enough courage to take a good long look at myself in the mirror. Color does not exist without light. Color cannot exist without light. Same holds true with

reflection. Whether that reflection is physical in nature... Or mental, emotional, spiritual, and personal in nature. In either case, physical and personal reflection share a common denominator with color. My illustration more than likely makes that common denominator obvious to those reading--by now. Light is the common denominator. We cannot survive without it. For without light... There would be no vegetation and without that... There would be no photosynthesis... and without the life process of photosynthesis there would be no oxygen... and without oxygen... there would be no hydration.... and without hydration... Well, there would be no water... Mankind cannot exist without water and oxygen. Here, my purpose is to shine light on the certain truths brought to my attention by a profound light... A series of rational realizations... Or, an awakening if you will. I will use my talent, skill sets, and college level knowledge of computer and network technology to communicate my purpose effectively throughout this site. Here, I am a web designer geared towards effective development coupled with aesthetic and technological values. The purpose is to campaign for a better reputation. Doing so means that I have committed to do

well. I intend to do well, because my messages are good. The story of my life will be presented to you as excerpts from a book that I am writing. It is titled "Tarnished: Beyond Shattered Dreams." The purpose of my book is to illustrate the importance of dreams. Here, I define dreams as being a journey that can only be reached with discipline and will power. Discipline and will power being assets that cannot exist if they are not in tune with principles. The principles I speak of are the product of moral judgment and values. So the dreams I am talking about are goals. Failing to achieve a goal does not mean that it is the end of the world. If it is an unrealistic goal than it was unattainable for the simple fact that it could not be realistically achieved. If it is a realistic goal than it may not have been achieved for the simple fact that we have yet to reach the end of its journey. Losers are not loser's because they failed to accomplish a goal. They are losers because they gave up on their goal setting. Losers are those who give up on their dreams. Winners do not give up. Winner's present tenacity. They are purpose driven and resourceful regardless of their win-loss record. Winner's a gogetters. They know what their dreams are and they

continue to set out to follow their dreams. Their motivation is their purpose and their purpose is mentally illustrated to them by plans. Winners know that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. That is a simple definition of synergy. Knowing about synergy allows us to step back and see the big picture. The individual parts that make up the picture provide resources that help winners reach their dreams. Winners know that there is no "I" in "TEAM". And I created an acrostic for using the word "TEAM" to help me remember that. The acrostic is: Tenacious, Energetic, Acknowledgement of Mankind. Winners are driven to perform goodwill to mankind. Losers are selfish and they lose out on what is going on around them, because they are failing to involve themselves with the general services providing goodwill to the rest of mankind. I was a loser. I was selfish and self-centered. Everything I did was driven by what I wanted instead of what I could give to others. This is a poor attitude to have. I remember a good friend of mine tell me that "Attitude is an aeronautical term meaning angle of approach." Applying this definition to life... Well, I realized that I was taking the wrong angle of approach and really did not know how to live life.

Another reason for failing to accomplish goals could be that we did not deserve the outcome that could have been presented by the achievement. I am one who did not deserve the achievement of my goal setting. Reason being that I could not keep focus. There was just too much chaos going on in my life. I was in thick with bad company and we all know that bad news is soon to follow when we decide to keep bad company. The company I kept lost sight of self-discipline and will power. They had no more of an idea concerning principles, values, and moral lessons than I did. We all corrupted each other by keeping company with one another. The only way out of the mess was to pick up and move on. Here is my first big "however"....! However, people cannot move forward "safely" if they are constantly looking in the rearview mirror. I could not get over the past. I just couldn't do so without "acceptance". I have many short stories pertaining to the negative consequences of keeping bad company. My short stories will start out with good intentions and they unfold into legal, financial, and social crises that continued to set me back. The moral of each story is the same. That is "Dreams really do not have an impact on us until we decide to wake up and light is required for us to awaken into reality. Goals can be adjusted, so

failing to achieve a goal is not the end of the world. Sometimes we were meant to benefit from the journey associated with the attempt to reach the goal. Achievement is not the sole benefit of trying to turn our dreams into a reality. If it was, than our purpose would include 'profit motive' rather than 'goodwill'. I am writing this book out of goodwill, because there are lessons to be learned from my short stories, and I hope that these lessons help people change their lives for the better. Thank you for visiting my eFolio at http://tonysalin.efoliomn.com/Home