Welcome to the 166th Edition of the Orangeletter

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A special Independence Day issue today. Back to our regular schedule in two weeks.

Actionable Freedom

Tomorrow is Independence Day in the United States…so it's the perfect time to talk about freedom.

To me, freedom means full control over my time, income and life choices without relying on anyone else to approve my next move.

As I sit here typing this out, I realize that most people in the world do not enjoy the freedom that I do. So many people are being told what they can and cannot do today…what time to wake up, when to show up, what to wear, how to think, and even when they’re allowed to rest. They’re trapped in systems designed for predictability and control, not personal growth or purpose.

They don’t own their time. They don’t own their work. They rarely own anything at all.

Their choices are dictated by bosses, corporations, institutions, or algorithms…none of which care about their long-term fulfillment. Even people who appear successful on paper often feel stuck, because they’re following a script they didn’t write.

That’s not freedom. That’s a prison cell wrapped in a salary.

And yet, for most, it feels normal because that’s what we were taught. Follow the rules. Don’t rock the boat. Be grateful for what you have. But at what cost?

I’m grateful every day that I broke away from that path. It wasn’t easy. It took time, risk, family support and plenty of wrong turns. But now I get to build on my terms. I choose what I work on, who I work with, and when to walk away.

That’s freedom. And once you taste it, you can’t unsee how rare it really is.

And the saddest thing to me is that most people don’t seem to know they are making a choice.

I chatted with a friend of mine a few weeks ago. He was complaining about how much he hated his job. I asked, “why don’t you do something else.” The answer? “I’m over 50. What choice do I have?”

I had to walk away. What choice?

Note: If you are 50, odds are, at minimum, you'll make it to 80. 30 years is a long time to impact the world.

Every minute of every day is so precious. Why are we spending time thinking about the past in regret? Why are we thinking about the future and building up a wall of worry? The present…right now…is what we have.

You can change anything you want. Why? Because you don’t need someone else’s permission.

You have a choice. If you believe you don’t, that’s on you. You’ve force fed that into your brain and now you actually believe it.

We Are Lottery Winners

You hit the lottery my friend. You are alive. In this time and place.

What are you going to do with it?

You weren’t born to be managed. You weren’t put here to check boxes, clock in, or survive until retirement. You’re a builder. But you’ve got to remember that or you’ll forget who you are.

You've been put here, on this earth, in this time and place, to make a difference in the world.

So take a moment. Not tomorrow. Not next year. Today.

Ask yourself: Am I building a life I own? Or am I renting my time in someone else’s plan?

The longer you wait to choose, the harder it is to remember that you even had a choice.

This Independence Day, don’t just celebrate the idea of freedom. Live it.

If you’d like some support in your journey, come join me at CEX this year. The people attending are creating their own personal freedoms. They are going the direction you want to go. I hope to see you there.

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And finally, I saw the band Dispatch for the first time last week. I'm sorry to say I've never listened to them before, but I am now instantly in love. This song, The General, is a fan favorite. There are many meanings to be sure, but the one for me is "fight for what is worth fighting for, and for what is not, close the door." JP

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If you would like me to talk about something specific for next issue or ask me a question, just reply to this email.

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Keep learning and growing,

Joe

17040 Amber Dr, Cleveland , OH 44111-2908
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