The Beginning- How did I get here?

Hi World! For those of you who do not know me my name is Chris Rathje.

When coming to what motivated me to start this blog I would say it is a two-pronged answer. I had the inspiration to write a book about a month after I finished grad school in early 2006. I was sitting in my bedroom at my parents’ house reading a compilation of minibiographies of some of the great figures of history. After reading the sections of Teddy Roosevelt and Mark Twain a little lightning bolt went off in my head and I was thinking “I could write a book too!” That thought mulled around in my head for nearly a year until I attempted to word process some of my thoughts after I moved down to Birmingham, Alabama. Two years and seven attempts later I'm still a ways away from completing a book, but I do wholeheartedly believe in my ability to think and write.

Then just this week I was reading an interview between Yanik Silver (an Internet marketing genius) and Steve Pavlina. It truly inspired me! Steve has a website completely dedicated to personal growth and his seven universal growth principles (www.stevepavlina.com). Steve currently has other projects going on, but it all started with his blog and is still a major source of income for him. I love Steve's approach to how he runs his blog and why you does it. His articles center around people becoming better versions of themselves through many different facets of life.

There are many other people on the web doing this. Several people who sell similar content through information products on the Internet. Steve did not want to take this route because he would be limiting his impact to the 5 to 10% who decided to buy his product. He figured if he provides good content monetary rewards will follow. I would like to humbly use the same business model.

I know I have so many thoughts to share with the world so why not start today?

From a very early age I have been fascinated with looking up words in the dictionary. The main reason for this is because a dictionary definition gives everyone an equal understanding of what words mean and in theory this would allow people to communicate better with one another. The words that I present for your perusal are extremely appropriate for the first of anything.

Begin: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

Start: set in motion

So I humbly submit this as the first step and set in motion a bigger vision to become a writer who unites his fellow man and is a force of good.

Thanks for reading! Have a great day!
Chris