John T. Fleming was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. His interest in architecture and desire to build was borne of a family tradition that dated back to his great, great-grandparents.
During the years that John worked in the office of Mies van der Rohe, one of the most renowned architect’s of modern times, John developed a passionate belief that the same principles of design and construction applied to buildings and structures could also be applied to life. And that ordinary people could accomplish the extraordinary by following similar building concepts that architects understand.
“An architect knows that he or she cannot design something that is impossible to build. Architects know engineering, and they know how to incorporate their visions within the realm of possibility. Both vision and engineering must come together in order for a building to become a reality. First, we will determine your vision, and then we will connect the appropriate engineering with your vision. At that point, you will be on your way to becoming the architect of your own destiny.”
John T. Fleming is a student, researcher, writer, speaker and advocate of micro-enterprise. His many years of involvement with the direct selling business model has been through actual involvement as an independent contractor, owner of a direct selling company and officer within one of the world’s largest direct selling companies.
Being the architect of your own destiny is about being on the journey. When we achieve one goal and fail to achieve another, we can be sustained and encouraged by the knowledge that both winning and losing are a part of life. Most important is to maintain a winning attitude. Whether winning or losing, we always understand that life itself is our greatest blessing!
The One Course is designed to help you plan the areas of your life that may benefit from designing or re-defining. Each lesson features a summary that provides a high-level overview of the material covered in each lesson. The sixteen activities in The One Course serve as aids in identifying how to improve your overall plan. Each activity is a prerequisite for the next lesson. Remember, when we are in pursuit of adding value to our lives, chances are we need to think differently about those things that ultimately determine the quality of our lives and the way we desire to live our lives. Are you ready to begin?
Consider this: You would not think of getting into a car and driving around, hoping to find your destination without knowing exactly how to get there. Unfortunately, much of the population evidently does. Architects do not expect to build buildings without first completing the plans. We should be able to be the architects of our own destinies, to achieve and enjoy our lives in our chosen paths and enjoy happiness and peace of mind. However, we must first know where we are going, and we must develop plans to get there.
We must have money to survive in our society. Not having enough money impacts every aspect of our lives—from the way we eat to the clothing and shelter we can provide—all necessities for healthy, stress-free living. Managing the financial part of life really has nothing to do with how much we have; what matters more is how you manage what you have. When we understand the difference in saving $100.00 per month versus saving or investing $500.00 per month, we are motivated to step up and save or invest more. The One Course helps to plan this most important element in life.