It's Time

By Douglas A. Rouillard

Time—it is the single most valuable thing we have in this life, as it is the only thing we cannot add more of or return. It answers many questions whether you like it or not and will always tell you the truth. Was it worth it? Did I make the right choice? Will I regret doing this? Was I wrong? Was I right? I can tell you this: success is measured by the number of times fear is challenged, and without the fear of failure, you will never succeed. So remember, the choice is yours how you spend it, and only time will tell.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781643506616

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It’s Time

Douglas A. Rouillard

Copyright © 2019 Douglas A. Rouillard

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc. 2019

ISBN 978-1-64350-660-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64584-316-0 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-64350-661-6 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

What Is Your Time Worth?

Who Am I?

Choices I Made Early Are Affecting Me Still

Finding Your Way

How I Did It

Be Different

Don’t Be Afraid to Say Yes!

Have a Chip

The Power of Influence

Fear of Failure

Who Is Really in Control?

My Job vs. Happiness

Challenge Every Day—Don’t Give Up!

Stand Up for What You Believe

Taking It Back—Realizing What You Want

Life Is Short

Relationships

Silver Spoon

Be a Leader, Not a Boss

Drinking the Corporate Juice

Accomplishing Dreams and Knowing Your WHY

Take Back Your Time: Go for Broke

Wow Yourself!

The Answer

In this life nothing is promised or guaranteed, but you can make a promise to yourself on how you choose to spend your time.

Keep smiling.

Introduction

First, I want to say thank you for taking the time to read this book as well as congratulate you for making an investment in yourself.

—Douglas Rouillard

My name is Douglas Rouillard and I decided to write this to help you realize it is not too late to achieve the dreams you were once excited about but too afraid to reach for. I understand this life can be scary and I also understand that there are no guarantees, but when it comes down to deciding how you choose to live it, make sure you choose wisely, or it could cost you the most important thing you have, your time, your life. The fact is, there is no right or wrong way to go through it, but we all must do it, so why not do it the way you really want to? What I am about to tell you will not surprise you, but hopefully make you slow down and take a minute to see your life from a different perspective.

As I am more than certain you already know, this life will bring you incredible gifts, rewards and experiences, as well as take you on a ride through some things that will have you questioning, Is this really happening? One thing I can tell you for certain is to keep moving forward and do not stop when it gets tough, as those are the moments that will end up defining who you are as a person and what you will become. Also, learn from the many mistakes you will make, because as at some point in your future you will better understand that they were all just small steps towards the bigger picture, your life.

I would consider my life’s journey up to this point to be one of setting goals high and doing whatever was necessary to achieve them. One thing I learned along the way was how to use my time, as it is the most important thing we all have. I also learned at a young age that anything is possible as it all comes down to what you are willing to sacrifice to get it.

I grew up in a small town in Southern New Hampshire, where opportunities were limited unless you were willing to think outside the box, which I did. My childhood was not all that different from the norm. Both of my parents worked full-time so that my brother and I would have a life of comfort and stability.

My father began his career as a Civil Engineer in the Vietnam War from 1971 - 1972 at the Da Nang Airbase. Following the war and over the next few years he found comfort and his passion helping those in need as a medic in the US Army. Later in life it was only fitting that he became a Nurse Practitioner and continued to work in the medical field at the New Hampshire State Hospital. He showed us that hard work and determination is well respected and honest.

My mother was structured, and her motivation to become an attorney while raising my brother Ryan and I will never be forgotten. I remember when she was in law school studying for the bar exam and having the desire to succeed as a mother, wife and an attorney was nothing short of amazing. She was and still continues to be one of the most influential people I know. Needless to say, what she has accomplished in and out of the court room is nothing shy of incredible and her resume speaks for itself. For many years she practiced law in New Hampshire defending nurses, hospitals and doctors. After retirement, she was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives for two terms, 2015-2016 and 2017-2018. There she was appointed Vice Chair of The Judiciary Committee and Assistant Majority Whip, as well as also being appointed to the Judicial Council. Clearly, the world today is a much better place because of her and we all should take a page from her book. Thank you for showing us all that anything is possible when you work for it.

My brother played his role as well as any older brother could. From belly laughs throughout the day that only siblings can understand to motivational ideas at night about how to take over the world the next, using nothing more than a remote-controlled race car and a pack of baseball cards. I can’t say thank you enough to him for his masterful ideas and inspiration for my entire life. Thank you, Ryan.

Those roots kept me looking ahead toward setting goals that most would consider unreachable. Especially considering that they were the complete opposite from what most ended up doing. This world, as is mine, is a much better place because of all of them.

We lived in a traditional Cape-style home in the small rural town of Goffstown, NH. Without a lot of money and with both parents seemingly working around the clock to provide a great life, the bar for achievement was set high for my brother and I. Our parents would tell us, If you want something in this life, you have to work for it, as no one is going to just give it to you. And they would also say, Don’t ever give upon your dreams, as they are waiting for you to bring them to life.

I learned later in life what they meant by that. I still remember sitting in the living room, watching television with my brother and father in the evenings, wondering how the main character was going to get out of the tough situations he always seemed to be placed in. Especially since he had nothing more than a swiss army knife, duct tape, and a paper clip. To me, this was proof that anything was possible. Because if this guy could get out of a burning building, twenty stories high with nothing more than a paper clip, then there is no excuse for me not to achieve something great!

Growing up in beautiful New England has taught me that with success comes hard work, discipline, and dedication. And having the luxury of beautiful weather isn’t an everyday occurrence, so you must get in the work while you can! It has also shown me that if you work hard, you will appreciate what you have, as for most, this life will not be handed to you on a silver platter, or fed to you with a silver spoon. However, if it were, you probably wouldn’t appreciate it. My story is no different.

I remember always being the independent type and believed to have everything under control, or so I would think. I was never the one to ask for help unless it was absolutely necessary and would always be willing to try something new. Like most kids, I got into my fair share of trouble and paid the price for it. However, one thing was different with me, and I noticed it early on. The word no was not part of my vocabulary. I never gave up on something if I believed in it and I always finished what I started, even if I was unsuccessful. I would never allow anyone to tell me I wasn’t good enough, and even when they tried, I chose not to hear it. The way I saw it was that there was no challenge too hard and there was no obstacle too difficult to overcome. No matter my age, I lived each day with that mentality.

From grade school on, I remember learning my place among my peers in the classroom. I was never the brain, nor the dunce, but I defiantly fit somewhere right smack in the middle. From seeing the worst scores to the best, I understood my limits when I took my seat. Now let me be clear, it was not pretty nor easy for me, but always seemed to find a way though. To me, high school was an incredible experience filled with lots of laughs as well as having the opportunity to make lifelong friendships. Today, many people ask me, Doug, what were you like growing up? Well, let me answer that as briefly as possible; I was a late bloomer, with a very strong and animated personality. In fact, I’m sure some would even consider me to be the class clown type, or the one that had many diverse friends. I can honestly say I just tried to enjoy myself. My thoughts were simple, No one is better than anyone else, so let’s all just have fun and hopefully learn something new in the process.

However, that didn’t always pan out, and needless to say, I was not exactly a straight A student. As I sit here and remember my early days,