Gratitude Focus: I’m Grateful For Andy Taylor

Reflection/Why I’m Grateful:

Early in my career, I would see Andy a few times a year. And no matter when or where we crossed paths, he always asked me the same question:
“Are you having fun?”

I’d usually answer without thinking.
“Yeah, I’m having fun.”
Just kind of going with the flow.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized what he was really asking.

I don’t think he meant busy or successful or productive. I think he meant:
Are you doing something you actually love?
Something that gives you energy instead of draining it?

Andy had come to the conclusion that life is very, very short. And at some point, you reach a stage where reflection becomes unavoidable. You start to realize you have more years behind you than in front of you. And every year you live moves you closer to that truth.

As I turn 50, that question has taken on new weight.

I woke up this morning thinking about all the things I do—and answering it honestly.
Am I having fun?

And the answer is yes.

I’m at a stage in life where I don’t have the luxury of not enjoying my days. Not enjoying the work. Not enjoying the people. Not enjoying the calling.

Each day matters too much for anything less.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
— Psalm 90:12

If someone asked you today, “Are you having fun?” — how would you answer if you really stopped to think about it?

— Reflection Question

Hi, I’m Orvin Kimbrough, volunteer, board director, chairman, and CEO. I help professionals move from feeling stuck to being strengthened by reshaping how they think, lead, and live. My work focuses on confidence, leadership, and influence through mindset shifts, expanded networks, and bold, values-aligned action. My perspective is rooted in lived experience, from growing up in foster care to leading complex institutions as a CEO and shaped by faith, resilience, and a deep belief in human potential.

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Books for Every Stage

Twice Over a Man

A memoir often described as a leadership guide wrapped in an honest, relatable story of perseverance, healing, and growth. It explores how pain can be reframed into purpose and how ordinary people build meaningful lives through courage and clarity.

More Than a Conqueror

Written for teens and young adults, this book encourages confidence, resilience, and identity formation during the years when self-belief is being shaped.

Ward and the State

A children’s book that gently introduces big ideas like belonging, courage, and hope, helping young readers see themselves as more than their circumstances

INTRODUCING: The Thriver’s Path™

This blog is part of The Thriver’s Path™—a growing ecosystem of writing, courses, reflections, and community designed to help people of all ages reframe their thinking, reclaim their agency, and take their next meaningful move.

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Tags: Gratitude