The man said something I’ll try to remember forever: You might not be able to afford the deck today, but you can probably afford a shovel.

That is obviously a rather specific statement, however I believe the concept applies all over the map: No excuses – stop waiting around for tomorrow. Get the ball rolling, start something today.

It was part of his response to my question about his resourcefulness – where he got the inspiration to turn old driftwood into planters, oyster shells into walkways. I asked him where the motivation to spend his days collecting shells and ocean debris came from.

He said that’s how it was growing up – that his parents played a large role – but that he also recognized something: Resourcefulness was a gateway to achieving his goals, to making the visions in his head a reality in his life.

We’re all guilty. We say we want something, then complain about how we can’t afford it, how it will have to wait until tomorrow, until later in life. Andy’s philosophy is different – he says stick the shovel in the ground today, even if you’re not sure you’ll have time tomorrow – even if you can’t afford the concrete until next month.

At least then we’re doing all we can – at least we’re not sitting around waiting for things to happen, for the rest of the world to align and give us what we want.

Cheers, Andy – hope to catch up with you again sometime. Can’t wait to see Mayhall Island post-renovation – seems like it will be absolutely stunning.

FYI Mayhall Island (20 acres) is the big brother of Eagle Island (10 acres), and it will be open to guests once construction is complete…Andy’s hope is next year sometime.

Here are some photos of Andy’s creations, as well as a sneak peek of Mayhall.

I’ve walked that boardwalk, and it’s quite the tranquil experience: