One day the time will come. You will be dead. One day your life, as will mine, is going to come to a screeching halt. And that’s that.
You’ll then be lying in the richest place in the world: the cemetery. Rich with hopes, dreams, and aspirations, of those who never achieved them. Those who had a dream, and died with it, never seeing it through. Never truly believing that they could do it. They had people around them telling them that they were crazy. That they couldn’t do it. And unfortunately, these people listened.
To me, these are some of the saddest stories ever told. Who knows what could have been if these people would have relentlessly pursued their dreams. What would have happened if they risked it all? If they poured their heart and soul into what they wanted? It’s certain that many amazing ideas never reached the world because those who possessed them never believed in themselves. They surrounded themselves with naysayers, listened to their critics, and decided to get a “real” job.
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That “real” job was said to be “safe.” It’s “safe” because you get a 401k, honest salary, and health insurance. But a few months or years later, you realize that this “safety” has robbed your soul. You have lost your creativity. You have lost your dreams. You have forgotten who you are! Now that dream you once had only seems further and further away. How could you risk what you have for what might not ever be?
They say it’s just too risky, to play it safe and continue to wake up and despise every minute of the day that’s ahead of you. Why pursue your true calling when you can work for a company that doesn’t even know your first name? Doesn’t it sound great to have the time you could spend doing something you love ripped out from under your feet? Sadly, most people around you go through life with a soul-sucking job and never do what they really want to do.
Image credit: Narith Thongphasuk © 123RF.com
This life is short. We are here on this planet with a limited time to do the things we want to do and see the people that we want to see. I believe that each and every one of us is born with a unique gift. Most human beings sadly choose to let that gift die inside of them. When you go through life with this gift slowly dying, you end up feeling depressed and unfulfilled.
Fear is one of the biggest causes of so many people dying with their dreams. For some strange reason, we are afraid of what other people may think of us. Or that someone else, whether it be your spouse, parent, or friend, might not like your decision. Maybe it’s success we fear. What if I accomplish this thing and don’t know how to handle it? Or maybe it’s failure. What if I try and this doesn’t work out? People allow fear to make decisions for them. Their fear is so strong that they would rather go back to a life they hate instead of doing what they really want to do.
Fear is very real but you cannot let it dictate your life. You have to accept the fact that feeling fear is simply part of being human. Feel it, accept it, and then do whatever the fuck you want to do anyway. This is your life, and you should not live it based on what other people may think. You have to avoid the people who are going to doubt you. Avoid the people who put you down or criticize you for having big dreams. These are people who are loaded with anger, insecurity, doubt, and fear themselves. Since they can’t do something, they tell you that YOU can’t either.
Instead, surround yourself with people who believe in you and will support your dreams. You need to lose 100 pounds? Well then don’t spend time with the dude who stuffs fast food down his throat every night and is too lazy to get off the couch. Spend your time with the people who are motivated, train hard, and will push you to reach your goals.
And here is something that I firmly believe in: if you want to achieve any goal in life, your nutrition and fitness need to be dialed in. When your diet is clean and you are putting in hard physical work every day, you will feel better. You’ll think more clearly. You’ll have more energy. You’ll make better decisions.
I know this because I was once the guy who was eating fast food five times per week and guzzling booze until 3 AM. It wasn’t until I started taking training and nutrition seriously that I started to accomplish things in my life. You need energy, clarity, strength, and focus to have the confidence and durability to achieve goals in your life. And once you start to dial that in, you have just taken one big step closer to your goal.
In my own life, I worked at a job for four years that I wasn’t crazy about, for many reasons. So after spending some time thinking and building my gym business on the side, I decided to walk away. People called me crazy, stupid, and every name in the book. Since I left, my business has tripled and is still growing. I am happier, healthier, and have more freedom to do what the fuck I want, when I want.
And I don’t tell you this to brag in any way. I’m telling you this because I barely squeaked by in high school and graduated with a C average. I come from a toxic home and grew up with a lot of fighting and drug addiction in my family. I have dealt with pain, stress, fear, confusion, and doubt. Just like you. I am nothing special.
What I do have, however, is passion. I chose to follow that passion and start training people when I was 18. Over the years I developed a burning desire to help people get through the tough times in their lives, and give them the support they need to succeed.
The “safe” job that I had was only robbing my time away from my passion, friends, and family. It took me four years, but I knew I had to go if I was going to be who I am meant to be in my life. And there is NO reason you shouldn’t do the same if you want something bad enough. You are put on this planet for a fucking reason — do not let that shit die inside of you!
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Sit back and take a look at the bigger picture. One day, you will be gone. Dead and buried. All you will have here is the legacy you left behind. What is the legacy that YOU want to leave? Is it simply that you were a nice guy that worked, raised a family, retired, and died? Or do you want to be the guy who lived life his way?
I was told once to imagine my own funeral. You should do the same now. What are the people there saying about you? How old are you? Did you accomplish the things you wanted? Did you see the places you wanted to see? Did you spend enough time with your children? Could you have been a better husband or role model?
If your life were to end right now, what would your answers be?
When you think about how short and precious life is, that 401k doesn’t seem all that important anymore. And I’m not saying to be irresponsible and not plan for the future; I am saying that there are ways to create your own security and live a fulfilling life.
All I know is that I will sure as hell pursue my passion and dreams to earn enough money and help more people now, so I can be BROKE when I am lying to rest in the richest place in the world. I only hope you will do the same.
The clock is ticking, my friends. The choice is up to you.
