So, if this is the first time reading one of my blogs, you probably don't know that I'm currently in school to finish my MBA. It's been a 3.33 year journey and I am so happy to finish. The best thing about finishing isn't so much having attained the degree that I've worked so hard to achieve; it's now having the extra free time to begin pursuing all the other hobbies that I have wanted to take up for so long. Whether it's learning how to dance salsa, speak Spanish fluently, or practice Jiu Jitsu, there are a number of life goals that I put on hold when I started the MBA program. And while I was reminded that I am not a spring chicken by someone in Cancun recently (this had more so to do with the fact that I'm not married than anything else, but that's another story for another time), I still feel that I am in a great place to begin pursuing these three goals for my life. Many people may question why would I desire to put myself through the hard work and dedication that it will take to become good at a new set of skills, and I say "Why the hell not?" Life is about growing and attaining new skills all the time, and if you don't have something to look forward to for your future, then what's the point of living at all. There are many things that people desire to do that they give up on all the time because they think they are too old and it's too late for them to pursue them. To that I say, "bologna" (I actually have a much stronger word that begins with a bull and ends with a word that rhymes with spit, but we'll keep this week's blog PG ). To help you understand and believe this, here are three things that should encourage you to stop wasting your life letting your dreams pass you by and to get your ass (I'm pretty sure this is still PG) up and do something that excites you TODAY.
You're getting older ANYWAY
This is the easiest one for me because it an undeniable truth. Often, people will say that it's too late in their lives to begin some new skills or pursue something that they always wanted to do because they are too old to start. My response to that is by NOT doing it, are you somehow stopping time and preventing aging? And, if you're not, then why would you not want to do something now that would improve your life in the future? For example, if you want to go back to school to get your masters, but you think you're too old because you're 50. If it's going to take you three years to do it, would you rather be 53 with no master's or 53 with one? You're going to be 53 regardless, so why not have something that you can be proud of doing during that time? Besides, you are only as old as you think you are, and as long as you continue to live a life of fun and exuberance, you really can hold off the negative effects of aging by having a "young" mentality and outlook on life. When it comes to things you've already wanted to do, don't let your age stop you from moving forward. Actually, since you are a little older and wiser, there's a great chance that you will be able to pick things up much quicker and more efficiently than your twenty year-old self may have done. Now, if it's some type of physical exercise, I'm not 100 percent sure about that, and I'm not a doctor (so this is my legal disclaimer letting you know), but go for it anyway!
You can start with baby steps
As I stated in one of my blogs recently about New Year's resolutions, people have a tendency to sabotage themselves by trying to go from not doing an activity at all, to becoming a maniacal, crazy-person (repetitive, I know, but this accentuates the level of crazy here) by doing something at a more hard core level than individuals who have been doing it their whole lives do. This is unnecessary and what also keeps people from pursuing a dream they may have. They tell themselves that they don't have the time because they are so busy. While, it is probably true that you are very busy, there are probably 1-2 "busy" things that you are doing in your life that you could probably stop doing if you really wanted to, and then you could replace that free time with something very small that could get you to a dream of yours. For example, if you want to practice Jiu Jitsu like I do one day, but can't quite find the time to make it to class, then why not begin reading a book on it? If you want to learn how to play the piano, why not begin practicing with an on-line application to get used to the sounds first when you are free. Thanks to advanced technological world in which we live, there are so many things that you can have access to that can help you get closer to becoming good at a skill you desire to acquire without the tremendous sacrifice you would have had to make in the past. And once you begin to see some progress and realize your improvement, you'll be surprised at how you'll begin to find time for something you thought you wouldn't be able to do before.
It only take seven years to master something
This is a idea that I obtained from a book on goals about 10 years ago. In it, the author shares the fact that it only take seven years of a consistent practice and dedication at something for one to call herself/himself an expert. It make sense once you think about it. Doctors attend medical school approximately seven years of training after their undergrad (two in master's program and 3-4 for their doctoral studies/residency). Most MBA and JD programs are an additional 2-3 years after your four-year undergrad. When you take this into consideration, regardless of your age now, if you are able to dedicate some consistent time to something to improve, then you would only need about seven years to say you are really good at it. This seems like a very short time frame and small price to pay when you think about how long our lives are and how much more enjoyable your life will be having obtained this goal through your hard work and dedication. And as I mentioned earlier, you are going to be seven years older rather you know how to fly a plane then or not, so why not pick up on that book on piloting and sign up for that introductory class now?
In Langston Hughes "Dreams Deferred," he asks this profound question about a dream not realized - "does it dry up like a raisin in the sun." To some, the metaphor of the sun could be the every day challenges they face in life, that "friend" who tells you that you are too old to pursue that, or your own psyche and laziness that holds you back from moving forward. Whatever it is, you have the power to overcome it by consistently remembering the three truths you've learned today and know that it's NEVER too late to become the person you've always desired to be.
Ken Middleton is an Account Manager at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech (Graduate in May! - Whoop Whoop!). You can follow his daily quotes of inspiration and motivation on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN
No comments:
Post a Comment