In my book – Champion – I share a story about a friend whom I have called Joe (p.129). Joe won’t let go of his past. He lives in the realm of the “if only…”
If only his parents had given him some love and a decent education.
If only they had worked out their marital issues and remained together.
If only…
I have always known Joe to be a somewhat bitter person. Now in his forties, Joe believes that all the things that have gone wrong in his life, and they are many, resulted from his parents’ failures. He never misses an opportunity to talk about the dreadful things that he had to endure while growing up. He has allowed the perceived failures of others and the drawbacks in his life to become obstacles to his progress.
Each day presents sufficient reasons for one to be miserable, but it also presents opportunities to grow, to succeed, and to enjoy life. How we respond to the situations that present themselves in life is our choice. We can choose to move about as powerless victims, or to prepare ourselves for the opportunity of the present, and fuel our dreams for the future.
Victims tend to be busy in search of excuses and reasons to support why this and that has never been, cannot be, and will never be done. So they remain in the “safe” confines of their comfort zones.
We are all born into genius. It is our job to discover it. Purpose this week to do something that stretches you… to set or seek to achieve a big, hairy and audacious goal. In you are ideas that have never found expression, immense untapped possibilities. You can choose to imprison them or to give them life.
I leave you with this quote by the American author and humourist, Mark Twain:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore! Dream! Discover!”
