Do you remember the day you graduated from high school?
Were you going to set the world on fire and show everyone how you had all the answers to living life? Maybe you were going to be a college and then a pro athlete.
Or were you going to develop a cure for cancer?(I believe there is a cure by they way, there’s just too much money being made by not curing it).
Did Donald Trump or Sir Richard Branson inspire you to be the next business tycoon and become a millionaire by 30 or 40? Was being a ski or beach bum your greatest aspiration? It doesn’t sound that bad actually. I’d take the slopes myself. And if I chose that path now, I’m sure the government would be more than willing to enable me that lifestyle.
But I digress…
Then Reality Hit…
It doesn’t matter if you went to college or not because it was more than likely a very short period of time before you realized just how fast expenses ate up your money and work ate up all your time. Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Then none of this is going to make any sense to you at all.
But for those living in reality…
It wasn’t long before you entered the work force as a full time employee. Taking that job as a ‘stepping stone’ towards the top. But you still had dreams of opening that million dollar business or stepping back onto the field/court one more time to see if you had what it takes.
Then you fell in love and in no time wedding bells were ringing and there was a bun in the oven. Before you knew it there was three rug rats tugging on your pant leg every night as soon as you got home from work. That job you took as a stepping stone had now turned into an 8 year step.
You find there’s always more month at the end of the money and your belt is now in the last hole before you have to buy a new one… that you can’t afford.
Family vacations are trips to gramma’s… across town.
The Jones’s
And somehow you’ve convinced yourself this is as good as it’s going to get.
You’ve ‘settled’ for mediocrity.
After all, Jim Bob next door told you your business idea wouldn’t work because he’s got a master’s degree in Miller Time and he’s in great shape… he’s ROUND! And you’ve convinced yourself it’s easier to sit there with Jim Bob and solve the world’s problem’s than it is to actually do something about it.
Besides, the economy is in shambles and you’ve got great job security.
Happy… Happy… Happy…
You might be happy as a clam in mud, and that’s great.
More power to you.
But chances are you had dreams at one time and someone talked you out of them. Someone or something got inside your head and got you to quit. And chances are you quit at one of two things. Getting in better shape and losing weight or making more money and having financial freedom. Maybe you’re one of the crazy ones and wanted the best of both worlds. To be fit and rich. Because you used to be a good athlete and take care of yourself. But since you didn’t make it at the next level you just let yourself go.
It doesn’t really matter what it is you quit.
You quit.
What does matter is if you get back in the saddle again or not. Because if you’re reading this you’re still sucking air and the man upstairs hasn’t called you to come home yet.
Now you have a choice.
Spend the rest of your nights wallowing in misery with Jim Bob…
…or quit listening to the naysayers and making excuses, and build the life for yourself and family you once dreamed about.
It’s only too late if you decide it’s so.