People often say, “Life is short.” But as Chris Rock once said:
“Bull$hit. Life is long. You’re probably not gonna get hit by a bus. And you’re gonna have to live with the choices you make for the next fifty years.”
So … how do you like the choices you’ve made so far?
At my lowest points, one of my greatest fears was bumping into someone I knew from years ago.
I imagined they would look me in the eyes and notice that the zest for life they’d once seen in me had disappeared and was replaced with indifference.
They would walk away saying, “What happened to that guy? He was going to be somebody.”
Of course, what they’re really asking is, “When did he give up?”
Can you relate? When you look in the mirror, do you like who you’re becoming?
Odds are that you crave, want, and need change in your life. Or, have given up on the promise of how beautiful life could be if you pursued your truth and stopped living on autopilot?
It’s easy to spot the people who have given up.
These are the people you see with the resignation in their postures and in their actions (or lack thereof). You see the defeat in the jobs they haven’t left though they’ve complained about them for years, in the relationships they choose and how they spend their time. You also see it in their eyes.
Are you worried that one day this could be you?
If you don’t want this to be your future, it’s time to start breaking the rules that have led you down the wrong path. Think of it this way:
Tombstones could have three dates:
The day you were born. The day you gave up. The day you died.
Sadly, people often lose far too many years between giving up and dying. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
You’ve seen those rare men and women who seem to know something that no one else does.
Those people who seem to live life with purpose and zest.
Those people who don’t apologize or feel guilty for who they are and what they choose to pursue and stand for.
It’s not about money, status, or fame. It’s about intention.
You crave that life.
You want to:
- Be bold and courageous
- Chase after meaning
- Go against the norm
- Piss people off
- Have an opinion
- Say what you actually mean out loud
- Say no to all of the stuff you grudgingly say yes to
You want to feel like you have a say in your own life.
To know if something needs to change, here are the signs:
You feel angst when you first wake up in the morning.
You feel exhausted even when you haven’t done anything to earn that fatigue.
You’re going through the motions at work.
You feel out of place among the people you know best.
You lie to yourself and hide your actions from others.
More than anything, it’s the metaphorical tap on your shoulder saying, “This isn’t it.”
The good news is that everything you’ve experienced in your life up to this point—all your wins, losses, successes, and failures—has shaped you into the brilliant and resilient human being you are today.
All of this has prepared you for what you’re about to do next. This is why you should never give up.
Your time isn’t coming. It’s here. Never forget you have a say in this.
It’s time to stop living on autopilot and take back your life.
