Turn off auto-pilot, and stop coasting through life
Sorry kids, as much as it hurts to say this, Netflix has killed far more dreams than failure ever has.
It’s quite simple. If you are living your dreams, read no further. If you’re not where you want to be, why the hell are you not doing anything about it?
Don’t simply “exist”. Without a purpose in life, you will inevitably be forced down a hole of crippling, existential dread. Purpose is earned; it is not a birthright.
Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something.
-Henry David Thoreau
We can either follow our passion, or be robots. We can make a comfortable living if we put our heads down and follow the grain, but our salary begins to dictate our way of life. Just take a look at all those, not-so-happy happy hours.
This pattern of “getting comfortable” is far too real and results in a deadly cycle of unfulfilled dreams and mediocrity. We stop growing too soon and settle too quickly… And the deeper you fall, the harder it is to climb back up.
There is never a perfect time, but ironically enough, it is always the right time to make a change, take a risk, and get out of your comfort zone.
The best part is that you don’t even have to leave your seat to access most of the knowledge available across the globe.
Yes, there will be sleepless nights and sacrifices that will need to be made. Yes, there will be a lot of side hustling involved. And most importantly, yes you will fail, no doubt about it. But know that anyone you’ve ever admired has gone through worse to get to where they are. Don’t wait for the stars to align before starting to learn a new skill or reaching out to the people you look up to. Dream big, let the tiny minds around you laugh, and find the right crew. Everyday, make a habit of incremental progress, and you will inspire change not only in yourself but your peers as well.
If you try to actively pursue change, chances are things can only get better. If you get comfortable, things will get worse. The first step is always the hardest.
If you can sit through multiple 46 minute T.V. show episodes, you clearly have the time and attention span to do the same on Coursera or YouTube. Keep learning, keep growing, and stop wasting the one thing we can’t create in life-time.
Complaining will get you nowhere, so start setting aside some time to do the things you know you should be doing without bothering too much about the noise around you. You might surprise yourself.
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
