Upping My Game
Lately, I've been keeping company with more accomplished folks. I've been establishing good friendships with people who are college educated, pursuing and Masters and PhD's and so on. They've traveled the world, been on fancy vacations, seen so much, done so much, and have really made a lot out of the short time here on earth.
These types of interactions do two things. 1) They reinforce my hardcore regret of never giving myself an opportunity to fully finish at least a Bachelors Degree; something that has always kind of lurked in the back of my head as a major regret. 2) They inspire me to up my game a bit because to see them busy and throwing themselves headlong into various projects and accomplishing so much is very impressive to me.
I, in no way, want to throw cold water on anybody who is just doing what they have to do to get by. I am not trying to discredit those who, without these accomplishments and activities, still manage to live the lives that are fulfilling and happy to them. That said, in true honesty, for me, my desire was always to do more than just getting by. I needed to achieve a high level of accomplishment and activity. My job is very 'working class'. Its labor. We come in, roll up our sleeves, we know what to do, and we proceed to doing it. Its cool. Its somewhat easy, albeit grueling; and it gets the job done in terms of keeping the bills paid and the lifestyle decent - something that can never be complained about. For those with families needing to be fed, clothed, and sheltered, these types of things have, over the generations, held it down for many working people and their families. Its place in our society and world should be mandatory. Those who are only concerned with getting by and making sure that they and their families are ensured with the necessities to survive should be praised for their simplicity and contentment.
Am I wrong for wanting a little excess? Well the truth is that its not about excess. Its about accomplishment. Its not about possessions. Its about experiences. To feel the accomplishments of completed projects, enhancing my creativity, knowing that what I do is having a profound impact somewhere is vital to my self-worth. To have the experiences of traveling to remote areas, feeling the finest beaches, visiting ruins steeped with the history of our kind; these things I crave like your favorite pastry.
This much I know; I owe it to me to pursue these experiences and accomplishments and so I give it my all and attention. Maybe its not about going back to college. Maybe it is. The point is that its about giving oneself the best chance possible to make the most out of going after the goals set in front. Just because I didn't finish a four year degree right out of high school, and just because I sit here at 31 working a job that I have to work as opposed to doing something that I love to do, doesn't mean that it has to stay this way. So when I got into web design at 30 years old, it was the conviction that even now, I still have that opportunity to turn things on its head, to change course, and continue to go after those dreams.
Never give up on em.
These types of interactions do two things. 1) They reinforce my hardcore regret of never giving myself an opportunity to fully finish at least a Bachelors Degree; something that has always kind of lurked in the back of my head as a major regret. 2) They inspire me to up my game a bit because to see them busy and throwing themselves headlong into various projects and accomplishing so much is very impressive to me.
I, in no way, want to throw cold water on anybody who is just doing what they have to do to get by. I am not trying to discredit those who, without these accomplishments and activities, still manage to live the lives that are fulfilling and happy to them. That said, in true honesty, for me, my desire was always to do more than just getting by. I needed to achieve a high level of accomplishment and activity. My job is very 'working class'. Its labor. We come in, roll up our sleeves, we know what to do, and we proceed to doing it. Its cool. Its somewhat easy, albeit grueling; and it gets the job done in terms of keeping the bills paid and the lifestyle decent - something that can never be complained about. For those with families needing to be fed, clothed, and sheltered, these types of things have, over the generations, held it down for many working people and their families. Its place in our society and world should be mandatory. Those who are only concerned with getting by and making sure that they and their families are ensured with the necessities to survive should be praised for their simplicity and contentment.
Am I wrong for wanting a little excess? Well the truth is that its not about excess. Its about accomplishment. Its not about possessions. Its about experiences. To feel the accomplishments of completed projects, enhancing my creativity, knowing that what I do is having a profound impact somewhere is vital to my self-worth. To have the experiences of traveling to remote areas, feeling the finest beaches, visiting ruins steeped with the history of our kind; these things I crave like your favorite pastry.
This much I know; I owe it to me to pursue these experiences and accomplishments and so I give it my all and attention. Maybe its not about going back to college. Maybe it is. The point is that its about giving oneself the best chance possible to make the most out of going after the goals set in front. Just because I didn't finish a four year degree right out of high school, and just because I sit here at 31 working a job that I have to work as opposed to doing something that I love to do, doesn't mean that it has to stay this way. So when I got into web design at 30 years old, it was the conviction that even now, I still have that opportunity to turn things on its head, to change course, and continue to go after those dreams.
Never give up on em.
Comments
Post a Comment