Thursday, May 6, 2010

Letter to Me (at this Point in Time)

Dear Self,

Realize that there are always going to be a gazillion opportunities in life, no matter how dead-end your current prospects may seem.

Have you have become too mired in the career-building aspect of your life? What's your ultimate goal? To look back when you're old and wrinkly and be able to say, "I have no regrets. I was and am happy." So why is it that our society is so fond of telling us on the one hand to consciously pursue our dreams and peer pressuring us on the other to set goals on traditional paths to "success?"

Remember that one of the best pieces of advice you've ever received is to honestly evaluate what you like to do, then find a way to get paid to do it.

Think hard about how important money really is to you at this stage in your life. Now consider for a moment a scenario in which personal finances were taken off the table—what would you be doing? Work backward from that end state. Imagine that you are in fact doing what you've envisioned. Do you have what you need to survive? If this is insufficient in satisfying your minimum requirements (whatever they may be), then what other things that you like to do can you turn into sources of income?

Perhaps this makes entrepreneurs out of all of us, and maybe we're not really the entrepreneur type. But what does it mean to be an entrepreneur, really? In many ways, it's just as well that you substitute the word "creativity" for "entrepreneurship." Anyone can and should find it in themselves to be creative.

Money should be a means to an end, not an end in itself. Steadfastly pursue your interests and passions, and the rest will take care of itself eventually. Have faith.

Have faith not only in yourself, but in other people. Like attracts like, and if you are a good person from the inside out, then you will naturally and effortlessly form relationships with other good individuals. Character counts. Expect the most from yourself and never anything from others. Their respect (or lack thereof) for the Golden Rule speaks volumes. Stay true to what you believe in, and don't doubt what you know you know—especially when it comes to your morals and values.

Be confident, but never so much so that you lose the ability to keep an open mind. Feed your mind. Read. Write. Think hard. Question everything. And leave room for accepting ideas different from your own. No pain, no gain. Challenge yourself.

When in doubt, reread this letter to affirm your current convictions. Eat well. Stay healthy. Love life. Continue to pursue happiness.

Stay hungry.

Love,
didihe

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for this. It really struck a chord with me.

    -AM

    ReplyDelete