“When bobbing for apples, an idealist endlessly reaches for the best apple, a pessimist settles for the first one within reach, while an optimist drains the barrel, fishes out all the apples and makes pie.” – Vera Nazarian
There are far too many people in this world who aren’t happy with whatever situation they’re in, either personally or professionally. Something about their lives isn’t fulfilling or rewarding. They either haven’t figured out what they’re passionate about or they have but aren’t doing whatever that thing is. It’s sad to watch.
On top of that, too many people who aren’t happy aren’t doing anything about it. Sometimes it’s because the situation ‘isn’t right’. What they really mean is it’s not perfect enough to eliminate all their fear of change. So they wait and hope and wish for the ‘right time’ to come along, and after a number of years, they get old and die. Sorry to be morbid, but that’s the truth. They wait their whole lives and never get there – never even start getting there.
Sometimes people take action, but it’s not really the action they want to take. They just figure there’s no way they can ever really have what they want, or ever really do what they’re passionate about doing. So, they take whatever is easy and safe and then spend their lives trying to convince themselves that they’re happy and this is what they really wanted all along.
Then there are those few people who know what they want and are willing to make sacrifices and take risks and step outside of their comfort zones to get it. They may be in a situation where they can’t have exactly what they want today, but they see the steps they need to take to get them closer and they get started. And to add something to the quote above, they don’t stop after they made pie. They go to the next barrel and make more pie, until eventually they get to where they want to be.
Don’t sit and wait for the ‘perfect time’ to go after your passion. Don’t settle for something that’s easy and safe and then spend the rest of your life lying to yourself about how happy you are. Do figure out exactly what you want, and start taking the steps that will get you there. It may take months, or years, or most of a lifetime, but you’ll get there. And you’ll be energized on the way because you know that the journey ends in the place you are supposed to be. Go there now.
