Take Flight Never Land

Like the majority of homeowners, I usually spend my weekend’s cleaning and doing yard work. My house is located in a neighborhood that consists of stand-alone houses, and condos. Unfortunately, my house is also located on a flight path, where throughout the day you see airplanes, either taking off or landing to and from the airport. One particular hot Saturday, in between cutting grass and pulling weeds, I kept looking up at the sky because it seemed busier than usual. I swear, it seemed like every five minutes there was a plane either going out, or coming in. I don’t know if it was the heat, but I started to day dream a little. I started to think about the people boarding their planes getting ready to go to God knows where. I started to think about the excitement they had in their eyes, as they put their baggage away in the overhead compartment, buckled their seat belt and prepared for flight. As they looked out the window before the plane started to move, I thought about what they would be able to see while in the air and how beautiful it will look. I also started to think about how freeing it would be while the plane cruises above the clouds. At this very moment, is when I opened my eyes. It was like I was shocked with a defibrillator. I really didn’t care that my next door neighbor was now staring at me from a far, or let alone how long he has been standing there. That quick day dream allowed me to make sense of something that have bothered me for so long.

TAKE FLIGHT NEVER LAND. That is what I needed to do. That is what we ALL need to do. Okay, let me break it down. People today is so afraid to pursue their passion. I mean, they want to, but it is easier said than done. The reason why it is difficult is because it involves change. It could mean a change in attitude, a change in lifestyle, or a change in friends and acquaintances. The thought of change makes you uncomfortable because it is something out of the ordinary. But change is needed, especially if you are really serious about achieving your goals. One thing that I will tell you, is that it is the hardest part. This is what I call: TAKE FLIGHT. You have to be willing to believe in yourself, and that you can accomplish anything that you put your mind to. It doesn’t matter what your passion is. Whether it be, to own a business, to reach a salary of 100k, or to someday own an island, you have to be willing to move from the “dream” stage to the “take flight” stage.

Really think about this. How many more days are you going to waste being miserable doing something that doesn’t make you happy? Or worse, when your time has come to perish from this earth, do you really want to be thinking about the things that you WISHED you would’ve done during your lifetime? There will be many excuses that you think will cause you not to be able to pursue your passion. I know, because it seem like I have used them all. I could list them now, but it doesn’t matter. You have to go after your goals with a vengeances, or things will never change. You will remain the “job lover” who spends their time “dreaming”, because you’ve never taken action. I know it won’t be easy, but you have to take the first step. And you are getting this from a guy who worries entirely too much himself. I’m not here to sell you rainbows or sugar-coat anything. I’m here to help you get started (board the plane). I’m here to see the excitement in your eyes as you put your excuses (baggage away in the overhead compartment). I’m here to tell you that you will experience tough times (turbulence), so buckle your seatbelt and prepare for flight. Once you get going, (plane starts to move) you will think about your passion, and where your passion could take you, and how beautiful it will look. You will then start to notice how freeing it is to finally take the initiative. (See what I did there?)

The second part: NEVER LAND. Taking Flight is the hardest objective, never landing is the most important. The reason why it is the most important is because it is an endless pursuit. Never land means to never go back to the way that your life was before you started to go after what you want most in life. Never go back to the life you fought so hard to change. Do you know what happens when a plane tries to land without any landing gear? Obvious right. It crashes and burns. Don’t let your aspirations crash and burn because of doubt and negative thinking. So that’s pretty much it. Take Flight Never Land. Pursue your passion, and never stop. Very easy concept, right? (From here on out I will refer to it with the initials: TFNL) I want people to read this and get excited about life again.

This isn’t a motivational post. This is a rejuvenation post. This is something you probably heard countless times. As we get older, our responsibilities tend to get in the way of this concept. We get married, and have kids, and then suddenly-your hopes and dreams fall to the wayside. I’m here to tell you, that you can have both! You can do what you are passionate about, while taking care of your family & responsibilities. You don’t have to settle. You just got to want it bad enough. If this wasn’t the case, when you are asked what you want to be when you grow up and you say, “A doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.” No one will say, “No! You will not. You will be whoever is needed to pay the bills. You will sacrifice and do whatever needs to be done in order to take care of your responsibilities”. Of course, no sane parent will tell their five year old this. But as life goes on, this scenario usually happens.

You become trapped in a life that’s fueled by the notion that one day things will change, but for the majority of us, it never does, because we never initiate the commitment towards it. Don’t believe me? Ask your co-workers who did they dream they’d become. Ask them what they wanted to be when they grew up, and why they aren’t this person today. Hell, ask your own parents these questions. One day, while updating my resume, I started to go down the list of the different places I worked at. I thought to myself, my whole life I worked at all of these companies and after I left, what did I have to show for it? Experience? You mean, experience working at a place doing work that I never wanted to do, to only be left with experience I cannot use towards the career that I long to have? Longevity? Well that only shows that I did a good job at lasting as long as I could at a place that I just worked at for the money. I know that every experience, involves knowledge that could be applied elsewhere. But it just bothered me that I spent my whole life working to make someone else’s dream come true, and haven’t did anything to cultivate my own. Read that last sentence again. Do you know how horrible that sounds? TFNL. Make it a priority, because your happiness is a priority.