Don’t Wait For Your Ship To Come In

Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of actively pursuing one's dreams and passions without waiting for the perfect moment, as life is finite and unpredictable.

Abstract

The author of the article conveys a powerful message about the brevity of life and the necessity of taking proactive steps towards achieving personal goals. With a poignant reference to the loss of a young family member, the writer underscores that our time is limited and not guaranteed. The article encourages readers to take control of their destinies by setting specific actions towards their objectives, citing personal examples such as earning a black belt and writing a novel. It acknowledges the challenges and risks involved but also points out the abundance of free resources available to help individuals achieve their dreams without incurring significant debt.

Opinions

The author believes that waiting for the perfect time to pursue one's dreams is futile, as it may never arrive.
It is suggested that the reader should be aware of the limited nature of life, using the average lifespan and personal experiences to illustrate this point.
The article posits that not following one's passions could lead to a life of disappointment and regret.
It encourages taking initiative, whether by building one's own opportunities or seizing existing ones, to reach one's goals.
The author advises to focus on the end goal despite challenges and to draw inspiration from those who have achieved similar ambitions.
There is an emphasis on the availability of free resources for learning and development, negating the need for substantial financial investment.

You only live once, so go after your dreams

We are all on borrowed time. I don’t say that to scare you. But to help you understand that there are only so many tomorrows. We all get, give or take, 80 birthdays, Christmases, and anything else you can think of.

As Ricky Gervais said in his opening monologue at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards, “We’re all going to die soon.”

This point drove home to me with the death of my nephew two years ago at 20.

Let that sink in. Some of us will get over 80 of anything. Some, tragically, far less. Death is the one experience we all will share. So, if you don’t give expression and go with your passions, you will probably die disappointed.

The ship you are waiting for to come in — also known as the perfect time — isn’t coming in. You either have to build your own ship or swim out to it before setting sail to whatever your promised land is.

This does not mean to say that there won’t be challenges. There will be, I can guarantee you that. But keep your eyes on your goal, your ultimate win.

If you have a confidence problem and don’t believe you can achieve what it is you want, here are some steps.

First, write what it is you want. Then identify specific actions you must take.

Years ago, I set a goal to get a black belt in martial arts. The first specific action was to sign up for classes. After that, I set practicing the moves for an hour a day. And after four years, I achieved the goal.

For my goal of writing my first novel, I set a minimum of one thousand words a day. I gradually increased that until I could get to two thousand words a day. Once the first draft was finished, I set about improving the book by focusing on one aspect. Description, dialogue, internal dialogue, show, don’t tell, etc.

With each goal, there is of course a risk involved. And remember, there’s almost always someone else who has accomplished what you want to for your life. So, look at what they did and model them. If you’re short on funds, there are free resources all over the internet. From YouTube, right here on Medium, and many niche blogs. There’s no shortage of help and no need to go into massive debt to get to where you want to go.