Wherever you are is a great place to begin. Full Steam Ahead.
I'm reading Jon Acuff's Start. It's hilarious. And wonderfully helpful. Read it.
Get out of bed. Go to the library, and get the book. Or buy it at Barnes and Noble. I am sure Jon Acuff would rather you buy it. You'll be responsible for another delicious Acuff family dinner.
No, I am not an affiliate marketer, I just thoroughly enjoy the book.
Here are three thoughts/revelations/summarizations I have based on the first few chapters:
- Be ruthlessly honest about your current circumstances. You want to go somewhere. You've dreamed about it for years. Maybe you have a notebook full of ideas and magazine clippings. But you have to know where you are to figure out the path to where you want to go. Don't lie to yourself. Perhaps you truly need to get some schooling and apprentice yourself. Perhaps you need to get out of debt. You need to face your obstacles. On the flip side, perhaps all the stuff you tell yourself is in the way is only in your mind. Tell the voices to shut up, because they're wrong. And start.
- Ask the right questions. Acuff writes that we should be asking, "What brings me the most joy?" when searching for something amazing towards which to work. Money is a byproduct. What makes you joyful? What gives you purpose and meaning? Let happiness be the byproduct of meaningful pursuits. And dare to find something you love to do.
- Today is always the best day to turn around. If the road you are walking is lonely and dark, you can turn around. It may take a long time to get back to sunnier skies, yes, but you can turn around today. Enlist the help of trusted friends. Carve out time to rest. Do the work to heal from the wounds you are carrying.
Take stock of your current circumstances. Cast a vision for a joyful future. Start moving.
I am hoping, as a follower of Jesus, to hear the words "well done" at the end of my lifetime. I've made a lot of mistakes, and I will make many more. But I want to move forward and chase down a life of joy and purpose and delight, whether at work or in my relationships or whatever else is going on in my life.
Don't settle. Run towards something grand. Fight through adversity. Get up and get going. You are far too valuable for anything less.