Waiting is overrated. From New Years resolutions to birthdays, promotions at work to changes in the economy, it's all too common to find the ones standing by, waiting.
What does it mean to "wait," anyway?
In the doctors office we sit in waiting rooms. Picking up medicine at the pharmacy, the sign says 'WAIT HERE'. At the airport we wait for our flights and baggage and we'll sit and pass time hoping for a phone call or an email. It's as if we're comforted more by where we're been and the idea that choices we've made will catch up to us, but tomorrow isn't promised. What if it doesn't come? Would you be satisfied with the decisions you've made?
In our living rooms at home, we spend time with family, or more commonly with our TV's and video games. Our hearts never stop beating, and the seconds of life keep passing by. These moments are the measure of life itself. They add up to hours, days, weeks, months, seasons, years, decades, and a few individuals experience a century.
The Earth hasn't stopped spinning. The clock hasn't stopped ticking. Still, for the vast majority of people, "waiting" seems to have taken the place of living. For some, sleeping in appears more valuable than experiencing the world. That's just not true when we check the facts. For some people, sleep is viewed as the escape, and not an opportunity to rejuvenate our bodies and minds, and invest our time into the energy we'll wake up to tomorrow. The fact of the matter is that our time awake and engaged, is the most valuable time there is.
It's paralyzing when we try to comprehend everything we think we will find in the future, overwhelming even. With endless scenarios that we play out in our head, worry meets our expectations. That's where disappointment creeps in.
"Will I be ready? What about my team? What do I need to prepare? Will we make mistakes? "
We tell ourselves that waiting is part of the process. But who taught us that?
We say, "I'll do it. The time will come," or worse," I'm waiting on them, we'll see. It might happen,"
"Someday."
But someday never comes, until we find the moment when someday is just too far away. It is an illusion that only becomes a reality when we think things through enough to value the opportunity we have today.
That is a powerful moment.
That's the moment when we realize the power of a decision in a simple choice. When we choose to take action and stop waiting, we realize that moment of triumph isn't dependent on the calendar or what we map out on the whiteboard.
We realize that in an instant, we can stop waiting around, stop following our dreams, and begin to lead them with intention.
Now matters more than ever. We can choose to turn one day into day one. So if you haven't already, why don't you? Make a change for the future, and take responsibility for the life you deserve.