The following post is a guest article written by Tomas Russo, a first-time contributor to my blog. Copyright (c) 2020 by Tomas Russo.
I used to believe in myself. Back in high school, I was under the impression that one day, I’d go on to be something great, create magnificent things, and exist as someone people would admire.
And sure, this sentiment waxed and waned, but at my core there was always this determination to live an extraordinary life. Compare that to now – I’m a university dropout who has moved back in with his parents and works a number of lowly jobs to make ends meet. I create nothing, no one cares to know who I am, and that extraordinary life feels like an impossible dream.
I keep myself going by repeating a simple mantra in my head: I’ve still got time. There is still time for things to get better. And for all extensive purposes, this mantra has helped me greatly, for it allows me to envision a hypothetical “perfect future” where every current ailment is healed and every soul-crushing problem resolved. It fosters in me the belief that there is still a chance to magically “come into my own.” It makes it easier to stave off the negative self-talk of “worthless,” “useless,” “failure.” All in all, it keeps me floating when I’d otherwise be sinking.
However, I recently decided to try looking past that fact and question the hope, calm, and peace this mantra offers me; in doing so, a significant side effect has become apparent: Thanks to this mantra, yes, I am more comfortable, but at the same time, I am much more complacent. I’ve still got time: so, I can afford to wait for my miserable lot to improve. I’ve still got time: so, it’s completely fine to be content in a life where things are shit. I’ve still got time: so why not just hold out for later? It’ll all happen later. Everything will get taken care of later. I’ve still got time. I’ve still got time. I’ve still got time. But eventually, I won’t.
You cannot wait for the pin to drop. You cannot hope that life is going to give you your ticket out on a silver platter. You cannot depend on time to fix your circumstances. Time is not going to give you the life you want. Only you can do that. And you do that by taking small steps towards it every single day.
For me, right now, that means writing for at least fifteen minutes every day, spending at least fifteen minutes working at the piano every day, and studying wealth accumulation strategies every day. Making sure to do just a little bit of work towards building the life I want to live every single day. And I know that’s a tough truth to swallow, especially when severe depression makes the simple task of getting out of bed in the morning a struggle.
The challenge of actually having to make moves and take actions towards the realization of your dreams can be very daunting… it can seem nearly insurmountable. But break it down into small tasks, very easily doable things, and start with those; for as long as you’re taking action, each and every day, towards the realization of your ideal life, you are still in the race, and your dreams are concretely obtainable.
So, try something for me; set your alarm for a nice, early time tomorrow, and resolve to get out of bed when it rings. Try that for a week. Then maybe try it for two. And by the third… well, by then, it’ll probably just be your habit, and your mind will be ready to start conquering greater things.
And yeah, I know, right now, it may not seem like much…but in the grand scheme of things, it will be a monumental first step.
Author Bio: Tomas Russo is a freelance writer looking to explore complex ideas through narrative as he continues to develop a deeper understanding of SEO and copywriting. Though new to the freelance writing community, he is eager take on new projects and help others find the words they need to communicate their ideas. He can be reached at tomasrusso255@gmail.com