In the past year, I’ve had a lot of new experiences and done a lot of seemingly impossible things.
- I traveled to Costa Rica
- I ran a half marathon
- I jumped out of an airplane
- I gave up meat (for awhile) and began eating healthy.
- I quit my job without another lined up
- I paid off $10,000 of debt
- I made new friends
- I joined the Peace Corps
Most of the time I tell someone (whether old friend or new acquaintance) what I’ve done or what I have planned, that person will typically give me some variation of the following:
“That’s so cool! I wish I could do that, but…” or ”Wow, I’ve always wanted to do that, but…”
But what?
In fact, I shouldn’t have been able to do ANY of the things that I mentioned above. And here’s why:
- Go to Costa Rica? I’m not adventurous. I don’t know Spanish. Central America is dangerous. It’s too expensive. I don’t have vacation time.
- Run a half marathon? I hate to run. I’m lazy. I don’t have the motivation. I get bored easily. It’s too hot in Texas in the summer.
- Go skydiving? I’m terrified of heights. People die jumping out of planes. It’s too expensive.
- Give up meat and eat healthy? I could never give up meat. It’s too difficult to eat healthy. I’m lazy. I hate to cook. I don’t have time to cook or even to go to the grocery store. Fresh food is too expensive.
- Quit my job? I won’t be able to pay my bills. I won’t have health insurance. I’m a terrible interviewer. I have been applying to jobs for years without anything. The economy is crappy.
- Pay off my debt? I don’t have time for a second job. I won’t have any fun. It’s too hard. Life is so unfair.
- Go to a conference for world changers? I’m an introvert. And shy. I don’t like to put myself out there. It’s too expensive. I don’t have the time off.
- Join the Peace Corps? I could never do that. What skills do I have to offer anyway? I have to live WHERE? I have to learn WHAT?
But you know what? I didn’t let any of that stop me. I did all of the above despite the reasons I couldn’t. I did it anyway.
