The Pep Talk To Give Yourself to Make Better Decisions in 2016
To the perfectionist, the indecisive worry wart, the dreamer…you are not a superhero.
It is not in your job description to fight fires. Time will continue on whether or not you save the world, or save your receipts. You cannot be everywhere; you cannot do everything. But you can do something, really well. I’m not entirely sure if it’s a generational fault, or simply a personality trait, but the relentless urge to please all and succeed at everything has become incredibly exhausting, and will inevitably hold you back.
Time spent feeling inadequate is time wasted; you cannot hold yourself to such a standard that you constantly find yourself falling short. It’s not realistic to believe that you should have mastered time management, the art of French cooking, all while practicing interior design rivaling Debbie Travis herself. Leave it to the greats; at one point in their careers, they have all made a decision to pursue their passions full force. They have chosen one path (or two, but not twelve) in which to focus their energy and skill set, in order to be their ultimate best. Not the best, but their best. The greats are great for a reason.
Don’t beat yourself up for beating yourself up, either. Indecisiveness and perfectionism are faults, but the best kind. You’re never willing to settle for mediocre. You avoid dreaded complacency, as you are never complete; your projects remain a point of toil and revision, until just enough satisfaction sets in for the pen to be put down. You’re fiercely passionate, and painfully kind. Too kind, in fact, to give yourself a chance and believe that you’ve made the right choice. You’d rather applaud others for their ability to feel completeness in their expertise. Instead of feeding the monster of jealousy, reeling over the success of others and feeling inadequate, take stock.
Hold your personal and professional achievements tightly and channel their power. Use those peers who seem to have it all together as fuel to your flame; allow yourself to be inspired and invigorated by their passions. And remember for one quick moment that there are those that look to you for that same inspiration. Give them something to be in awe of. So I challenge you. Be the next great. Choose your adventure and fall deeply, madly in love with every footstep along the way. It doesn’t matter what you choose to pursue; just pursue it wholeheartedly.
It’s so easy to be distracted by those who seem like they’ve got it all figured out, but remember, they are just as human as you are. They all have faults and all have scars. But they have, over time, embraced those imperfections and are now using them to their advantage. Jump head first into your life. You won’t regret it for a second.
PS: If you hate the first path you choose, simply choose another path once you reach a fork. The yellow brick road may lead to the Emerald City, but the scarecrow can always point you in a new direction. Just keep moving forward, and don’t look back.
