“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain
This is one of my favourite quotes. It epitomises the process that has led me to do anything interesting in my life. But more importantly it was one of the quotes that stopped me “faffing about” and putting off my golf challenge.
It took ten years of procrastination from the initial “I wonder if…..” to me actually standing on the first tee with a club in my hand to start the challenge. ten years of silly excuses like “I haven’t the time”, “the moment isn’t ready”, “it wouldn’t be fair to X Y Z”, “I’d have to stop A B C and I couldn’t do that”. But that’s all those were – silly excuses and as an inspirational client of mine says…
“All excuses are equal”
i.e. they all end up with the same result. Which in my case meant I was putting off the dream. The dream that had been festering in my mind since I was 15. The dream that maybe I could be a good golfer – the kind of golfer who could shoot a level par round. But it took 22 full years to realise this dream.
Some people put off their dreams, ideas and notions for their whole lives. Some people never get started and they’re the ones who Twain aptly describes as being disappointed in the future. Maybe you had a golf dream, or a dream of writing a novel. Maybe you wanted to sail round the world or become a magician or start a band. Maybe time and “growing up” has knocked those dreams out of you.
Why not start whatever you’ve been putting off for years today? Just take one little action and get going. Now. Today. And don’t forget – ignore everybody who says it isn’t possible.
Insprirational as usual dude, but you’re gone quiet of late, last post June 20th, hope it’s just holidays!!
Sorry Rob – yep been busy and holidays. Appreciate your support (as ever)
Do you reckon I’ll ever get the book out for you to read?
Where’s your self belief gone John, of course it’ll happen!!!
Enjoyed the last three posts on the British Open. Very interesting to see Bob Rotella there with Harrington waiting for the play off to start……Best line of the Championship – Padraig to young son Paddy who was pointing at the plinth of The Claret Jug and asked: “Can we paint ladybirds there?”
“Of course we can son”!!!!
You couldn’t script it.
Oh man – that is just genius. I thought the wee man said “can we put lemonade in there” but I couldn’t hear it properly.
You’re right about the self-belief
This is my first post
just saying HI