Ah, cursed timidity! It has been my bane for the whole of my life.
I am smart. Maybe even very smart. I believe I’m generous. Kind. I don’t take myself seriously even as I am serious about my thoughts and ideas. I believe in the importance of living life for our own individual prosperity (broadly defined, to include emotional and intellectual satisfaction along with material wealth) as well as for our collective benefit, not sacrificing one for the other. My instincts are usually spot on, and, despite the current evidence of this paragraph to the contrary, I am humble enough to know that my strengths make me no more worthy of preference than any other person out there.
My faults are many too.
I spend most of my time between my own ears, often oblivious to what’s happening around me. I can be short-tempered, even irascible to those closest to me. I’m indifferent about keeping a clean house and yard, and it can take me a very long time to tackle important tasks that don’t inspire me. And, worst of all, I sometimes use my perceptive powers to wound people where they feel most vulnerable.
The scales may balance in favor of the good me, but the outcome is not overwhelming. What might make it more definitive is if I marshaled my not insignificant capabilities and did something impactful with them. Something that would make the world a better place. And not just marginally either.
Like found a company that would help people all over improve their health by exercising and eating better diets.
Or advocate about how we might find common ground and collectively manage our communities so they serve the needs of more people in more depth.
Or develop a curriculum that teaches us life skills that can prepare us to handle our own affairs more effectively.
Or create a resource that helps teenagers and twenty-somethings manage their transitions to independent, fully-functioning participants in our communities.
You see, ambition isn’t my limiting factor. Nor is capability. I believe I have everything it takes to create something significant. Vision. Ability to build a roadmap to success. Building a strong team. Communicating value to customers, employees, investors. Making decisions to benefit all stakeholders.
Everything, that is, except the willingness to take the risks to actually try.
Maybe one day I will find the courage to make the attempt and sustain it. My history warns against it, but I haven’t lost all hope.
I’m usually not one to quote beer commercials, but sometimes we find eternal truths in unexpected places, so: One life. Don’t blow it.