Being Bold In 2020 (Out With 2019)
Courtesy of "set of happy new year gift" by vecree.com is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Ready, Fire, Aim
I feel as if so much has happened in 2019. While many may say this, how many find this indeed to be true?
Foremost, I think of my website’s launch. Its story is one of baby steps. I went through my emails to see that I purchased the domain in fall of 2018 and sat on it for almost a year. I can admit that I was afraid that my writing wasn’t good enough, since I hadn’t written anything in about 5-6 years.
My time not writing didn’t pass in vain. For the last 12 years or so, I have absorbed a tremendous amount of nonfiction books, podcasts and audiobooks. Some of the people that I have followed are in tech, particularly Steve Jobs. Yes, I know that he was “complicated.” Read the authorized Walter Issacson biography. One of the things that stays with me is a quote from a Steve Jobs interview,
“Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you.”
When my site went live, I answered an internal question, “Why not?” While optimistic, I had no idea how my writing would be received, but there was only one way to find out. I am fortunate that my readership is steadily scaling upwards and culminated with my Citizen of The World (Puerto Rico 2019) series chronicling my Puerto Rico trip in November 2019. With each piece, my writing has improved and I have received some excellent feedback from readers.
Why Not Me?
Recently, I had lunch with a work friend, with whom I used to work. Like me, she is Mexican-American and a child of immigrants. We spoke about what what we perceive as a sense of inferiority in some children of immigrants or in immigrants themselves. There is hesitation about pursuing opportunities because of social class, lack of resources or false perceptions of unworthiness. Also, there’s the Si Dios quiere attitude of waiting for God or someone else to make things happen rather than taking personal responsibility. Combine these with an infinite combination of other factors and you have people, where nothing happens for them.
I know that I experienced a significant change in what I think, say and do. Instead of saying “Si Dios quiere” or wondering if something was meant to be, I began to say “I will do X by Y time in Z way” or pursue something even if I might not be 100% ready. I came to realize that nothing would happen for me, if I waited. At least if I try, something could happen. So why not me?
Trimming The Fat
I recall that not that long ago, my goal for the weekend was watching what was on my DVR. I had so much stuff that I literally couldn’t have time to watch it all. When I switched providers, guess what? I couldn’t take any of it with me.
Many years ago, I wrote an editorial for my university newspaper, where I railed against the obsession with celebrity worship. I remember questioning the use in following celebrities’ moves, when they aren’t anybody that you don’t know, most likely will never meet and don’t impact your life. The time wasted could be used to change your life or people around you. While I wasn’t following celebrities, I saw the folly in trying to keep up with my DVR.
One of the times that I was catching up with my friend, she asked, “How do you make time to write?” I answered, “I MAKE IT.” I can’t keep the momentum going, if I don’t keep publishing content that connects with readers. I have three priorities, in no particular order: my job, spending time with my family and writing. I don’t have time to spend on ANYTHING that doesn’t contribute to these areas.
2020
While 2019 was a mix of really great stuff along with some bad, I feel that it was a year of real growth. One of the things that stands out was improving my writing game. While hindsight is 20/20, I wish that I started my website earlier. Better late than never. Thank you, Squarespace.
I feel that 2019 was the year that I became more acutely aware of time. Am I using it how I want to do things that I want, when I want to do them? Am I using my time in the best way to improve my life and those of other people? What are significant ways to free up time to do what is important to me and actually accomplishing these things?
I want to keep growing my readership here, on Medium and anywhere else that I contribute. To do this, I will persistently find ways to provide value. I want to keep developing to, in turn, help my readers. Providing value is the key to my growth. Readers’ response or lack thereof will be proof of my effectiveness.
Something that resulted from my Citizen of The World (Puerto Rico 2019) series was realizing that there are stories that haven’t been told. This made me consider that this blog could be more than just about self-improvement. Self-improvement could be a vehicle for others to view the world in a different way to see things that should be changed.
Just the other night, I watched a YouTube video, where Gary Vee spoke about the importance of surrounding ourselves with positive people. I would complement his message with a quote attributed to motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, “You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with.” I have increasingly come to realize that life is too short to be brought down by negative people that think too small. Rather than being this type of person, let’s bring ourselves up to help others in return.
BE BOLD
In this post, I discussed just a few of the baby steps that led me to where I am today. I compare where I started to where I am now. I can see definite progress. Once that I started, things progressed slowly, which is fine because I’m a firm believer in “Slow and steady wins the race“.
I would say that, if there’s one thing that I can suggest would be to BE BOLD. Starting any undertaking is bold because there might be people that try to stop you or talk you out of it. “It’s not a good idea.” “I don’t know.” “It’s never worked before.” “No one’s ever done ‘it.’” I learned that others’ objections don’t necessarily have to do with you but EVERYTHING to do with them. Keep in mind that they are speaking from their experience and from what they “know.” While they might be right, they might, also, be wrong. So I would rather take a chance and be right than for nothing to happen. I no longer want to be ordinary with few dreams that stretch my boundaries and I hope that you don’t either.