Though the use of the term “violent” might seem a bit dramatic, I am simply referring to the concept of taking ownership over the execution of your personal and professional goals. Not waiting for things to fall into our lap – for that “right time” to take the next steps toward achieving a goal. Hard work and discipline are the path to lasting freedom and happiness.
On the balance sheet of life, we’d rather have more wins than regrets, right? The only way to have a “profitable” life is by managing the fear of failure and taking calculated risks.
When I left my finance job to pursue the unlikely path to becoming a Navy SEAL, fear was rampant and I wandered way outside of my comfort zone. But occasionally breaching the walls of our comfort zone in pursuit of something meaningful is when the magic happens.
Leave your comfort zone behind. Do so, and seemingly impossible things become reality.
When I left the SEAL teams to pursue a life of entrepreneurship, a new kind of fear set in. The battlefield had taught me to control my emotions and stay calm under pressure, but this was a different kind of warfare. Oh, and I had student loans and a mortgage to pay. But hard work and discipline, coupled with a relentless pursuit to learn from a long string of mistakes, ultimately paved the way to success.
Don’t let fear stand in your path to greatness. Channel fear into positive aggression.
Five months ago I made the tough decision to sell my shares in my last company to pursue other passions. Once again, I was taking calculated risk to pursue what I hoped to be a happier more fulfilling life. Already, it seems that I will double the size of my speaking and consulting practice in 2017. I have signed with a great literary agency in New York for my first book and have an amazing TV show concept being looked at by great production companies. All of this achieved by hard work and the relentless pursuit of achieving goals today, not tomorrow.
Don’t prioritize every goal – just the right ones, especially if they complement one another.
I use these examples only to highlight that we only have so much time in this life. Pursing our passions while giving back and making the world a little bit better place than we found it leads to true fulfillment and a life driven by purpose.
Sacrifices have to be made along the way to make room for new ventures and prioritizing things on your bucket list. You can’t do it all at once and of course we all have “real people” responsibilities like finances and family. Be intelligent in the manner in which you take certain risks and always have a plan. And make sure to run that plan by your spouse or significant other! Yes, I still have a commanding officer.
Its better to risk failing than to one day tell yourself you wished you had taken the leap. And as the Navy SEAL Creed says, “If knocked down, I will get back up every time. I am never out of the fight.”
What will you decide to do today, to further the pursuit of passions that have been sitting on the shelf for so long?
(Sourced from Brent Gleeson via www.inc.com)