G is for Go For It

Well here we are, at the start of the second week of the A-Z Challenge 2013. What have I achieved so far? What have I learned so far? Well, as someone who in 2012 managed to blog on average just once a month, I’ve proved to myself that I can actually compose and post far more frequently than that – when challenged and motivated to do so. Of course, for many reasons this is not sustainable. I appreciate the support of my readers especially during this particular challenge but to expect readers to consume a post a day indefinitely would be stretching loyalty to breaking point. Apart from that, finding the time to write a post each day is equally not sustainable given my current circumstances.

If you read on my prelude post to this challenge, you will recall that I initially decided against taking part. But a week on and I am so glad I decided at the last moment to participate – to ‘go for it’! From my first post in this challenge, you will also have learned that being an adventurer is not well represented on my CV. For much of my life I have had a tendency to find reasons why something could not be done. I would dress this up as simply identifying the hurdles that had to be overcome – and then I would promptly fail to overcome them, most of the time.

To give one example, I remember in my 20s being stationed in London by my company for six months. A colleague there organised a day out gliding. For someone like me, with a lifelong interest in aircraft and flying, the decision to take part in this should have been a no-brainer. Yet, I found a dozen reasons why I couldn’t do it. I promised myself I would get around to doing it at a later date. Of course, the opportunity to do so has not arisen since. I should have gone for it when the chance presented itself. For this blogging challenge, I told myself that I’d never find the time to do 26 posts during April. In reality, what probably scared me more than failing to meet the challenge was the thought of having to put myself out there on the blog fairly constantly during April. That’s really what I had to overcome.

Contrast this with the mindset that recognises where the obstacles are and then works to remove them or works around them in order to make something possible. People like this tend to ‘go for it’ – to make things happen. I am a bit more like that now – more likely to take on a challenge, more likely to do something out of the ordinary, to play it less safe and to ‘go for it’. And you know what – I would consider it some of the best advice I could give to young people. Don’t always seek the safe options; don’t always go the road most travelled. Take a risk every now and then in order to mark out your own path, to be the person you want to be rather than what other people would want you to be. As Steve Jobs said:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
So, what is your dream? What is stopping you achieving it? Is it fear? Is it conformity? Is it lack of motivation? There are many ways to overcome these obstacles but sometimes it pays just to …..

Go for it!.

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* The photo above shows one of the regular participants in the Annual Bray Charities Sea Swim as she makes her way to the icy waters at Bray Seafront last New Year's Day. As the eldest participant she is proof that you are never too old to 'go for it' and to be an inspiration to others.