Posted: 1/3/2011 2:08:33 AM EDT
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So I have been thinking a lot about something lately, and I figured that the collective intellect of Arfcom might be able to help me.
I'm a young man, still a teenager, and I have many dreams and aspirations as far as what I want to do/be in life. Some of them are far out of reach and I know are nearly impossible, others are more achievable. My problem is I don't know when to decide to pursue something, and when not to. I've never been much of a risk taker in regards to things that may ultimately change my life, but I know that I'll need to take risks in my coming years in order to accomplish anything. I have a strong desire to be successful in life (as I'm sure most people do), and with that desire for success comes the fear of failure. That same fear is keeping me from making any decisions about what I want to do next. The last thing I want is to take a risk and invest myself (and money) in something that I very well may fail at. I still have a lot of thinking to do about what it really is that I want in life and what I want to do with my life, but I'm struggling with knowing what is possible for me, and what isn't. So Arfcommers, do you have any advice? |
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Quoted:
Failures will set you up for success. You wont know until you fail, you won't fail unless you try. Best post there. Then there is the military. Wish I joined. I needed a kick in the ass when I was younger . For the dicipline. And i graduated in the mid 80's. Allways thought I'd be a rifleman fighting the commies. But instead I work at a place for 18 years, have a great wife and 8 yearold daughter. I figure if I did anything diff. I may not have met my wife and had my daughter. Life is weird. |
| I have a friend who's now a millionaire because he started an urban apparel retailing business at about your age. It was a difficult journey to get to where he is now and he's certainly seen his share of failures, but he's done it all on a premise that he's had since the beginning: "If you're gonna fuck up, fuck up big." |
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One could write volumes in response to your question, and many great authors have. I'll attempt to give you just one guy's view.
I'm 57 years old, so I have a little bit of perspective. First off, don't be afraid to fail. No child learns to walk without first falling down many times. What are you afraid of? Embarrassment? Ridicule? Learning that you have limits? Don't worry about it; wisdom comes from efforts which don't pan out. Don't hesitate to explore new challenges; just give it your best and learn from the experience. Sometimes you'll be successful, sometimes you won't. I learned, after many spluttering attempts, to right an inverted kayak. But I never did master jumps on a motocross bike; always got crossed-up and even dropped the bike about one time out of three. This is neither good nor bad, it just is. But I learned about myself from trying, and that's why there's a kayak in my garage, but no off-road motorcycle. You're young, don't be afraid to change direction. I took college courses in architecture and industrial design, but discovered my true interest after taking one elective in photography. Wound up in a 30-year career in motion picture production, which I never would have even considered if I hadn't explored a new direction. Don't bullshit other people, and especially don't bullshit yourself. Integrity, self-respect, and respect for others are among the most valuable things you'll ever possess. No one can take these from you; but you can abandon them –– and the consequences of that will follow you for the rest of your life. Read as much as you can (especially biographies), travel when you get the chance. New perspectives, new cultures, and new experiences will change you. Embrace that change, it's the process of gaining maturity. Above all, never stop learning about yourself and the world around you. Education isn't about learning everything you'll need to know. It's about learning how to learn. You'll discover what's possible for you in the act of trying. You'll discover your passion when one new thing grabs you and you find you can't let go. |