It is not death that we should fear, but we should fear not beginning to live.

Marcus Aurelius

My life is a perpetual stage of going through, around, or through doors and barriers.

I resign myself…or in some cases assign myself…to the wishes, goals, and desires of others.

In this I’ve continually knocked on doors, and most times proceeded when there was no response. I feel a continuous need to reboot and work on myself for the better. I reboot my life every 5 to 7 years.

I dropped out of college and was working a dead-end job at a fiberglass plant. I wondered what’s next…because this isn’t it.

With the help of my Aunt and Uncle, I got myself back on track and into college. I graduated from college and was bartending, a whitewater rafting tour guide…selling radio advertising. I wondered what’s next…because this isn’t it.

I put myself in a position to enter law school or become a teacher. Through a synergy of events, I applied and was accepted to a Masters in Ed program. I graduated and started teaching 8th grade…and continued to wonder what’s next?

While teaching, I signed up for every professional development opportunity that aligned with technology. This led me to contact Don Leu and the University of Connecticut. I fought to get in to the PhD program, and then fought battles along the way to complete it.

This led to another series of decisions. Open and/or shut doors that I need to go through or around. But, it seems to be a continual case of what’s next…what’s next…what’s next?

As I continue to identify new steps or opportunities to follow I have to question whether this is a positive or productive process.

Shape your future

I actually think happiness is the absence of suffering. It comes from peace. That comes from being careful about desire, judgment, and reaction.

Naval Ravikant

Perhaps I’m not preparing for something that will sometime come…this is life. I’m in it now. This is what it all is about.

I’m inspired by this post that identifies six principles to guide decisions as you shape your future:

• Take control – you’re the author of your life
• Aim for growth – just improve
• Be curious – use this superpower
• Have a clear vision – paint a map of what you want
• Align your being – implement your intentions
• Realize that 1+1 > 2 – connect with others to level up

Here and Now

In working to identify more opportunities, and creating new/different revenue streams, I often get lost in the minutiae of what do I have to do this week, or this month to get to the due date and deliverable. There is an endless cycle of hustle, hustle, hustle.

For better or worse…this is it. Live in the moment.

The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today. You are arranging what lies in Fortune’s control, and abandoning what lies in yours. What are you looking at? To what goal are you straining? The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.

Seneca

This post is Day 12 of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash