The stars will never align.
Welcome to issue #031 of Unsubscribe. Each week, I send two essays that help you step off the default path to build a life you love, supported by work you enjoy. If you need support on your entrepreneurial journey, join our network of over 900 entrepreneurs. You’ll instantly join our group chat, weekly live Q&As, monthly workshops, and private in-person events.
Most of us treat our lives like some kind of dress rehearsal.
Sitting around doing prep work for the real performance that never comes.
We tell ourselves we'll start traveling when we have enough saved up, start that fun new project when work calms down, spend more time with our family when the promotion comes through, and finally start focusing on our health next week.
There's always a reason to wait.
I catch myself feeling this way a lot in my life. I start thinking that I'll live life to the fullest when a specific moment arrives, like the end of a big project, or when I hit some arbitrary revenue goal. Then, I'll settle in and start really enjoying myself.
But life doesn't pause while we're getting our shit together. It keeps on moving forward.
Your days aren't a rough draft. This is the final version, my friends. So what you do today isn't practice for some future moment when everything falls into place.
This. Is. It.
The wonderful author Annie Dillard wrote something that I always revisit:
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."
Your life isn't what happens after you get everything figured out. Your life is what's happening right now, with uncertainty, incomplete plans, and messy problems.
Those of you waiting for perfect conditions? They don't exist. There's always something unfinished. New goals to reach and unexpected problems to solve.
If you continue waiting for your ducks to be in a row, you'll be waiting forever.
I know people who spent decades preparing to enjoy their retirement, only to discover they didn't enjoy it at all. They'd become so good at delaying gratification that they couldn't recognize when it was time to stop delaying.
I'm not suggesting that you be completely reckless with your future, or advocating for a ridiculous Y.O.L.O. lifestyle. You can be responsible while still living fully today.
Take that trip, even if your savings account is a bit short of where you'd like it to be. Have the difficult conversation, even if the timing feels a little off. Start that fun side project, even if you don't have all the details completely ironed out.
Perfect moments are rare. Good enough moments happen every single day of our lives.
Your life is happening today...now.
Don't miss it while you're waiting for permission to begin.
What’s your take on today’s topic? Do you agree, disagree, or is there something I missed?
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At almost 56, it is definitely time to start DOING things on my bucket list instead of adding more things to it! Sending you cheer- 💌
Love this! It reminds me of that quote -- "The past is history. The future is a mystery. Today is a gift; that's why it's called the 'present'."