What Dropping Out Of High School Taught Me About Life (It's Not What You Think)
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
What's the difference between a dream and a goal? How would you answer that question? Does your dream feel like a fantasy? You see dreams brought to life in movies or hear about some kid from your high school who got drafted by the NHL. We believe it’s something few of us will ever experience. Does that mean dreams are out of reach for the rest of us? Not at all. But until you understand the difference between a dream and a goal, you'll never get a chance to see yours come to life.
I gave up. I knew I couldn't do it anymore. I looked out the window of a shoebox-sized office and waited for the Vice Principal to tell me I'd be suspended if I didn't start showing up for class. The irony wasn't lost on me. I had transferred high schools as a last-ditch attempt by my parents to have me take high school seriously.
I figured I'd save him the breath of a long-winded speech about the importance of school and cut in with three words: I'm dropping out. I could tell he was caught off guard as he rocked side to side in his seat.
I was sixteen years old and had made the best decision of my life.
I turned 37 this year and it's only in looking back that I can see why this decision continues to shape my life today. Dropping out put me smack dab in the middle of a world where there was no hope.
Lining up at temp agencies at six in the morning with a face and size that matched a Little Rascals character was surely comical as I competed for labour jobs against laid-off steelworkers.
It taught me that freedom is my definition of success and the only dream I cared about living.
I never wanted to feel like I have to do something because I'm out of options. Those guys looked like old men to me at the time, but they were probably the same age as me now. A life without hope strips you of your soul.
I still had dreams of what I wanted to do with my life, but I started to see how foolish it was to believe them if I continued down the same path.
That's when I realized the difference between a dream and a goal.
A dream is a goal you can accomplish because you have a plan.
Let me be clear that this was one hell of a fucking rocky road to get to where I am today. It often felt like I was climbing “Death Road” – an aptly named twelve-foot wide adventure carved into the Cordillera Oriental Mountain in Bolivia.
There were many moments where I believed I would plummet off the cliff, but I followed the only rule that matters when you're driving in dangerous conditions: don't look where you're drifting, keep your eyes focused on where you want to go.
I now have a college diploma. I now have a university degree. I now have two businesses. I put out a weekly podcast. I write the equivalent of a book a year on my blog and other publications. But what I savour the most is that I have freedom. No one tells me what to do, how I should do it or where I need to be. I have the freedom to pursue the things that matter to me. My family, my partner and the work I put out into the world.
Dreams stay dreams without a plan.
Life passes you by. Your list of regrets grows long. The dreams that once felt like a fire in your soul become painful reminders of the life you wish you were living.
What if it didn't have to be that way?
What if it didn't have to be so damn complicated and overwhelming?
What if there was an easier way to start, plan and accomplish your most important goals, even if you've never been able to before?
What if you had the support and experience of someone who can help you get clear on what's most important to accomplish in the year ahead?
What if you had an easy-to-follow month-by-month action plan so you know exactly what to do (and not do) to stay out of overwhelm and reach your goals?
And what if you could get started for a smaller investment than a yearly Spotify membership?
What if today is the day that you give your dreams a plan?
How different could your life be a year from now?
When I asked client Lisa Ryder, an account manager, to fill in the blank: “This year, one of the best decisions I made was _______.”
She shot back, "To work with you! It has really kept me focused on what’s important. It has made what could have been a depressing moment in time, one of growth and personal development."
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