Do Something Everyday That Scares You!
When actor and comedian Bob Saget tragically passed away on January 9,2022 his good friend and former TV star, John Stamos, wrote the following about his friend:
“We should all want to die alive”! “Don’t have your life be filled with regret and remorse, forgotten and discarded. “ ”Die being bright and fierce.” “We all want to be overwhelmed with the privilege and bounty of what we do best.”
All of these words resonate strongly with my views of reaching that time when most people “ease back on the throttle”, getting ready to die and “ride off into the sunset” Yes, you probably guessed where I am heading. I am heading into a discussion about the dreaded R word, Retirement! Now don’t get me wrong. Retirement is great for those who have worked their entire life for a traditional retirement lifestyle. That is not my Master Plan. My Master Plan is to do things that scare me! Does this notion, deep down scare me? No! At times it terrifies me. Terrified, but at the end of the day exhilarated and looking forward to the next day and the adventures it offers.
For those looking to experience scary moments everyday, the big questions are, when do you start and what do you do? How do you set-up your day, week, month and year to take on scary adventures? I am not talking about daredevil stunts. I am talking about organizing a plan to fully develop all of the gifts that have been given to you. If you are still working and not taken on the big R of retirement, what can do you in your current profession? Can you be an entrepreneur within your company, or organization? Can you explore ways to offer value, “stretch” your current job description and possibly parlay a pay increase or promotion? Outside of work and regardless of whether you are still working or retired, what type of involvements can you work with ? Mentoring is a wonderful way to use your experience and expertise to help others. For those types of involvements, look to such organizations as Big Brother Big Sisters of America. There are numerous other ways to volunteer. There are countless service, community and church organizations to explore. These organizations always need help and can offer exciting ventures and the opportunity to give back. How about your passions? Have you always wanted to play an instrument, write a book, or learn to play golf? If any of these examples scare you, that is even more reason to “dive in and test the water”
The point is, make a commitment to yourself that you will “tremble” a little each day. A commitment that you will step off the ledge, without a safety net. At the end of the day, you might just find yourself, not terrified, but exhilarated and waiting for the next day to start.