Never Give Up

As the great Captain Jason Nesmith of the ship NSEA Protector always says:

Today's blog post comes from Harvey Mackay's weekly syndicated column:

Emma Stone won the Best Actress Award in a Musical/Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards for “La La Land” and gave a terrific acceptance speech that has applied to everyone at one time in their lives. 

She said:  “This is a film for dreamers.  I think that hope and creativity are two of the most important things in the world.  To any creative person who has had a door slammed in their face, either metaphorically or physically … or anybody anywhere really that feels like giving up sometimes and finds it in themselves to get up and keep moving, I share this with you.”

What dreams have you given up on? At one time or another I've wanted to be all of these (except maybe firefighter):

Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a firefighter, an astronaut, a rock star or an entrepreneur – but instead you find yourself marking time in a job you hate.  Should you give up on your dream job?

Although, I'm currently pursuing being an entrepreneur, it's probably too late to be an astronaut, although my friend Jordan Adler is training to be an astronaut in his 50's. And after seeing some rockers that were popular in the 80's this weekend, maybe I'm not too old to be a rock star either!

Don’t be too quick to write off your goals, but don’t be stupid about it either.  Some important considerations could help you decide what path to take.

• Be realistic.  If the bulk of your musical experience is playing Guitar Hero in the basement, chances are you’re not going to sell out a major concert venue anytime soon.  That doesn’t mean you can’t take lessons, meet other musicians, start a band and achieve some success. 

• Keep your day job.  Having a job pays the bills, but it also gives structure to your time.  You’ll find it easier to set priorities and recognize what’s really important when you have to balance your dreams with the necessities of living.  Remember that you are not your job. 

• Adapt to change.  The Internet has changed the way many of us work.  Whatever your dream job may be, stay flexible and look for opportunities that didn’t exist until recently.

• Create your own job.  You don’t have to wait for some big company to give you a job title.  Build your ideal job on your own – by freelancing part-time, for example, or volunteering your underused skills to a good cause.

• Be prepared for sacrifice.  If you’re really committed to your dream job, you may have to give up on some other goals.  You probably won’t start with a big salary or lots of vacation.  Ditch your sense of entitlement, and be ready to pay your dues.

• Re-evaluate your goals.  Many people reach the corner office only to realize they don’t really enjoy being the CEO.  Spend some time thinking about how you’ve changed and deciding whether your dream is what you want to devote your life to.

I'll let Harvey wrap this post up for us:

Mackay’s Moral:  The hardest sale you’ll ever make is to yourself.  But once you’re convinced you can do it, you can. 

Interesting days

Today - Blue Monday, Croissant Day, Inane Answering Message Day and Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day Don't worry...if you don't have any bubble wrap to play with, I've got you covered: http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow-insane.shtml

Tomorrow - Gorilla Suit Day, Backward Day and Inspire Your Heart With Art Day

Next Monday - Lame Duck Day and Frozen Yogurt Day

February 30 - We don't have one of these...ever