Start Small, Dream Big
Because sometimes the biggest decision is just to start.
Advice From Dad - I Never Got - #17 Start Small - Dream Big
Letās be real for a second, when I was 16, I had no clue what I was doing.
Everyone else seemed to know what they wanted.Ā They would be applying for colleges, choosing majors, and filling out their ā5-year plansā like they were ordering combos at McDonaldās.Ā Ā
Meanwhile, I was just trying to figure out if lunch was free on Tuesdays or Thursdays.Ā Ā I had no father to guide me.Ā No uncle giving me pep talks.
No real clue what the hell ācareer pathā even meant.Ā Ā All I knew for sure was just pressure, silent, invisible, heavy-as-hell; pressure.
Doubt and questions running through my head all the time, what should I study.Ā Should I go to college or join the military? What if I made the wrong choice? What am I good at?Ā What if I failed?Ā Ā What if I disappointed my mom, my brother and sisterā¦ hell, everyone?Ā Ā
And you know what happens when you carry that fear around long enough?Ā Ā You donāt move, you freeze.Ā You wait for some magical sign to make it all make sense, but that sign never really comes but you keep hoping it doesā¦
Spoiler alert: It doesnāt.
Flashback: Lost in a Hallway of Choices
I still tense up when I remember being there āback in high schoolāstaring at the bulletin board in the hallway with a bunch of class schedules and course curriculum’s, like it was written in Greek and hanging in some museum.
Biology? Auto Shop? ROTC? Keyboarding? Drafting? I didnāt even know what half of that meant.
There was no road-map.Ā No father figure behind me with a āHereās what I did, sonĀ or “Here’s what you might want to consider, son!ā moment.Ā Nada!
Nope, just a sense of doom and waiting for the world to discover II was alone, scared and clueless. Ā Just a dumb kid with a notebook and a blank stare.
Oh and that pressure, it wasnāt loud. Ā It wasnāt scary, It was quietā¦ and it was paralyzing.
But Hereās the Truth...You Don't Need a Master Plan
First the acceptance that no one is coming to your rescue.Ā You are responsible for you and that’s a hard fact of life.Ā So you need to – just move, take the control you have and take action, move!
Pick something, try something, accept that you will screw up.
But, you will learn something from everything you tried.Ā
Today I can fix my own car, type pretty well, create basic floor plans and architectural designs, fix a thermostat, repair an air conditioner, maintain an investment portfolio and cook pretty damn well.
Yep, today I am a far cry from that kid staring at a bulletin board full of scary classes.Ā Because here is the truth…
Starting is the key.Ā It is the only way to get anywhere worth going from where you are now. Ā You donāt have to a leapāyou just have to take a step forward and then another, and then another.Ā Ā Follow your passion and figure a way that makes your passion serve others and your success is guaranteed.
- You like to cook?Ā Learn to create great meals others want to buy.
- You like music?Ā Create new songs and lyrics or music that other will appreciate and pay for.
- You like cars?Ā Become the go to person for car repair, knowledge and maintenance.
I promise you, start small – dream big, get to work, follow your passion, let it serve others and you will be ok.Ā Better than OK!
What I Wish Someone Had Told Me
āStart small – Dream big, follow your passion and have it serve others and you will be ok !āĀ
I wish someone had told me that back then.Ā I would have avoided a lot of pain and regret.
Still, I wonder if without all that pain – would I still have become the man I am today?Ā Ā Honestly, I donāt know. But, what I do know and can share with you as true and honest Dad advice is:
Start small – Dream big, follow your passion and have it serve others and you will be ok !
You will be ok. It doesnāt matter where you start.Ā If it was not your thing, I promise you will have learned something new.Ā It was not a waste of time.Ā The important thing is to start now, start small and always dream big.Ā Set goals and timelines and never stop dreaming.
Ā I wish someone had told me this many years ago, itĀ would have changed my world back then.
Now, I now share with you.Ā Maybe you need to hear it, maybe a friend or relative needs to know itĀ ā¦ or maybe your kid does.
āJust start. Weāll figure the rest out together – later, you will be OK.ā
š¬ This Series Is for the Ones Who Never Got the Talk
If you’re someone who grew up winging it, figuring it out alone, or trying to be the adult you never hadā¦
Then “Advice From Dad – I Never Got” is for you.
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Honest stories with heart
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Advice without fluff
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The kind of talks we wish we had growing up
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š¬ Final Word of Advice From AFD (Advice From Dad- I Never Got!
āStart where you are. Use what you got. Move like you mean it.Ā Start Small and Always Dream Big!ā
You donāt need a dad to say it, but if you need someone to remind you, Iām here.Ā Ā See you in the next post.Ā All comments are welcome.
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āGerardo
GER369 | Real Talk. Real Advice.
