Start Small, Dream Big
Because sometimes the biggest decision is just to start.
Advice From Dad - I Never Got - #17 Start Small - Dream Big
Let’s 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. They would be applying for colleges, choosing majors, and filling out their “5-year plans” like they were ordering combos at McDonald’s.
Meanwhile, I was just trying to figure out if lunch was free on Tuesdays or Thursdays. I had no father to guide me. No uncle giving me pep talks.
No real clue what the hell “career path” even meant. 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. Should I go to college or join the military? What if I made the wrong choice? What am I good at? What if I failed? What if I disappointed my mom, my brother and sister… hell, everyone?
And you know what happens when you carry that fear around long enough? You don’t move, you freeze. You wait for some magical sign to make it all make sense, but that sign never really comes but you keep hoping it does…
Spoiler alert: It doesn’t.
Flashback: Lost in a Hallway of Choices
I still tense up when I remember being there —back in high school—staring 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 didn’t even know what half of that meant.
There was no road-map. No father figure behind me with a “Here’s what I did, son or “Here’s what you might want to consider, son!” moment. Nada!
Nope, just a sense of doom and waiting for the world to discover II was alone, scared and clueless. Just a dumb kid with a notebook and a blank stare.
Oh and that pressure, it wasn’t loud. It wasn’t scary, It was quiet… and it was paralyzing.
But Here’s the Truth...You Don't Need a Master Plan
First the acceptance that no one is coming to your rescue. You are responsible for you and that’s a hard fact of life. 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.
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. Because here is the truth…
Starting is the key. It is the only way to get anywhere worth going from where you are now. You don’t have to a leap—you just have to take a step forward and then another, and then another. Follow your passion and figure a way that makes your passion serve others and your success is guaranteed.
- You like to cook? Learn to create great meals others want to buy.
- You like music? Create new songs and lyrics or music that other will appreciate and pay for.
- You like cars? 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. Better than OK!
What I Wish Someone Had Told Me
“Start small – Dream big, follow your passion and have it serve others and you will be ok !”
I wish someone had told me that back then. 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? Honestly, I don’t 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 doesn’t matter where you start. If it was not your thing, I promise you will have learned something new. It was not a waste of time. The important thing is to start now, start small and always dream big. Set goals and timelines and never stop dreaming.
I wish someone had told me this many years ago, it would have changed my world back then.
Now, I now share with you. Maybe you need to hear it, maybe a friend or relative needs to know it … or maybe your kid does.
“Just start. We’ll figure the rest out together – later, you will be OK.”
💬 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 had…
Then “Advice From Dad – I Never Got” is for you.
✅ Honest stories with heart
✅ Advice without fluff
✅ The kind of talks we wish we had growing up
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💬 Final Word of Advice From AFD (Advice From Dad- I Never Got!
“Start where you are. Use what you got. Move like you mean it. Start Small and Always Dream Big!”
You don’t need a dad to say it, but if you need someone to remind you, I’m here. See you in the next post. All comments are welcome.
—Gerardo
GER369 | Real Talk. Real Advice.
