Whose Life are you Living?

I want to believe we all grow-up with an idea of what we want to be when we grow-up. Having a dream in our life is important, not only when we are young, but even as we grow older.

From my earliest memories I dreamt of making it to the National Football League (NFL). I recall watching the games and playing catch with Dad. My dad never pushed me toward the game, it was just something I thought I wanted. I always played with my friends in the neighborhood and I was surprisingly good. But my first test of actual football was my freshmen year of high school. My mother wanted me to focus on my studies but all my friends were playing so I begged her to let me play with the understanding that if my grades suffered I would stop immediately.

What an experience! In those days, we had no idea what went into playing football as the 24/7 news update cycle didn’t exist. YouTube didn’t exist. I find that most people, because they have not played a sport, have no idea the amount of work goes into preparing for any type of athletic competition. I can still remember the wind sprints and the drills. And I especially remember the first contact! Our coach brought the local pop warner team our practice to “hit” with us. That first contact definitely was a gut check for everyone who wanted to play, especially if you went against somebody with more experience! I as a saw several snot bubbles coming out of people’s noses some definitely quit right away. One of the pop warner players was a dear friend of mine. One I consider a brother and lifelong friend. He showed why they called him “Pound for Pound” that day practicing “contact”. He definitely wasn’t the biggest, but he always brought the ferocity! I was still invested in my dream.

Then the shear amount of effort along with drills like “The Oklahoma Drill” ended a lot of careers early, lol. The reason I mention this is because if you’re not truly invested in what you’re doing why are you doing it? It is really your dream, or just some silly little fantasy?

Although I was a child when I conceived of this dream when I arrived at my moment of truth, I was undeterred by the work related playing football. I love everything about the game. The camaraderie, friendship,  yes the violence,  hard practices and obviously the games. I learned some great life lessons on this journey, and I want to believe that I had an innate calling to the game, even though playing for the NFL did not play out.

When I ask whose life are you living, I’m referring to the vision and the dream. Are you going to work every day making someone else’s dream and vision come true? Or are you working towards yours?  Me I wanted to get to the NFL I tried my best it didn’t work out, but not once did I question why I was doing this because it was my dream and vision. Now I have a new dream, and just like wanting to play for the NFL, it is a big, hairy hard to reach dream. Starting my business with my wife. We are learning the drills, going to practice, and taking the hits, why? Because we want it. Because I want it. I am tired working for someone else’s dream!