I have previously told a little about myself, and thought I would share a bit more. My tripping point. The point when you awaken from a dream. Remember the movie "Inception" ? The tripping point that awoke a dreamer was falling, an abrupt startle, something that just goes "POP" !
I was startled 'slightly' some 25 + years ago or so, as a senior in high school. You will note I said 'slightly'...... i fell back asleep, to truly be awoken completely only recently ( more on that later), but did not forget that very moment:
Here we were as Seniors, soon to graduate High School, looking forward to an unknown and exciting future. I was an honor student, my guidance counselor was constantly reminding me of the need to apply for scholarships, as they were readily available. I was VERY into architectual design, in an age when computers were just coming onto the scene. Exciting, fascinating times! I had an application in my hand for ITT Tech.
Then, one day, the local newspaper guy interviewed me, on the balcony deck of the office building. He took my picture, put it in the paper that week, with a brief story about an aspiring Senior. I remember his question clearly, I remember my answer, clearly. He even quoted my directly.
Reporter: "Tech49, where are you planning on going to college?"
Tech49: "oh, I won't be attending college."
Reporter: "Really, I am surprised. Why not? "
Tech49: "Well, I can't really afford it." ( lie, I knew I could get scholarships, probably a full ride if I wanted). ".... and besides, I can do much better on my own, I plan to start my own business..."
That exact moment has stuck with me for over a quarter of a century. I still have the newspaper clipping. I recall the exact way I felt at that very moment. My lips were moving, parroting the answers that had been ingrained into my head. College was unacceptable. Continued education was unacceptable. Despite above-average, way-above ordinary skills in computer aided drafting and engineering, I was telling a lie. My brain did not believe for a second what my lips were spewing. At that very moment, I knew what I was saying was B.S. I wanted to believe it, but I knew what was real and what was not.
I look at that young man in the black and white picture, and just shake my head. He was smart, full of life and a full future in front of him. He let other people dictate what his next few years were.
I blame my parents and the people around me for choking me, for taking that away. But I allowed them to.......
I have never forgotten the way I felt on that day, how foolish I felt, because I knew that I was tossing aside something big. I didnt dare admit it tho.
Fast-forward.......>>>>>>>>> Today, I work for myself, in an industry that is heavy reliant on those very skills I loved so much in high school. I do quite well, but the road to get here could have been so much quicker and faster. I wish so much that I had taken even just a few classes outside of High School to make myself better. Fortunately, at some point, I had a great conversation with an old man, on a jobsite one day, about 15 years ago. His advice was to make a plan for myself, and do it now. Start with what you love to do, and do it. Make a goal to be "here" in 10 years, "there" in another 10, and "there" soon after that. Before long...."it will be time to retire, and you'll be old like me!" Don't regret where you are, son."
I have always kept his advice in the back of my mind. I am sure he is long gone now, I don't even remember his name. But his advice still rings true.
We all can look back, and feel so stupid for the decisions we have made, or the ones that were forced upon us. But it does more good to learn from them, to realize that we CAN be more than mindless laborers, janitors, window-washers..... you get the point. Do what you love.
YOU are in control of you. Don't let anyone take that away from you, from today on. Those people or organizations we hate only have as much power as we give them.
It would take me another 25 years to fully awaken, to see reality.
Make a plan. Do it now.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
Jack Harper, Tech49