Growth beyond thoughts and dreams
I’m slowly realizing what progress and growth are: it’s not necessarily fun or glamorous, but it gives me results.
Now in my mid-40s, I find myself thinking more and more about legacy and what I want to give to this world before I’m gone. This is a good thing, but it can be a little scary.
Thinking about mortality isn’t morbid—it’s motivating. It can clarify priorities and fuel action.
At the beginning of this year, I was inspired by my youngest son to lose some weight. I’ll admit, it was a bit of a competitive intuition because he was taking his health to another level, and I think I didn’t want to be left behind. Part of me wanted to make sure I could continue to be (or try to be) an example for my family in doing what’s right.
So, from 199lbs in late January of 2025, as I’m writing this, I reached 157lbs on June 1st. I’m extremely happy about it, and I learned a few lessons as well that are not directly connected to my weight but are somewhat inspired by this journey.
For a while now, I’ve been pushing myself more and more to get in shape, and it paid off: I’ve been doing some yoga daily to stretch a bit more (both mentally and physically), and I’ve walked every day for a good period as well. These activities drove me to become a different person, one who practices yoga and walking.
Sure, you’ll say, it’s just 2 things that are not revolutionary in themselves, and you’re right. However, I realized I can’t go too far, too fast with giant goals that can’t be sustainable: small action compounds. It becomes a matter of discipline aimed at slowing down for a longer run than sprinting fast and possibly missing a ton along the way.
Now, at my age, I have to consider my retirement. Some would say it’s a bit late... I want things to change!
I had to embody a new version of “me” before I could trust myself enough to deliver. For so long, I made promises I couldn’t keep in order to please others and make everyone happy around me, making sure I didn’t make waves or disturb any status quo. Not anymore! I want things to move! I want things to change! And, in order to do that I must change.
The thoughts about my retirement and what I want to leave behind are products of my personal environment: I embody a new persona and this one has new beliefs and aspirations. I’m no longer my old self, I grew out of it.
I still think in goals, but I’ve shifted focus—from just envisioning outcomes to building the process. Normally, my brain would think something up and tell me I did this and that so I get the dopamine hit, when in fact, I didn’t accomplish anything more than thinking. Now, I lean toward the “what”, “how”, and “when” because the “why” is already clear.
How can I make this amount per month or reach this goal?
What is needed for me to reach it? What are the steps?
What is the very next step to start moving instead of being paralized or satisfied with the dream alone?
When can I start doing the next step and building?
I don’t aim to be money-rich, I just want peace of mind and be able to help others along the way. I understand that this peace is fluid and not a destination but a journey. I’m willing to adapt and see where it leads me.
I want to accomplish more in life instead of dreaming about it and leave everything in the comfort of my brain: there’s no risk in simply dreaming, but there’s also no growth.
The more I grow older and hopefully a little bit wiser, the more clarity I have about many things and how easy most are. Since I tend to overcomplicate my days, transforming everything to their simplest forms can be counter-intuitive, but I showed myself I could trust the process if I follow the right formulas: I can be disciplined if I want.
Let’s take the time to review our goals and aspirations daily so we can course-correct where needed, but also to make sure we do make daily progress, or at least, some planned work during each week so we can see the needle moving a little bit in the right direction.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about making ourselves better and get more out of life. Every step we take shapes the legacy we leave behind. We got this!
