It took getting to 50 to stop me fooling around. Years of self-doubt. Can I do it? Do I have the brains? Do I have the skills? Am I too old? Was I too young to get married? Do I really have anything worthy to say? Was it my failing looks? The questions we ask ourselves sometimes stop us before we even get started.
Allan Pease wrote a book called “Questions Are The Answers” and I changed my questions. Questions that empowered and got me moving and not defeatist ones that stop me in my tracks.
How can I improve my fitness? What do I need to do differently so I can run faster? What skills do I need to master to write a book or many books? How do I speak to a crowd of 10, 50, 100 or even thousands? How can I develop a better relationship with my son? What can I do to make my relationship with my God personal and not religious ?
What are the ways I can be a better friend? How can I make a difference in my community? How much of the world do I want to see? How can I be a better wife? How can I earn more money? What book do I need to read or what course do I have to attend to learn a new skill? How will I be remembered when I pass on?
I have seen friends die in the last couple of years. Such is life. The stick seems to be a better motivator than the carrot. Grievances like death and divorce can be a wake-up call. Ups and downs are inevitable. Don’ wait for a downer for the tough questions to be asked. We talk about the tombstone with the dates of birth and death. What was fitted into those years? Did I really live?
As I approach halftime in life, I can visualize a thrilling future. This has been made exciting because of where I have been, how far I have come and how much more I will be experiencing; alive in every pore.