“The definition of hell is: On your last day on Earth, you, as you are, meet the person you could’ve become.” Dan Sullivan (Executive Coach)
I. Hate. Spiders.
There. I said it.
I hate them.
They are the worst thing that God decided to create.
Yeah, yeah, yeah… I hear all the environmentalists declaring, “They’re good for the garden” or “They control other insects.”
I don’t care. They’re scary.
The mere thought of them sends shivers down my spine.
When anyone asks me what my biggest fear is, without hesitation, I say spiders.
To some… clowns. To others… thunderstorms. Yet others…the deep dark ocean. But, what if they asked for a more serious response. Like, what is your biggest fear?
Having contemplated my answer for a few more minutes than you have, my response, without hesitation: That I will die without fulfilling my potential.
That, at the end of my life, I will not have accomplished half the things I set out to do. That, as Dan Sullivan says, “on my last day on earth, I meet the person I could’ve become.”
But what about failure? Isn’t that your biggest fear? No. I either win or I learn. Failures empower and motivate me to do better.
But what about dying? No. For death is the gateway to eternal life for those who Believe.
But what about running out of time? No. I have ample time to execute my vision, if I choose to get after it, not to drift into autopilot and settle into a mediocre routine on Mt. Average.
But what about conflict, criticism or embarrassment? No. Those are raw material for purpose, action, and leadership.
Fact is, narrow is the path and hard is the road to meaning, significance, and fulfillment. The chaos that must be overcome to fulfill our potential is fraught with dangers and despair. Yet, we must push forward. We must blaze the trail, and hopefully construct a path behind us so others can build better things and fulfill their own potential because of our accomplishments.
Brick by brick. The path takes shape.
I might fail, but it won’t be for lack of effort in accomplishing what I envision. I might reach the end of my days with disappointment, but certainly not disappointment that I didn’t do the work, that I didn’t lay the necessary bricks of the path to fulfillment. It will only be the disappointment that I ran out of time to lay more of them.
The time is now. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Live life to the full. Live your potential. Lean into your dreams. Don’t be defeated by fear.
And live on purpose today.
