Why People Need To Start Putting Their Money Where Their Mouth Is
This is for all the complainers, the self-doubters, the unmotivated. This is for the kids who complain more than they talk and talk more than they do. This is for all those dreamers who can’t play in reality and the talented who never realize their potential. This is for the unsure and the unable to make a decision. This is for the boastful and the braggers, full of words, but never actions.
We’re surrounded by people with the tendencies to whine and moan, people who sit around and talk about doing something. More than that, we’ve become a culture of plan makers, telling ourselves and everyone else all the amazing things we want to do with our lives. We are going to write the next HBO hit series, start going on auditions, move to San Francisco, open a food truck and stop eating sweets. Whether the dreams are big or little, there’s a horrible trend of making empty statements.
Why all the empty statements? Why are we so afraid to try? Why are we talking about our hopes and dreams as unattainable mirages of a life we'll never have? Why do we look at opportunity as a chance for failure and failure as a fate worse than death? We think people will judge us for falling flat on our faces, laugh at us for pursuing ridiculous dreams. However, that's where we're so wrong.
No one is judging you on your failures. You can’t judge someone who tried and failed because failing in pursuit of your dreams means coming closer than never trying at all. You can sleep at night, knowing that you tried, rather than staying up, wondering how your life would or could be different if you had gone after those innermost desires.
There’s no shame in failing, but there is shame in never following through. There’s a certain level of respect a person loses when he or she starts to become known as that kid who’s all talk. That kid who talks a big game, but has little to show for it. They’re like a balloon filled with hot gas, destined to deflate into nothing.
Why is it that people have no shame when it comes to admitting to plans and goals, knowing full well they will never validate these statements? It’s a sad day when people think that talking about writing a novel is good enough and not smoking cigarettes for a week is quitting. When did we become so weak?
When did we become so scared to try that we’d rather talk about it until we die? What ever happened to proving your worth and having a track record of failed attempts and mistakes rather than no record at all?
Failing before trying is a disease that plagues many young minds. It’s the idea that there are too many obstacles to face that it’s not even worth the attempt. It’s the idea that success and fame could never happen to you. It’s the idea that you’re not good enough.
This idea needs to stop. It’s self-effacing and downright unattractive. You live in a world where anything is possible and there is no good excuse for not being able to achieve your dreams, except that you’re scared or lazy.
But why are you scared? You are young and able; you are resilient. There is no reason you can’t set out to achieve those crazy goals and that fabulous life you always dreamed for yourself. There’s nothing holding you back but your own self doubt and continuing denial. For this, we pay you no pity.
We are sick and tired of all the whining and complaining and broken promises. We’re sick of hearing about your plans and your fabulous dreams before your excuses and lists of reasons. We’re tired of your talk, of your incessant talking and your inability to do anything. We’re tired of it all. Please, do us all a favor and nut up or shut the hell up.
Photo credit: House Of Cards
