Limitless Monday – Don’t Wait to be Brought Flowers, Plant Your Own Garden

Limitless Monday – Don’t wait to be brought flowers, plant your own garden

Writing a weekly blog on the subject of inspiration is not as easy as it seems. Firstly you have to be inspired and secondly you have to find the time. The second of those elements is simple. There is always time. You just have to prioritize better.

Those who use the excuse, “I am too busy” should read last week’s article. They are deserving recipients of a slap. It is the inspiration that is more difficult. That, however, is also easily cured with a combination of discipline and brain power.

Like any problem, if you give it attention rather than choose to sweep it to the back corner of your mind, then a solution is likely to be forthcoming. Two weeks ago I failed to deliver my weekly article since before I can remember. That was down to not tasking my brain with the mission of coming up with a topic to write about. This week was different.

As I sat on the toilet, I viewed a short clip from the British comedian Jimmy Carr. In his standup performances he often invites hecklers. However, he is not your typical comedian. Rather than dish out a stream of obscenities and barbs about having sex with the heckler’s mother, he also provides words of wisdom. And so it was with this clip.

A 21 year old shouted, “Today I didn’t get my dream job!”

Jimmy asked, “What was your dream job my friend?”

“A journalist at my student newspaper.”

“A journalist?” Jimmy confirmed. There were definitely some good potential jokes right there.

“I have great news. Have you heard of Substack?” Jimmy asked.

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“Yes,” the hopeful student answered.

“Then get on that. Give yourself the permission to do the job that you want to do. Don’t wait to be brought flowers. Plant your own garden.”

That short clip was the inspiration for this article. Most of us prefer to get others to do the hard work. We want our parents to pay our rent, we prefer to take diet pills rather than engage in regular exercise and watch our calorie intake, we choose to fantasize about becoming rich by buying lottery tickets or gambling rather than putting our heads down and grinding it out.

I have seen many instances of people explaining why they didn’t make a success of their lives. The excuses often revolve around someone else not following through with a promise. “I was so close,” they will say. “If only the markets didn’t collapse I would have been a millionaire.”

“If only”, is the often repeated word here. If only I got that job, if only I hadn’t married that loser, if only I had studied harder at school.

You must stop with the “if only” and start taking responsibility. It’s never too late to change the narrative from if only to what’s next.

As with the example of the budding journalist our future is at our finger tips. We don’t have to rely on others to achieve our dreams. In fact we shouldn’t rely on anyone. Over reliance is a sure fire way for excuses and failure. You must paddle your own boat through the rapids and into clear water. Throw out any baggage along the way and focus on the end goal. As I heard someone say the other day, enjoy the process and the proceeds will look after themselves. The process is where you live.

Happy Monday!

Banner Image: Planting a garden.  Image Credit – Elliott Blair