Think about all the people who have given up on their future. They are sad, even depressed. They no longer have any aspirations about their future.
But what makes them live like that?
It's funny to see that so many people in this world consider the factors around them to be responsible for their situation, and completely forget about their attitude towards life.
Sure, if you are born in poverty, you will have a hard time getting out of it. Chances are you never will.
Sure, if you are born rich, you might never face poverty.
But there are enough examples of people who have done both. Of people who are self made, and people who have destroyed their family reputation and wealth.
Maybe in the first two or three decades of your life external factors decide your circumstances. You are not old enough, not wise enough, and maybe not strong enough to change them.
But, once you have matured enough, it's in your hand to steer your life. To direct where your life is going. And to change it's direction.
Imagine a salesman who is shy. It will be difficult for him to sell anything.
If he wants to become a better salesman, he has to become more presentable, more confident, and more communicative. Unless he do so, he will fail in his job. He can consider any external factor he wants, but the truth he himself is responsible. No one will come to change his life.
The small choices you make daily, to work or to relax, to invest or to spend. All these small choices adds up to build your future self.
The ability to imagine.
We have the power to imagine, to think, and to create.
We used our imagination to create things that were not there before. For example, the whole internet, cryptocurrency, mobile phones, satellite etc.
But a lot of people don't use their imaginative power to its full potential. They are confining themselves to a limited future.
They just wish their current situation could change. But what would replace their current situation?
They have no idea!
And then there are people who don't want to step away from their reality.
They have settled in their reality so comfortably that they believe nothing else is possible. A common behavior seen in many drug addicts. Very few people escape that tunnel.
Question things that you take for granted.
One of the first book that I read cover to cover was "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie.
Being an introvert, and growing up with a low self esteem, it changed the way I looked at things.
It showed me there was nothing wrong with me but it was the way I was doing things, the way I was thinking.
When you accept things as they are, it limits the possibilities.
No one would be able to find a better job or more happiness in their life if they just accept the things as they were.
It is when people start to question their circumstances that they start to believe change is possible.
Question everything and then dream about the possibilities.
There are no possibilities without some sort of risk. If you want to fulfill your dreams, you have to take risks for it.
If you want to become rich, you have to invest. And investment is a risk. There are no guaranteed returns.
If you want more time in your life, you have to take the risk of leaving your job, or changing your career. It's a risk. There is no security of a paycheck at the end of the month.
However, if you understand why you are doing something, there is more chance of success.
As Jim Carrey said it -
You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
I love the story of Jim Carrey. When he was starting his career, he wrote to himself a check of $10 million dollar for acting services. And ten years later, he got paid the same amount, $10 million dollars for his role in the movie 'Dumb and Dumber'.
Of course it was not that simple. If it were that easy, everyone would write themselves a check of $10 million and collect it 10 years later.
It's not as simple as it sounds. There would be 100's of factors involved.
He was so much dedicated to play his role that he almost forgot who he was. Especially, while playing Andy Kaufman's character in 'Man on The Moon' movie.
He believed in a better future for himself. He believed that he can get paid $10 million dollars for his services and he actually got paid.
How many of us believe that we can get paid $10 million for our services?
Not a lot of people I think.
Not everyone might reach to that level of dedication, or imagination, or execution.
But when you imagine and believe in better things, for sure better future is possible. Otherwise, you are stuck in the same phase of life. Maybe forever.
You don't have to become a millionaire, just imagine a future that makes you excited to wake up and work on it.
Happiness can never be found by following someone else's expectations. You have to find your own voice in this world. And without a great future to look forward to, things will become meaningless and unbearable.