Did you try?

I have a confession to make. I’m human. I think that’s okay, though. I bet you are a human too. That’s okay, a lot of my best friends are humans. Although as humans, we tend to get in our own way. We can even convince ourselves that doing things we know how to do are entirely wrong for us.

Moms and dads worrying about us and advising us not to do things are just natural. Same with friends and siblings. They only want to protect you and not see you get hurt.

I have somebody who cares for me deeply, and that is why the answer is ‘no’ to everything from righting a bike, grilling outback, fishing, walking or hiking, using a chainsaw or doing almost anything else interesting. It’s nice to have somebody care for you, and yet at the same time, there’s a point at which you have to step forward and live your life. I pick my times and places to step forward and live my life. And, I advise that you do the same.

I believe that the person who cares about me is looking out for my own good. The same as those who look out for you,  I am sure, are only looking out after your own good. Yet I have learned something along the way. No risk ends up providing no reward. A relatively safe or sound risk, entered into with eyes wide open, could very easily be an acceptable gamble.

No one can guarantee us anything, not even that tomorrow will come. When you take a chance that you have studied and understand, you are not tempting fate, you are merely working hard to do better. The dog you get may bite you, you may fall off the bike, you may burn your hand while grilling and the fish you catch might be a shark. Again, no guarantees. Still, if you’ve done your homework, and you know that there are no sharks in the local Lake and you find a puppy dog who likes you, probably you are going to do okay.

Not every chance you take will be a victory, yet each success you have will prepare you for the next possibility you take. And yes, there will be a percentage of failures. Failure doesn’t mean that you’re wrong or bad, it just means you had to learn a few more things to be more successful the next time you try.

We were born to try. It reminds me of a song talking about bleeding just to know you’re alive. It is something to think about. It would be terrible at the end of our days, to go back to where we came from with the body and mind that had never tried, and therefore never knew

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof