#14 - Put Your Blinders On 06/06/18

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever seen, and that applies to almost any goal you have, is to "put your blinders on".

I don't remember when I first heard it, but basically it means to ignore what everyone else is doing, and just look straight ahead. Make sure you goal is directly in front of you, and just keep moving toward it. I struggle with applying that advice everyday, but I wake up intending to.

I know what I want to accomplish, both professionally and personally. I want to be a headlining comedian, and I want to finish writing a book. I want to get into better shape. I have financial goals in mind. But above all else, I want to reach a point in my life where I just enjoy each day. No more Monday blues, or dreading Sunday night, or hump days. I want each day to be fun. Like when you're a kid, and it's Summer holidays, and half the time you don't even know what day of the week it is. That was the best feeling in the world. That's the life I want, so that's what I stare at with my blinders on.

And I've pretty well achieved that last one. I'm pretty happy most days. I'm of the mindset that that should be everyone's primary goal; achieve happiness. But I don't know what drives other people, and who am I to post on here telling other people how to live their lives? That said, I do think that the happiest people are the ones that have goals and aspirations, and work toward them. Going to bed at night, knowing that you made progress toward something that day is a great feeling. Waking up motivated makes it easier to get out of bed. It changes your outlook on life.

Some of the unhappiest people I know are people that don't seem to have any direction. They just go into a job they don't like, go through the motions, and live for Saturday. They don't have their blinders on. I used to be like that, years ago. I had a sales job that was paying the best money I had ever made. But all I did was drive around selling construction supplies. (I called myself a "nail salesman"). And I had no point of focus, no goals; just aimlessly walking in whatever direction my feet decided to take me in that day. And I wasn't nearly as happy as I am now. I didn't go to bed feeling fulfilled or like I accomplished something that day. It was just another day gone, 24 hours closer to Saturday. Once I decided something needed the change, literally every aspect of my life started to improve. I had a focus.

I don't intend for this blog to be an advice column or anything. If nobody was reading it, I'd still be coming up with entries each day. It's just a way for me to get the stuff in my head out in front of me. It helps me get the blinders on every morning.

And, 'blog' doesn't sound as nerdy as 'diary'.

Thanks for reading.

Adam