I spend all this time focusing on what I can do, and what I will accomplish, and who I will become.
And it made me realize something…….
It's not about what I can do, it’s about what I can’t do.
You see, I can’t spend another day not putting 110% of my energy into my goals. I can’t spend another second wasting my time doing unfulfilling and non-joyful activities.
But let me take a step back and tell you a little story from my childhood.
After MONTHS of begging my mom to let me ski on a weekday (instead of going to school), she finally agreed.
The forecast called for 8” of snow overnight and then the storm would let up during the day.
I called two of my friends and they miraculously convinced their parents to allow them to skip school and ski pow with me.
My mom drove us all up to Sierra at Tahoe, and when we got there I couldn’t believe my eyes…..
We had gotten over a foot of beautiful pow that was just waiting for us.
Waiting there for us to go explore, to laugh and fall, to feel like we were on clouds and gliding through the air.
It was so deep I couldn't even ski, I had some old 85mm underfoot skis that were not cut out for the job.
No matter, I was lost. Lost in the moment. Playing in this playground was too much fun!
This was one of the most unreal pow days of my life!
But it’s not all fun and games.
In fact, it was miserable watching through the webcams as my entire childhood playground burnt down to the ground in the Caldor fire.
Sierra-at-Tahoe was gone.
All of it - the Caldor fire burned 220,000 acres of the forest I grew up in.
220,000 acres of my memories as a kid. Where I skied for the first time, where I drove my first car, where I would hike, where I would go explore. Literally all of it.
Now I won't even be able to take my kids and grandkids to all the cool outdoor places that I grew up going to.
I can’t spend another day watching my town, my community, my environment, and my world get destroyed by the decisions we humans make.
And watching my entire childhood playground burn to the ground put into perspective how short life is, and how any one of us can lose everything in a second.
This was an eye-opening experience that makes me focus on what I can’t do, instead of what I can do.
Life is short, be grateful for your time here and chase your goals!