Happy new year! The title quote comes from a note inside a Christmas card from a friend who, due to location (and occasional laziness), I don’t see as often as I wish.
She’s an ambitious one. I’ve written about my attraction to ambitious people in the past, and this is still a formula that continues to ring true.
I love the start of a new year. I agree with Raam Dev (among others) in many ways when he describes the hoopla surrounding a new year as the annual placebo effect, but I can’t help but love the window of positivity that this opens up before us, if only for a short period.
Positive advertisements start to flood our screens, pages and browser windows. Colleagues will strike up conversation after conversation, asking each other what their new years resolutions are, while lightly laughing about their chances of sticking to them.
However arbitrary these resolutions are, and however short a period that one person sticks to them does not matter to me.
The once uncommon ambitious streak I’m attracted to in people is out in full force for a short period. Sure, most will fall down. Most will fall down and not pull themselves up for another twelve months, but such is the masses.
Some however, some will break through. Some will stumble upon a passion they can’t stop working on. They’ll be at it day and night, working on it until their fingers can no longer feel and their eyes can no longer see.
Slowly but surely they’ll make their mark with a long jump gold.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this post Ben. Short and simple but packs a punch. I know which person I want to be, although I hope to do so without losing fingers or sight as that would be somewhat of an inconvenience. Happy New Year!
Lightweight ;)
Happy NY. I’m very excited to follow along with your progress this year (both in person and online). I’ll see you soon no doubt.
Short and sweet. I like that. It is funny how little thought that goes into some things in life, especially when you want to say, “why bother with New Year resolutions, because I’ll just quit a month in and that is a month wasted!” But that is a mentality that will kill the spirit, because you have to believe first. If nobody tries, then nobody wins. Whoever came up with “New Year Resolutions” is a genius, because, like you said, it gives us a platform to try that something we desperately envision. Keep it up!
I’m glad you enjoyed it Tyler! I agree with everything you said. I’ve heard so many people make statements today suggesting they’re above the art of making new years resolutions (and no doubt I’ll hear more over the coming week), but as an initial for positive change, I know no better.
Powerful post! It’s true, most of the people will not be able to keep changing and adapting both themselves and their business. But those few who will change, those who follow their passion, they will see this post as a powerful voice telling them, let’s get this done!
Thank you Benjamin!
Thank you Alejandro. Getting things (the important things) done and following your passion isn’t a bad manta to bring in the new year, I must say.