Chicken Soup For My Soul

Choice....

is a scary thing.

it's terrifying.

it's a good thing, but it's scary.

because suddenly you're forced to make a decision,
to think through what you want, where you're going
you can't just let the days go by anymore,
cos now there's a junction.
left or right. or straight.
choose your own adventure.

maybe like the movie "sliding doors"
you go different routes but end up in the same place anyway
but then the same place don't mean you're the same person.
"you" consist of your experiences.
a different experience makes a different you.
but it's still comforting to know that you end up in the same place.

on the other hand, what if life is like the book series "choose your own adventure",
make the right choice and you can be the hero
the wrong one and you see "The ENd"
unlike the book, you can't turn back the pages in real life

then again, perhaps choice is an illusion
you already know what you're gonna choose
you just don't know it yet.

Uncertainty....

is exciting.
when you don't know what can happen, it means anything can happen.
anything, and everything.

it's an especially nice situation when any of the uncertain outcomes are acceptable
or maybe it's just how you look at things.
everything has a bright side.
focus on that and everything is acceptable.

BUT
don't settle for less
reach for the vision
you already know what you want to be
don't settle
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embrace the uncertainties that come by
some are surprises, some are shocks
most screw your long term plans up, but so what
a rigid long term plan is meant to be broken

but you need to have vision
to guide you in choices
what else would you base your decisions on

if i base it on money,
i don't know where that will lead me.
i haven't read one book that says that's the way to go to happiness,
and i won't use the one life i have to experiment.

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you are morally obligated to find and pursue your interest.
because if everyone does what they are interested and hence best in,
the world is a much better place.
the only way you can contribute to the world your full potential,
is to do what you're meant to do,
utilize your gift.

gift don't mean genius
gift means interest
you're interested in music but you're not world class
so what
rejoice in teaching music
that's your gift, from the world, back to the world

pursue your interest
and hard work is not hard at all
hard work will be rewarded.
no bullshit. just hard honest responsible work.
it pays.
believe that.
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think short term.
think in terms of a few years.
have a 5 year plan. 3 years. 2 years.
what if you're gone after those years.
what if you're banished.
what if you vanished.
what do you want to get done.
no bullcrap like busting the account or robbing the bank.
simple stuff.
and do it.

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contentment is not the opposite of ambition.
contentment is to be happy with what you have,
but it's not about losing the desire to improve oneself.

contentment is saying "hey i'd like to get there if i have time, but if not, that's alright."

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From Million Dollar Baby which is an extraordinary show and the twist caught me completely off guard:
(quoted from memory)

"I killed her"
"No, you took her in, and you gave her a shot at her dream. People die everyday, Frankie, washing dishes, mopping floors. But how many get to be champions, and hear the crowd chant their names, and live their dreams. i bet on her last breath, she's thinking 'i've been alright'. and if i were you, i'd say the same to myself."
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the next few weeks will be exciting ones.