“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.” – Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist and novelist

I just came back from my cousin’s wedding in North Carolina. It was certainly an intersting experience. For the first time in my life, I was exposed to a church wedding. Kinda scary, but nonetheless educational.

As I was coming back on the plane ride and trains, I realized how I almost didn’t go. If I didn’t go, I would have missed out on a lot. Aside from the actual wedding, I had a great time. For example, the first night, we met up my cousin at a small club and were there pretty late.

I didn’t realize it buy I actually got drunk. It wasn’t as bad as I thought. I was with good company, everyone I trusted, so it was actually quite fun. But, still, won’t be doing that again. It was one of those things that you do once in your life, and you’re good to go.

Just as I probably will never go into a church ever again. Not my cup of tea. Well, I don’t even like going to a Jain temple, so makes sense. But the point is that I would have missed out on my meeting my cousins, my aunts, and uncles.

I would have missed on seeing one of my other cousin’s huge property. I would have missed out on staying in a hotel room. I would have missed out on lots of good Indian food. And I would have missed out on the garba.

So, anyways all I’m saying is that I feel like I am missing out on a lot by not being more out going. I have lots of opportunities to do “stuff” that I just don’t take. I should take them. But more importantly, I’ve been just sitting around for the most part waiting for something to happen.

I need to be even more proactive in achieving my dreams.

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain

I do a lot of reflecting, even though I rarely ever find myself on the side of the majority. I hate being like other people. There was only one moment in my life that I tried really hard to fit in and I hated it. It caused me a lot of emotional pain and proved to me that the worst thing you can do for yourself is to try to be like other people.

What I’m trying to do for myself, not many people are trying to do. In high school, when kids were thinking about what college they wanted to go to (like your SUPPOSED to), I was thinking about finishing up my first novel.

In college, when most people were either busy goofing off or thinking about a career in some large corporation, I was working on finishing up my feature length screenplay and thinking about how I could avoid working 9-5.

It’s AMAZING to be Different

I think differently than the majority of people out there. Recently, I was contacted by one of Internet Marketer John Denton’s sales people who was offering me a coaching service. He said, “We usually do not work with people your age, because kids your age aren’t thinking about creating something on their own.”

I find it really funny that we’re taught that we should first get a job, then pursue our dreams later, when we’re more “experienced” and “financially secure.” But who has actually done that? Most people, after working for just 12 months, will often just say, “Well, I like the stability, I’ll just stay where I am.”

Another thing that people don’t realize is that it takes about the same amount of time and struggle to do something you love and do something you don’t love. For example, lets just say your dream is to become a writer but instead you end up going to med school, just because you’re thinking money and stability.

Put a VALUE on the STRUGGLE

In order to become a writer, you’re going to have to struggle a lot, and face a lot of rejection. One of the greatest writers in bollywood, Javed Akhtar, struggled for five years before getting his first break. I don’t really know what it takes to become a doctor, but I’m guessing 4 years of pre-med, 3-4 years of med school, then 1-2 years of residency? So, 5 years struggling to become a writer as opposed to around 10 years struggling to become a doctor? Plus, you’re faced with all those student loans and you’re doing something you don’t particularly enjoy?

Now which one seems more appealing?

I’m not bashing doctors. I saw a doctor last week who clearly enjoyed the path she had chosen in her life. But, I’ve just bee meeting too many people recently who are completely unhappy with their place in life, and its really sad.

Life is about ADVENTURE

Break down the numbers. Don’t just look at things in dollar signs. Life isn’t about stability, it’s about becoming the best that you can be. Making money is easy, making money and having fun is the hard part.

I guess most people still won’t listen to me, since I’m not making a “steady” income. But I’m getting there. Right now I’m at 100 per week working at home. That call of freedom is getting closer and closer. How long do you think it will take me to scale my business to a point where I’m making 100 dollars a day….or a 100 dollars a minute without a boss or any employees? Now that’s magical.