How Adulthood Kills Your Dream of Being An Astronaut

Okay, that last post I was a little upset, I apologize. I had to take some time off to think.

Okay, just kidding…it’s the holidays and I don’t have much time to write and work at the same time. To be honest, life gets in the way of passion sometimes and that is what I’m going to write about now. (I’ll keep it under a page, so no worries.)

Remember when you were a kid, and someone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? The process of coming up with the answer was as good as the answer itself. I mean how exciting was it to dream up your answer?

An astronaut, the president of the United States, a professional baseball player on the New York Yankees who Derek Jeter got to coach when he was a grandpa – and a career so awesome you got your number retired next to his (can you guess which one was mine?), a police officer, a dancer, an actor, a famous singer, an artist, a garbage man…you name it. (and best part was as a kid, you could believe it!)

Look back at your answer you stated years ago. Are you living it right now? Most of us would answer, no.

Now that you’re all depressed, let’s cheers to a community of crushed dreams.

But, hold on. You’re only 24. You’re barely 40. You’re 84, got about 10 years on this Earth left. 10 years is a lot. Where were you 10 years ago?

In high school doodling all over your notepad, first meeting the woman who you’d be calling your wife, watching your daughter get married, retiring from your job, getting hired for your first job!

A lot happens in 10 years, a lot even happens in 5 years, a lot even happens in 1 year. One year ago, I was in a different job, hoping to make more money, in a brand new relationship with a woman living over 2 hours away, taking acting classes. Now, I’m working in another city, living with that same woman, making more money, and acting is now on my side table.

See what I did there?

A year changed a lot! …But it also shifted priorities. I got 3 out of 4 things I wanted, but my passion was held off by life. Life does that, it seems to find a way to blunt your passions. And because of it, my dreams of making it on to the big screen are dwindling. I’m 24, too old to make it into Hollywood, I can’t uproot my life now, I can’t move to another city – I have another person to think about….I have another three people to think about….I have my kid’s life to think about….I can’t uproot my family…I have my grandchildren’s life to think about…I have my career to think about…

Sadly, it’s a harsh reality of life. Remember when you were a kid, and someone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? And out of all of you who raised your hands earlier, how many of you aren’t living those childhood dreams because the reasons above?

I’m definitely in that category. But, you know what. I love my life, I love my girl, I love my new job, I love my new city (not as much as Brooklyn though ;), and I don’t regret the life I chose for myself. Life is a culmination of choices, and I always choose/will choose happiness & family.

Moving to Los Angeles for a San Diego Chargers job, moving to bumblef*ck Virginia to work for the Redskins, moving to Ireland for a really cheap MBA…tempting. But, not now. The timing is not right.

Maybe opportunities in the future will present itself, next time I may take it. But not today.

Isn’t it funny how timing is everything? I’m jealous of those people who get really lucky, jump into careers/opportunities at just the right time. Some people just get real lucky! But to be honest, good for them. Why?

Luck = Preparation + Opportunity. “Lucky” people are just like you, only you didn’t get to watch them when they were struggling…when they   their ass off for an opportunity to arise. Patience. These opportunities take time. Dream scenarios are only written for people a couple times in a lifetime, they’re rare…but they do occur.

So I’m confident, even though I’m not living my dream yet…it doesn’t mean that I won’t be eventually. Sure, timing isn’t perfect right now, but it 100% will be in the future…as long as I persist, persist, persist.

So, in the meantime, I will continue to work my ass off, keeping all my dreams on the table, preparing for a future that I may/may not get access to, hoping for an opportunity. But, I assure you, once that opportunity presents itself…I’m blasting through that door.  

One day, maybe not today or tomorrow, and with plenty of persistence & preparation – you will finally get to say “Yes.” Yes, I became what I always dreamed of.

So keep, keep that dream alive, even if it’s a flickering flame. You never know who or what, or when or where it’ll spark.

(Btw delivered on my promise…sort of. It was a page and a half, so I made the font size a 7. Sure, I can barely read it it’s so small, but I made it. Not a liar.)