The young boy and the young girl say, "Someday when I get out of school, move away from home, and
start college, I'm really going to have fun. I'll be happy
and life will be great."
The college student says, "Someday when I graduate,
get my degree, get a job and my own apartment, I'll
be happy and am really gonna live!"
The young couple says, "Someday when we get
moved into our new home, get that promotion, and join
the country club, we'll really be happy and life will be
so good."
Mother and father say, "Someday, when those kids
get out of school and we get this place paid off, we're
really gonna' be happy and truly enjoy life."
The older couple says, "Someday when we retire,
we're really gonna enjoy life, do all those things we've
been wanting to do but never seemed to take time to do
... we're gonna be happy and have a good time then!"
The accountant says, "When tax season's over ...";
the teacher says, "When school's out ..."; the farmer
says, "When the crops are in ..."; the technician says,
"When this program's completed ..."; the engineer says,
"When this job's done ..."; the speaker/entertainer says,
"When this tour's finished ..."; the candidate says,
"When I'm elected ..."; the coach or player says, "When
the season's over ..."; the statistician says, "When all
the numbers are in ..."; the health minister says, "When
I see what the others are gonna do ..."; ... ad infinitum.
On the way out, they look back longingly and say,
"Wow! If only I had it to do over again, I'd have gone
barefooted to school in the spring like Billy Bob did,
and slipped off to the creek with Ralph Raymond and
Joe Day to go swimming after school like they did."
"If only I hadn't gotten married so young, I'd have
gone to Alaska with Ed, Kendall, and Pete ... what fun
that would have been!"
"If only I'd borrowed the money, taken the chance,
and developed that idea of mine into a business like Ed
did instead of taking a job with the Grist Mill because
of the security they offered, two weeks vacation with
pay each year ... a company car and expense account
... an insurance program ... retirement, social security,
and a gold watch."
"If only I could do it over again, I'd smile more,
worry less ... I'd take chances, I'd travel to exotic
places, meeting interesting people, ride motorcycles,
fly airplanes and hot-air balloons ... I'd hike mountain
trails, zip across the desert, camp out, canoe, portage,
fish, hunt, laugh, love, and live!"
"Oh, If only I could live it all over, I'd take better care
of myself, exercise more often, drink less booze and
more juice ... eat less fat and more veggies. I'd treasure
every day, love everybody, thank God for my blessings
and lessons, my successes and my setbacks."
"If only ... I'd be happy and truly live every day!"
There's an old fable ... and the subject of a recent great
book by Mark L. Feldman and Michael F. Spratt ... that
goes, "There were five frogs on a log ... four of 'em
decided to jump. How many frogs are left on the log?"
The most common answer is "one". The second most
popular answer is "none" ... because, the guesser reasons,
if four decided to jump, the remaining frog probably
went along with the majority. The right answer is
"five"! Deciding to do something and taking the action
to do it are two entirely different things. As my Daddy
used to say, "Aiming to, don't pick no cotton!"
The leaders, the real winners in life, are the ones
who evaluate the situation, make a decision, and then
take action. Got something that's bothering you? Write
out in a clear, complete statement, not a question, the
challenge you are facing. Ask yourself, "What are the
causes of this situation?" Often you resolve it there. If
not, then ask yourself, "What are all the possible
answers to this challenge?" Write out all the possible
answers. Brainstorm; don't evaluate. Then review all
the possible answers, decide on the best possible
answer, and then ACT. And do it now!
Get rid of the "Someday ..." and the "If only..." syndromes,
and get on with life TODAY!
Learn more about Ed Foreman, business entrepreneur,
author, speaker, former U.S. Congressman (Texas and
New Mexico).