Do Whatever You Want

5 Comments

air forceI gave some top Air Force Cadets some weird advice last night. I told them to do whatever you want right now, and figure out a career later in life.

These guys are the top of their class; an elite set of jumpers that you’ll see parachuting into stadiums around the country before football games. They have the best grades and can do about anything they want. So why tell them to do anything now and figure out the important stuff later?

There’s a big difference between 20 years old and 55 years old. The older you are, the more experience you have in life and your career. You know what you like and what you don’t. The key is to take your experiences and turn them into work.

These guys have their entire lives ahead of them. Doing what they love now will give them the experience they need to design a career or start a business.

Are you doing what you want? Or are you stuck doing something convenient?

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Photo by Beverly & Pack

Posted on January 26, 2012

  • http://bluecapra.com/ Alan Reeves

    Great advice.  I hope they take it.  It has taken me 15 years to decide and take action to start a business.  Secure jobs, commitments, and not having a clear goal or direction can all get in the way.  The worst part is starting.  At their ages, very little is permanent.  They can often go anywhere and do anything and all they most likely want to do is start work.  At least, that is all I wanted to do at their age. 
    I could not wait to start working after I graduated from college.  Part of that was money but part was getting started doing something, anything.  It was not until more than 10 years later that I really began to realize how important it is to find your calling and explore your purpose.  The earlier you can discover those things, the better off you are.
    It is a difficult sell to get young people to find out what they really want to do in life when they have been programmed from a young age to graduate from high school, go to college, get out and get a good job that makes you a lot of money.  Finding your passion and calling takes time, but the benefits are invaluable.  Thanks

  • http://coachradio.tv/ Justin Lukasavige

    You know, we told them that very thing, Alan. And I’m glad you’re not waiting. It’s never too late.

  • http://twitter.com/davidamoore David Moore

    Absolutely!!!! I’m that 25 yr old kid stuck in a 50 yr old body with all the responsibilities.  They need to do it NOW.

  • http://www.postcollegesuccess.com Daniel Holterhaus

    Wish I would have had this advice when I was 20!  I remember one of my professors in my final semester of college telling our class to “just go get a job, even if it’s taking out the garbage for a company.”  There is really no price we can pay for just doing what we want, especially when we are young and don’t have as much experience.

  • http://coachradio.tv/ Justin Lukasavige

    You know what, Dan? I’d probably find a way to enjoy being a trash collector, if only for 6 months. Good advice.