Your journey and your story are unique, and each day you add more to your Experience Equity. That is your true value.
Your Purpose Is To Do Something
I believe that you and I were put on this earth to do something with our lives. In fact, I believe that all of us were put here in our various stations, statuses, affluence and so on and so forth to do something with what we’ve been given – even if it doesn’t appear that we’ve been given very much.
The idea is to become more, and in doing so we lift others up by our example, and then we get to tell our story.
Telling my story is, in essence, what this website and Operation Joy (and pretty much everything else I do!) are all about.
I often talk about how dangerous a thing comparison can be, because it can get you to focus on the wrong thing – it can take you away from your true purpose, and stall you on your journey.
Because that’s the thing that you may be missing.
You may be 35, 45, 55 years old (or more) and you may be comparing yourself to others as a means of gauging whether or not you’ve been successful – either in life or in the pursuit of your dreams and passions. Like I was doing at 33, you may be lamenting the idea that your opportunity has passed you by and that now it’s time to settle. Now it’s time to give up. Heck, maybe that time was a long time ago and now you’re just lost.
Stop doing that.
You Have A Responsibility To Your Dreams
The first truth you need to know is that giving up on your goals or your dreams or your passions – those things that gnawed at you from youth up to today – is the worst possible thing you could do, not only for yourself, but for others who could benefit from hearing about your journey. As it is, you have that dream and those passions for a reason – that is your calling. That thing you’re here to do has something to do with that.
And the second truth is that comparing yourself to someone else, or even latching onto the idea that the dream is over and it’s time to give up is ridiculous – your journey is unique. It’s your journey, and no one else’s. In fact, your journey is what it is and has been what it’s been because of the story you’re meant to tell with it. Even if it doesn’t feel like it, it’s leading somewhere.
As long as you’re willing to share your experience.
Your Story Is Unique
When I decided I wanted to jump back into music at 34, I had a dark cloud hanging over me that made me feel as though I’d never be worth anything – that I could never compete and would never be successful because I was past the age where any potential listener (and, by extension, record label or promoter) would want anything to do with me. Besides that, I had a mortgage, a wife and a newborn. Where was I going to find time to accomplish any of this? Why would anyone have any interest in an old, married, “normal” living father?
I had to remind myself that my story is unique, and though it may not be one that teeny-boppers have an interest in, by the time it’s finally found an audience, my journey will resonate with so many people, and will have a profound meaning to them for just that very reason.
In fact, it’s entirely plausible that I might be 65 before anyone really even notices me, or this website, or my story, or my music. And if I am, it will be because it was needed then.
And imagine how much story there will be to tell!
The Most Valuable Thing You Will Ever Possess Is Your Story
That’s pretty much the idea behind Experience Equity. I completely understand you may be sad, depressed, confused, or just plain feeling directionless because it may not even feel like those goals you’ve set out to achieve are hanging out right around the corner. They may feel so far off that you’re about to come to the conclusion that the whole thing is hopeless.
But in reality, the longer your journey, the more story you will have to tell.
So you haven’t “arrived” yet. So what?
So you haven’t realized your dreams. That’s actually okay. That may even be a good thing.
Because each day on the journey you add more to your story. Your story (the one you’ll one day share with the rest of the world), and your experience, are what make you truly valuable. Those are the things that make up your real value. No matter what anyone takes away from you, no matter how far you fall, no matter how hard he climb… you’re always gaining more experience.
And that constant growth of experience – the ingredients that go into your story – is what I call “Experience Equity”.
Your true value is growing exponentially every second of every day.
So don’t give up on your dreams. Don’t end the journey now. One day you will have so much to share and you will touch so many people because of it.
As it turns out, you may even be ready to share right now.
I know I am.