It’s always time for a fresh start

There are lots of sayings about aging and living.

We all know someone who is young but is letting life pass by. We also know aged people who embrace every single opportunity to make the best use of their time. What kind of person are you?

If there is any great idea or project that you have been hiding from the rest of the world, I would say you are the kind of person letting your life pass by. And it is not a matter of hiding Intellectual Property. It is a matter of how many of your ideas or projects are becoming reality. If none, I might be right about you.

Recently I graduated from Seth Godin’s altMBA. During one intense month of learning and connecting with amazing people from all over the world, I realized it is always time for a fresh start. One good example is my colleague and friend Scott Perry. He is a middle-aged successful musician. His life and his past accomplishments may be enough for many people. But for him, they weren’t enough. Then in less than two months after we finished altMBA, he has gone from realizing what his next big project was, to making it a reality. The Stoic Guitarist is his fresh start.

I know lots of younger people that have no idea what their life projects are. The industrial economy and the Generation X established a standard for success that is all about being a workaholic and earning money. And most of us still spend time chasing the golden pot, working all week with no other goal than to receive the paycheck.

One thing that I learned from altMBA and I am confirming now, is that no matter how old we are, we need to find a purpose, to find the reason for our next fresh start. And a way to find that is to connect to people, to talk to people, to share experiences and to ship. As Seth Godin suggests, when you create the habit of shipping, you start to pay attention to the world around you. You try to find that little spark that triggers the idea for your next post, your next talk, your next project. You feel responsible for the things you deliver. And indeed you are!

Go out, hear people’s stories, tell them yours. Make meaningful connections. And then, show us your art. Link it to your goals. In the world we live in now, purpose leads to success. Money is a consequence, not a target.

So, no matter how old you are, tell me… what is your next fresh start?

P.S.: Thanks Lana Camiel for creating It’s Your Turn!

P.S.2: I strongly recommend this interview with Seth Godin. Wise words.