Version 2.0

Culture, healing, politics and bullshit - Not necessarily in that order

The general, socio-political and very personal rantings and ravings of a hip hop head from the hood hustling for change... Of himself.

You all know me and are aware that I am unable to remain silent. At times to be silent is to lie. For silence can be interpreted as acquiescence.
—Miguel de Unamuno



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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Woulda' Coulda' Shoulda'

So a few weeks ago, someone asked me a very tough question to answer. I was asked:

When is it time to realize that age, missed opportunity and passed time has set in to the point where you just give up and stick to cubicle or factory dwelling?

I don't know how to answer this question.

I know that there are tons of us with great ideas, inventions, pending patents, internet schemes, investment opportunities, franchise thingamabobs and such that needs maybe a little time, additional funds, investment or maybe even the kids moving out to take shape, but...  I cannot imagine a scenario where I can just relax in the fact that living in my cubicle or holding my place on the factory floor is what I need to do in order to realize my dream. I know that for most of us, we understand that hard work and investment makes material things happen such as homes, fashion and vacations but this country and our mindset doesn't rather work in that manner.

Hell, I left corporate America in 2005, and I did struggle when I came over to the trucking industry. My health and access to proper and timely healthcare as well as the diet I chose hampered my ability to stay in a truck in 2006 and 2007. Once I got my shit together at the end of 07 and stayed my ass in the truck, I began to realize my potential as my own boss, which lead me to exit the rig first quarter of last year. All of the ideas I had as far as running my own business that didn't roll over the interstate formed in my head as I drove, and I wrote them down and researched my ass off during my down time at home. I decided to experiment on some of my ideas and a few small successes led to where I am now.

If I never would have met this guy that owned a handful of trucks while I was on a break during my cubicle dwelling years, maybe the motivation to branch out would have died with the thoughts and rants I used to blog about right here in this forum back in the day. I guess what I'm trying to say is no one has to be chained to a desk or slave in a more labor intensive position; I believe that we have a choice in what we want to do. If we gravitate to what we love, the money will definitely follow, it just takes dedication and follow through, right?

So, in answering that question, I must say that I don't know if I could ever give in, relegated to the fact that working for someone else is what I want to do. I could never give up on my own dreams. If the past couple of months have taught me anything, it's that worrying about outside factors and how they could prevent you from doing stuff is a total waste of time. You spend time worrying about what others say, financial factors, politics and all things external and you realize that time has gotten the best of you and your ideas have not grown, just grown older and have become outdated because your attention was focused on other stuff.

I have other things to do... There can't be time dedicated to me thinking about failure and criticisms from outside my circle. I could never give into the thought that I am too old to do anything, so I put blinders on and just keep humping into old age and death, inundated with woulda, coulda and shouldas... That to me sounds like torture from the first moment of the initial thought.

To hell with that, ya dig?

4 comments:

JStar said...

I am WITH you here...Its NEVER too late to follow your dream...Yea, we waste time...but thats when we get sick and tired of being sick and tired and do something about it!! Make those dreams into a reality and if thats not possible, do the best you can with what you got...We all have a purpose to serve on this earth and God has given us talents...Lets put them to use and do a job that we enjoy so it doesnt feel like work...

Anonymous said...

What happens is that responsibility deters us. So we get jobs. Then we become slaves to the money. I remember a conversation with a friend years ago about being addicted to the paycheck. It's like a drug and we put aside dreams and desires to go to work and "feed our habits."

Diva (in Demand)

LadyLee said...

Here, here. Well said, bruh. Very well said.

Anonymous said...

So true...