A long time ago I knew a man who was fond of stating that the worst lie most people tell themselves is "I'll get around to it."
He was not referring to the common, everyday procrastination that most people indulge in - he was referring to something he said was far worse.
He was referring to, as he made certain to make clear, the habit some people have of working at jobs or professions they have no real passion for, for most of their entire lives, in the hopes of one day being able to pursue their true passion.
I always wanted to kick that man right in his self-righteous balls.
Why? Simply because I am 100% certain no one on this planet makes it a habit to do anything they are not enthusiastic about if it were possible to be doing that very something they absolutely loved to do.
It has been my experience that anybody who is working at a job that is not their actual dream job, is doing so because they are not fond of being homeless, or in debt, or do not have the luxury of living off a trust fund or the public tit. They work that job in order to survive, to take care of themselves or their families.
I am also 100% certain that, if given the choice and freedom to do so, every single last one of the inhabitants of this big blue marble would be pursuing their real passion, especially if it not only afforded them a living, it brought them fame and fortune.
However, that is not the case for most people. Most people - and by most people I mean 99.9% of the people, are not able to pursue their passion and earn a living/provide for themselves and family/not be a burden to society.
Sometimes it's due to not having gotten the break they need, sometimes it's due to the circumstances they were born in, sometimes it's because they can't afford the necessary education or don't have the right contacts. Whatever the case, most people have had to put their passions on the back burner and attend to the business of life.
Most people have to take jobs in industries that have absolutely nothing to do with what they really want to be doing. The world is overflowing with actors waiting tables, singers ringing up groceries, fine artists selling real estate, wanna be Doctors, Lawyers, Chemists, and Writers flipping burgers or signing people up on two-year cell phone contracts. That's just how life is.
All of those people no doubt are being honest with themselves and the world when they state "they will get around to it." Unfortunately, the business of life takes precedence over the dreams we all aspire to, unless you are fortunate enough to have some external means of support that will last until your passion becomes profitable.
That good fortune is made available to a very small percentage of those dreaming of wild and wonderful success in their chosen career field however - most people are forced to take a job simply to pay the bills.
And again that, I must reiterate, is just how life is. There is no conspiracy at work against the up and coming in any field. The obstacles that one encounters with each and every endeavor that may keep you from early successes are just the challenges that have to be overcome in order to prove your worth, to use a centuries old adage.
Think about it. If we could all have the level of success we really, truly wanted, there would be no one left to mix up a frozen Daiquiri and listen to people as they contemplate what is necessary to improve their lives; what it is to really overcome the odds and win.
Unless, of course, there are people whose idea of ultimate achievement is to be the best Daiquiri making bartender on the planet.
I guess it comes down to hope. Those who are still trying, still rehearsing lines in the shower or practicing the chords to the latest hit song in a dimly lit bedroom, are those that still have hope. They strive to improve, to overcome the odds, to "get around to it."
Those are the best people on earth, those are my brothers and sisters in arms, so to speak. They keep striving as they keep on taking care of business.
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