“Don’t do everything. Do the next thing.” -Unknown
Do The Next Thing
words & images by aryk tomlinson
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Do The Next Thing
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Pursue/Accrue – Have the Will to Spill
Don’t be overwhelmed by your goals and dreams. They are meant to be taken one step at a time. Sometimes it’s one step forward and two steps back. Sometimes you make gigantic leaps out of no where. There is really no rhyme or reason to anything that happens in life. You just have to have faith that what you’re doing is right and it will pay off. Success is not a point in time, it’s more of a daily state of mind, where you are able to appreciate what you do, where you can feel progress being made, whether some days only a pinch or other days a bucket load. If there’s something you desire to achieve in this short yet long lifetime, you can very well achieve it. Any body, any mind can. You’re capable of growth by talking to others listening to those who want the best for you. It can be easy to dismiss what others say, any much of the time it is important to do so, but we’re all here together in attempt to make the best life we can for ourselves. And the best way to do that is by sharing what we know, our experiences, hardships and successes.
Instead of resorting to the television to relax after a hard day, there are so many other way to relax that are productive and don’t artificially shape your mind into what a corporation or media outlet would like it to be. Shape your own mind into realizing that you are a unique individual who is ultimately capable of bringing out the best of what’s around you. There’s nothing to fear, except not doing what you know you’re meant to do in this one lifetime; by allowing and external factor to be in “control” of your well-being. I believe that everybody is intrinsically happy, they just allow so much to pile on top of them; responsibilities, thoughts of what if, bad news, procrastination, and etc. Stay ahead, on top, and outside of all of these thing, and let your happiness resurface. Move forward, trudge ahead, do what you can. It doesn’t get easier; it gets better. Just go and keep going.Appreciate the process, for the end result will just pass you by as you move onto the next thing. Be okay that you aren’t getting external validation, because all you truly need is the internal. Lastly, if follow that idea and you don’t “make it” until you’re 70, I think you did just fine. Put yourself out there however you feel best.
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Life Experience
It doesn’t matter when in life you become “successful”; you should not rush it one bit. Success in my mind is more about going forward day in day out while maintaining a healthy mindset and some sort of long term aspiration. It’s a personal endeavor of working toward that which means the most to you; not slaving away at a cubicle oriented career. It can be raising a family with hopes that your children are one day better of than you, yet teaching them the lessons they need in order to function highly within society. It can be creating a sustainable future for yourself where you live simply and only take what you need and give whenever you’re able. It can be trying a multitude of separate concentrations, beginning with reading books and finding out what best suits you. From there you find something that really speaks to you and you want to pursue more, so maybe you make some phone calls and express your interest to a hiring manager or similar. Perhaps they have an opening for a lower position, or perhaps the reject you and tell you that you’re clearly not experienced for any position.
Either scenario should motivate you if you actually want to take this path in life. Either you take the opportunity to work your way up, or you go read some more books, or you make another phone call elsewhere. The thing is, no matter what you do, it should be worthwhile to you personally and have meaning to your life and what you wish to accomplish in your days. It won’t be easy, it never will. The point is to accept that you will struggle toward something better in life. Ultimately you will be exactly where you want to be, yet you may not even realize until later on.
This is part of my issue with the college system. Students who have only been living 17 years should be expected to pay 10’s of thousands into a program that’s supposed to determine what career they’ll take on for the rest of their life. Sure this schooling can lead to opportunities that you may not otherwise get, but it can easily do more harm than good. Many students partially complete college, with nothing to show for but thousands of debt, solely for sitting in a several classes in a chair and being handed paperwork that’s meant to test their knowledge on the subject matter.
I think what’s so much more important is trying different things in life; working under an highly experienced crafts-person or business owner. To have a one on one opportunity like this can be so much more valuable to a person, to have a deeply connected relationship with somebody who wants to see you learn their craft, rather than a professor who sees you as just another head in the crowd.
It seems like the “college experience” as we know it might be over, considering students will be hindered from socializing in large groups for fears of increasing the spread. I have no clue what the plan is for school or colleges this coming fall semester, but wouldn’t it make more sense for one-on-one mentor-ship for higher learning,rather than having droves of students risking their health and throwing away thousands that may better applied toward their futures?
art.of.a.rock 