The Dog That Didn’t Give A Shit

Just found this note on my phone from a recent trip to California:

Dog at beach chasing a ball. Sucked at it. Didn’t give a shit.

I laughed as I remembered this dog I’d been watching: a huge coltish black poodle chasing a tennis ball at the beach with utter clumsiness, missing the ball every single time.

It was painful for me to watch.

But not for him.

He clearly did not give a shit. He was there to play ball. And he was loving every minute.

You think you have to wait until you’re “good” at what you want to do to enter the ring, to put out your shingle, to launch your product, to make your dent.

Otherwise… the shame! The humiliation!

But that’s not how it works.

You don’t get “good” by staying in the shadows, working it out in your mind, visualizing, “wanting it,” studying.

You get “good” by DOING the thing you want to do and not giving a shit that you’re halting, unpracticed, and awkward as hell to start.

“Awkward as hell” is impact’s initiation. You cannot escape it. There is no bypass.

So grit your teeth and get it over with. Who cares.

Start chasing the damn tennis ball.

I promise you, the embarrassment you’ll feel in your early beach-side chasing is NOTHING compared to the regret you’ll feel if old age finds you still waiting in the shadows.

So fucking get on it.

Comments

  1. Amen brother. I have no idea what I’m doing but I’m getting into real estate. My wife and I are in real estate school. (Weekends because I’m still working a full time j.o.b.). The longer the class goes on the more I think, what the hell am I doing? But I don’t give a shit , I’m going to make money selling real estate!

  2. This article really resonates with me because I learn best by doing, taking action. I can read and listen all day long to learn something, but until I get to doing it, it won’t mean squat. I started my blog and a huge part is because of your writing. It may suck at the beginning, but I know its going to be better as long as I continue plug away. I’m chasing that damn tennis ball and not giving a shit. Thanks Bryan!

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