you won't receive.

But when is asking too much?!?

As a highly competitive person, my entire life has revolved around asking myself to do more, be more, and achieve more.

And to be completely transparent, I have held back.

I want more.

Yet, I have held myself back at times because I have allowed the crippling thoughts/comments/concerns/judgements from other people creep into my brain from time to time.

Which leave me questioning...

Who am I to deserve what I want?

Who am I to go after what I want my life to be?

Who am I to chase down glory and become my own hero in the process?

.

.

.

^^^

That was my life.

And maybe it is your life right now.

I write this today because I want to give you hope that it can change.

I want to be your voice of reason.

Whatever it is you want from life, GO GET IT!

I don't care if your parents, brother/sister, family and friends believe otherwise... I care what YOU WANT FOR YOURSELF!

The kicker here is, that if you start stepping into what you truly want from life, you also have to face the risk of failing. You will certainly have to face yourself in the mirror one day and say "damn I tried to get what I want, and I failed. It was all on me and I failed."

^^^

There is extreme power in this. I don't know about you, but I would rather take the risks going after what I want, than to be tortured by "what if" scenarios in my mind for the rest of my life.

Also, with risk comes either REWARD, or lessons. And when I have failed in the past, the lessons that I learned helped me take even more risk which ultimately guided me to some of the best rewards I have ever received.

Simplest one for me to explain...

I drove 12 hours from Nashville to Houston to ask Erin out on a date.

I don't lie when I say certain people called me fucking stupid for obsessing over her.

But I knew.

I wanted a future with her, and I was willing to take massive risks to make that happen.

That 12 hour drive turned into a date... and then 7 months later I left Nashville without even telling my job, and moved to her in Houston because I knew I wanted to marry her.

At 25 years old I risked losing my high paying job because I knew I couldn't live with myself if I lost her solely because of the stress from long distance (something I could control).

That company ended up letting me work remote, thank you Tim Ferriss & 4 Hour Workweek for the negotiation tactics!

I ended up getting the girl, keeping my job, and working remote so I could also build my business on the side. The trifecta.

How many people would NOT have made that choice and just kept doing long distance?

How many would be left day dreaming about "what if..."

.

.

.

I am 31 now.

And I have an abundance of stories like the one I tell above.

I tell them for two reasons...

1. To inspire you to take more risks. Life is too damn precious to be sitting here wondering "what if."
2. To inspire myself. It is a reminder to keep taking risks. To keep leaping towards what I want. To keep building dreams into reality.

So, what is is going to be?

What is the risk you must take in the near future?

What is the reward you seek?

WHAT DO YOU WANT?!?!?!?

Stop being afraid to ask for it.

I don't care how much you are asking for either.

Just know, that you MUST OWN IT ALL if you wish to receive it.

The bad... it comes with the good.

If you are ready for that, STEP UP to the plate and start swinging!

#thriveon

CJ

p.s. today I am grateful for all the lessons I have learned from the risks I have taken. They are guiding me on my life journey and help me look forward to all the rewards and lessons that the future has in store.