Lessons Re-Learned ("You Have to Try")

Years after my dad gave me the words of wisdom about "you have to try... otherwise you'll be looking back when you're thirty wondering if you could have made the team", there was a bit of role reversal with my nephew, Nicholas.

When my dad gave me his words, I was a teenager, and he was in his thirties. When I re-learned the lesson, Nick was in his teens, and I was in my 40's.


He asked me if I'd thought of going back to be a comedian again.

I heard myself saying, "Well, I'd really like to, but...".

If you ever hear yourself saying, "Well, I'd really like to, but..."... stop whatever you're doing, and go do that thing that you'd really like to do.

There is no "but"... aside from the "but" loaded with lame excuses.

This isn't a dress rehearsal.

The years will pass whether you're doing the things you dream of doing or not.

In the words of the Nike corporation, just do it.

For years, I forgot. I slipped into a "normal" life. I forgot the words of my dad, and the lessons I learned about hard work on the USC football team.

It's not too late for me, and it's not too late for you. If you want a bunch of stories about people who got "late" starts in life, there's plenty of motivational materials you can buy. I won't regurgitate them here (though I have provided a list of recommended reading). It boils down to one simple idea. Do it.

In the words of my dad, here's a toast...

"Here's to it, from it, and to it again. If you ever get to it to do it, and don't do it, may you never get to it to do it again."

Actually, I believe in second chances, but his words are still true in a lot of cases. Sometimes you don't get a second chance. You can't go back. There's no Mulligan. So, why not treat all of your opportunities that way? You never know which ones are going to be "once in a lifetime" opportunities.

As Bruno once said, "Don't just think about it, do it".