A Letter to The Ghost Of Your Potential

Dear Potential,

This letter is not easy for me to write. I have thought about you for a long time. Sometimes I chased after you. A few times I even caught you. However, I write this letter knowing that I never turned you into anything tangible. It pains me to say this, but I am going to the grave without ever fully knowing who you are.

To be fully transparent, I didn’t do what was necessary to unleash you into my world. I chose comfort over temporary pain. I chose processed foods over nourishing meals. I chose a corporate 9 -5 over the scary, uncharted path of entrepreneurship. I chose being closed off over talking to the woman of my dreams. Now I must unfortunately go to the grave without ever really knowing you. The small taste of you that I did get I know could have been something truly remarkable. I know you had the potential to change the world. I know you had the potential to be the best man ever in my family’s bloodline. Unfortunately, my small decisions every day detracted from that becoming reality.

I now know that life is hard, regardless of the path you take. Choosing to eat “clean” is hard. Choosing to go to the gym is hard. Choosing to build a side business while working a 9 -5 is hard. Choosing to bet on yourself is hard. Choosing to build a committed relationship is hard.

I can also say the inverse is true. Eating unhealthy is hard. Choosing to be lazy and let the body atrophy is hard. Slowly dying in a 9 - 5 is hard. Staying single or marrying the wrong woman is hard.

Life will always be hard. But you must chose your hard. I unfortunately chose the wrong hard.

My soul aches for another opportunity to meet you! I know that there is so much that we could do together. And I would give anything to bring you to life… But I unfortunately have no more time. It is time for me to move on, to transition to the next phase of life.

I want to apologize for never turning you into something real. This life is so short, so precious. Although I never achieved this, I am aware of the fact that there is this indescribably greatness that lies within us. My only hope is that other people are aware of this. Time passes in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, you are sitting on your death bed like I am. Please do not follow in my mistakes. Go out and make the world beautiful. Meditate on who you want to become. Then ruthlessly execute and make it happen. You are capable of greatness beyond your wildness measure. You can bring love & light into this world. Do not make my same mistakes.

Go and get what you deserve.

Love,

Your 80 year old self