I went through 4 years of high school not knowing anybody’s name. I was popular due to being very good at wrestling and so people knew me, but I didn’t know anybody else’s name; I became an expert at saying “hey man” and “hey dude.” I was simply too shy to really talk to people, I sat by myself or with just one person at lunch almost every day. One day I looked at myself and didn’t like who I was, I didn’t want to be too shy to talk to people, fake knowing people’s names, too scared to dance or talk to girls, and so I changed that about myself. It didn’t happen right away it was slow, gradual, and painful. But eventually I became much closer to who I want to be.

Who do you want to be? Take a moment to really sit and visualize the perfect ideal of yourself. Maybe it’s you a year from now or 5 years from now. How do you look? How do you dress? How do you interact with other people? You can identify with personal characteristics or material possessions, maybe both. Do you visualize yourself wearing nice clothes? Or a nice car? Attractive spouse? It doesn’t matter — what matters is that you own it. Know what you truly want and own up to that ideal. Then fill in the gap. What will you have to work on? What will you have to change about yourself? Is there a big disconnect or minor differences in who you are right now and who you want to become?

One of my favorite quotes is my Charles Dubois, “…to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.” It wont be easy, and it wont happen right away -The change may be long, arduous even painful; and you will be a better person for it.