Accomplishments versus Life Expectancy
Side Note: As with all of my blog posts, they’re written by a guy who is writing based on his experiences. This is why most advice and teachings are bullshit anyway because fact is still one guy’s idea and is long as enough people believe him, it becomes “truth” (think Wikipedia). I’m pretty sure that this post will look like complete idiocy when I’m in my 40s or even 60s.
Lately, all of my side projects have slipped. Two things I’m working on have taken a backseat to my primary day job and this is completely fine. I’m sure my boss is enjoying the fact that I’m in the office more and doing more work. Those three other things are severely lacking. Well, TweetforMyBiz is doing great! Three new clients this month and the new guy I hired is doing very very well and I just gave him a raise.
My output now compared to July or August is radically different. It’s scary actually and it’s taken weeks for me to feel okay about leaving things undone before I go to bed. There are even some hobbies and new friends that I’ve made because, at first, I used them as things to take my mind off of not getting any work done but I quickly evolved and recognized that and now I myself clear my virtual to-do list and I’m a lot less stressed.
My dad is going to be 47 in March. He looks like a guy in his mid-30s. He works hard, has raised 3 kids and runs a martial arts school as well as a gym. He’s been a surfer, traveler, explorer and risk taker and yet people look at he and I and think that we are brothers. He’s 34 and I’m 27 but that’s not the case. He’s my dad and it’s clear that he did something right. So many of my friends are turning 30 next year and so many of them, like me have a small stomach protruding, a couple of wrinkles and the beginnings of a receding hair line. Why? Well, most of my friends in their 30s have achieved some great things like starting a company, raising a few kids and writing one or 5 books.
I have to choose a path and, like all paths, there are two extremes and then a middle ground. Lately, I’m riding the middle but leaning toward the less work, more fun part of the scale. The middle ground is a challenge but I’m getting there.
My goal in 2010 will be radically different than previous years. This year, my goal was to launch 3 projects. Two of them launched and one has been severely delayed. I also decided to attend 10 conferences this year and I surpassed that by attending 5 conferences out of the bay area and 10 more in the bay area. I also aimed to take more coffee meetings with random strangers and offer them advice but also get advice from them. I took an average of 1 coffee break per day Monday – Friday all year.
The result of these goals: I went from a small size 34 waste to barely being able to fit in my 38 waist. I moved to San Francisco in June of 2008 weighing 225 pounds. Today, I weigh 274 pounds. I can still run 2 miles without breaking a sweat but my weight gain has clearly set me a part both socially and physically from the rest of the world and I stand by my philosophy that it’s hypocritical to call someone out for smoking or being a slacker while stuffing your face with a twinkie as the opening credits to The Hills plays on your television. I don’t blame my weight on a “fat gene” or the fact that fatty foods are so accessible. Instead, I blame it on my commitment to one thing: Success.
Success can be measured in so many ways. I believe that no matter what I do, as long as I give 50% of what I was giving to my career, I’ll be successful. I’ll have my own company…one day and I’ll launch a cool product…one day. Why the rush? I thought that I had a timer which I do but it’s a timer that will tick whether I stare at it day and night of if I throw it in the trash. This is something I’m realizing.
I’m not going to lose weight in 2010 or at least that’s not my goal. My goal is to run 5 miles, do an hour of crossfit, drink more tea and make a friend that I can finally call a “best friend.” I’ve never had a best friend and I think it’s time I let someone in and share more than just the superficial stuff. The past 12 months taught me so much and “…with a little help from my friends” I’ll be doing things differently from here on.
Final note: here are some before and after photos. The first two were taken in 2007 / 2008 when I weighed between 215 and 220 pounds:
Taken January 2007 at Macworld (Photo: Chuck of MacVoices)
Taken June 8th, 2009 (Photo: Terry Chay)
The 2nd two were taken in the last month while I was at Blogworld in Las Vegas. I’m now at 274 pounds.
Blogworld 2009 (Photo: (cc) Kenneth Yeung - www.thelettertwo.com)
Blogworld 2009 (Photo: (cc) Kenneth Yeung - www.thelettertwo.com)
The point I’m trying to make is that I’ve had many successes in the past year and I’ve progressed in a big way when you’re measuring my accomplishments but none of that matters. Living a long and full life will ultimately lead to more happiness and becoming closer to becoming awake. Thanks for reading.
