If not now, when?

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A new year is upon us. If the late night I spent celebrating the end of the preceding year was not proof enough of this being true then the line I spotted outside my local gym at the crack of dawn today certainly did the trick.

A lot of people resolve to get in shape every year, but the number of people who actually accomplish that goal is incredibly small. Achieving physical fitness of any kind is a long road that requires focus, dedication, and hard work in order to reach your desired results.

Most people who resolve to make a change in their life never take a single step towards reaching that goal. They hope and wish and dream, but when push comes to shove they choose not to act. This is failure.

Failure is giving up before you start. Failure is recognizing the fact there is work to be done and choosing to remain idle instead. Failure is understanding your potential for greatness and ignoring it. Failure is never going after the things you want most.

Any study of New Year’s resolutions will tell you that most people never achieve their goals, but what they fail to detail are the people who try. Far more people say they will change than the number of people who actually take even a single step toward change. Most people are lazy. Most people never try.

You may never become the version of yourself that appears when you close your eyes, but that is no reason to remain complacent with where or who you are right now. A meaningful life results from taking risks. You have to risk failure in order to grow, develop, and achieve virtually anything.

Do not fear risk. Do not fear failure. The only thing you should fear is letting the fear you feel get the best of you. Fear wants you to be so afraid of failure that you never try in the first place. Do not let fear dictate your actions.

Make this year a time when you recognize what you want out of life and pursue it with every fiber of your being. Failures will arise, but so will a lot of success as well. The key is overcoming the doubt and fear that makes you feel as if there is no point in trying at all. You are better and more intelligent than you know. Trust in yourself and everything else will fall into place.


James Shotwell is the Marketing Director for Haulix. You can find his every thought and opinion on Twitter. If you want to hear him speak, we recommend subscribing to the Inside Music podcast.

James Shotwell