We can’t see around corners. Try as you might, it’s not going to happen. Everyone will agree but a surprising number live their lives as if that ability will be bestowed upon them at any moment. Times are tough everywhere. A safe stable job with predictable raises and promotion are a thing of the past. They haven’t been around for some time now but the present realities meeting college grads as well as seasoned professional make it all the more apparent. We are all engaged in a struggle, but it is a struggle we can win. That’s why it’s crazy that some of us are standing idle, convinced that if we keep doing the same thing we’ve always done that we will win. It doesn’t work that way. Never has. Never will. It’s no different than trying stare your way around a corner. It would be great if it happened, but it’s not going to. And we know it’s not going to so accept it and pour your energy into something that has a chance. Here’s another crazy notion. The answer to our woes, the answer to the current struggles we face is right in front of us. Better yet it is inside of us waiting to be used. Fear keeps it hidden. Have you ever heard of Jake Shimabukuro? He is a ukulele player and there’s a lot he can teach you about your own answer to struggles you face. Watch his performance at the TEDx event in Japan. You don’t have to be a fan of the ukulele to appreciate Jake. When you watch Jake’s performance you see something exceedingly rare. You see someone who has dedicated his life to something he loves. And he’s good, very good. His performance is a testament to the value of being authentic, of being yourself. Jake is not a copy or clone. No one else had ever thought to play the way that Jake does. If they had, then they never had the guts to try. Jake is proof that when you listen to voice inside your head that’s prompting you to do something risky and scary, the risk is worth it. The risk is necessary.
