“Hard work always beats talent when talent isn’t working hard enough.”
Persistence
Embrace The Journey
Believe in the journey
There will undoubtedly
be ups and downs,
but have faith in who you are
Trust in your decisions
Rely on your skills
Stand tall
from the support of family and friends
And never waver in your commitment
If you follow this path
that was meant solely for you,
you will reach your dreams
and all its wondrous glories.
“Taking A Risk” Haikus
You have to take risks
In order to be the best
version of yourself
Never be afraid
Seek challenges that test you
Find your confidence
Failures are the norm
But taking chances are key
To finding your light
Daring The Impossible
Dream big. have outrageous goals;
become the envy of those around you
for daring the impossible
Life is a wide open playground
that needs to be explored
with eyes wide open
and a cavalier attitude
Retain that dogged determination
every time you fall
and rise with vim, vigor
and an abundance of spunk
Become that person
you were truly meant to be
and be an example,
that bright shining light;
passing on that spark of hope
and inspiring others
to reach for their dreams
no matter how grandiose it may be.
Patience…
time concept, selective focus point, special toned photo f/x
Patience…
is what it takes to the path of
your dreams, your goals
Patience…
is a virtue they say
but to me it’s a test
Patience…
challenges your hopes,
your strength of will,
your endurance to bear
the uncomfortableness of it all
So that the light at the end of the tunnel
shines big and bright
like the radiant sun
And all the riches of your hopes and dreams
are there for your taking
So relish the moments
that require patience…
for it truly is a valued trait.
Our Dreams
Our dreams,
define us,
brings out our passion,
unites us mind, body and soul,
shapes our character
Our dreams,
make us work above and beyond,
pushing us to the brink,
testing our resolve,
our faith
Our dreams,
create doubts,
questions our path,
instills a sense a failure,
gives a dose of reality
of something that might never be
But to not make an attempt
means eternal regret,
what ifs,
what could’ve been,
loss of purpose in life
So we remain vigilant
and stay the course,
knowing that possibilities
are within reach
If our hearts are true,
and our will is strong,
fearless,
it is then,
and only then
will we be able to reach
Our dreams.
An Eternal Optimist
In the face of
insurmountable odds
and naysayers doubting
your ability
You have to have
faith,
passion,
know yourself
inside and out
Develop a keen foresight
and inner confidence
Have the drive
to fight and persevere
Knowing it will be enough
to overcome everything
Once you can do that,
a spark of hope
springs from an endless well
that leaves you with a sense of
unbridled enthusiasm
A beacon at the end of the tunnel
that will never dissipate
When you can truly feel this way
accept it as canon,
that’s when you know you’re
an eternal optimist.
When Your Dream Becomes Reality
When your dream becomes reality,
a sense of self-accomplishment,
unbridled joy,
boastful pride,
all come together
in one harmonious fashion
When your dream becomes reality,
the endless hard work,
excruciating trials,
never-ending tribulations,
were all the catalyst
in creating your character
When your dream becomes reality,
new found worries arise
trepidation,
dismay,
the fear of never achieving
another goal again
But you’ve been down this road
you never gave up
against all odds,
all naysayers,
you prevailed,
you believed in yourself
and in doing so
that is
When your dream becomes reality.
The Three P’s
We all have tons of dreams
some big, some average, some small
Achieving them in our lifetime
is the common theme for us all
The map to our success
is following these three views
Learning them by heart
will help us avoid any miscues
Patience, Persistence & Perseverance
also known as “The Three P’s”
Commit them to one’s memory
is a MUST I do decree
Biding our time without complaint
having “Patience” is the key
The journey’s just beginning
in bringing our dreams to reality
“Persistence” will outlast talent
staying the course, when all else fails
We must get up after every fall
towards our dream we will prevail
In spite of all the difficulties
and the strong urge not to quit
“Perseverance” dictates our true passion
we’ll get there…bit by bit
So pursue your dreams to the ends of the earth
learn “The Three P’s” & follow through
You’ll reach your goals and then much more
of this I promise you.
Letter To My Younger Self
I’ve always wondered what I would do if I somehow got a letter from my future self whether it be magically or in a sci-fi type manner. Would I take heed or completely blow it off? Will it affect the outcome of my future self if I go in an opposite direction? Ah the endless possibilities.
I could dwell on the many outcomes but the one thing that fascinates me the most is if I had to craft a letter to my younger self, specifically my teenage self.
What would I write?
What do you say to a teenage boy who “thinks he knows everything”?
Choosing the perfect words to convey what I want my teenage self to know is truly daunting. I’d probably overthink things and my prose would be just mindless ramblings.
It would have to be short, simple and straight to the point, because if you really think about it a teenager doesn’t really have the time to read something that looks like a page from a boring novel.
If I had to write a letter to my younger self, it would just be something that’s spontaneous and from the heart. And this is how it would go:
Dear Teenage Mark,
When I look at you, I see someone with so much potential. Don’t stifle that, don’t limit yourself and settle for what’s the easiest. Sometimes taking the most difficult and challenging path is the one that will be the most gratifying.
There are going to be tough times ahead, so feel free to lean on others for support. You don’t have to go through it alone. The words of wisdom and unconditional love of others is what will give you the strength to endure everything.
Take the time to step back and savor the moments, even the most mundane one. It may look like nothing to you now but as you get older, you’re going to wish you could relive those memories.
Don’t be afraid to try new things! Step out of your comfort zone and experience life. There’s a world out there beyond the five feet in front of you. AND if you start something…DON’T QUIT! See it through till the end.
I strongly suggest that you listen to other people who know more than you because it is sound advice. You DON’T know it all and if you think you do…you’re truly a dumb ass. Cut that out before I travel back in time to slap some sense into you.
You’re going to meet a lot of people, just remember that not every one of them is going to like you. And you’re not going to like every one of them. That’s okay! Just don’t be afraid to express your opinions around them, you’ll be better off for doing so.
Friends will come and go in certain chapters of your life so learn from your experiences with them because they’ll help to shape a part of your personality.
Lastly, pursue your dream of writing with extreme vim and vigor. DON’T obsess over finding representation or getting published, it is not the “be-all and end-all” of your writing…it will come in time. (With a lot of luck and sheer dogged determination!) All those writing classes that you’re contemplating on taking…DO IT…it’ll help you in more ways than you know. So start NOW…write constantly so that you find your voice, develop your unique writing style, build your passion and expand your imagination.
You are in store for one hell of a ride, so embrace everything that comes your way and keep your eyes wide open so that you won’t miss a thing. It’ll all be worth it.
Be yourself and be eternally optimistic.
Stay Strong!
Mark
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 