
What a year. I mean, wow. To be real…this has been the best year of my life. And I look back on all of my posts and just am slightly in awe of what has occurred. This post, is going to be a slight tribute to everything I have learned over the past year and what it means to me now. In fact, to do it properly there might have to be multiple posts because I’m sure I’m not going to nail everything on the first shot. So here we go ๐
- Dream Big: 6 months ago, I decided to take a huge chance and go all in on creating my first book coming out of college. Well, we are about 11 days away from this becoming a reality, and forever I will be able to walk with the experience of barreling through fear and doing something I am incredibly passionate about. When you dream big, you give yourself the chance to become something much greater than what you are right now…because the journey is the transformational process, not the destination. But you have to take that first step.
- The Voice: Inside each of us, there is a voice that will tell you what to do. That is you. It is yourself in pure form and if you quiet down the rest of your world around you…you will be able to connect with this voice. When you can hear it loud and clear, you will follow your dreams.
- Loved Ones: One of my greatest fears that was overcome this year was the fear of losing loved ones. But through many many posts and learning from people around me, I found that people come in and out of your life for a reason…and to cherish the few that will always be there no matter what.
- Do It Now: If you are thinking about it, do it now. I mean…seriously. If something else can wait, get after it. The major thing I found out about myself is when an idea comes up in my head, I might let it wait. The problem with that is you lose motivational juice throughout the day…and if you wait too long…a good idea won’t have the battery power behind it when you need it.
- Write it down: If you need to do it, write it down. My phone is starting to become more and more packed with notes and calendar. It’s not that I don’t want to do something, for me or for another person, it’s just that I used to get so excited about something else that I forget. So…hail to writing things down haha and slowing down a bit to get it done.
- My Teachers: If you are reading this, and still in college, please go to office hours and talk to your teachers. I can’t tell you how many times I went in there and just talked to them about their lives and what were the major lessons they learned. You can learn major major nuggets of wisdom if you just ask people. In fact, whenever I go out to a bar or somewhere, I like to ask my elders what they have learned from life. It’s incredible when you listen.
- Writing: I had two amazing teachers this year who taught me how to write. Father. MC and Prof. Carroll. They taught me things that I will never forget. Fr. taught me, by having me write 3 page papers max, to take all the fat out of my writing. Prof. Carroll taught me many many things, but to always consider who I am writing to…and to consider why I am writing it. I must also give me HS teacher Mr. Nelson huge credit in sitting down with me most mornings and turning my disastrous writing into something special. I’ll never forget his message to me. “Tell them what you are going to tell them…tell them…and then tell them what you told them.” That one piece of advice changed my writing forever.
- The Past: I’ll put it straight, when you clear it up…you are free. You no longer carry baggage with you. Do it. I promise it is worth it.
- Fitness Goals: My body has transformed through a year of hard work and lifting weights. I did have to battle through my slight guilty pleasure for fast food…but I have given it up for this entire year. Not a drop of it. So to the next year of hard work and transformation.
- The Mind: It is the most powerful thing you have. When you have the ability to trust your mind, you can accomplish and achieve anything you want. Give it it a shot, it is an amazing tool to have.
I will continue to post more about what happened this year, I just need to sit down and scan through some times. But if anything, dream big and trust yourself are the two major things I learned this year. Go after your vision.
Evan Sanders
The Better Man Project
Enjoying the heck out of learning and growing – keep up the good work. Being a better man is a passion to be certain. Edward
Oops… I usually proof-read before sending. I meant I included a link to this post at the end of my post. And I keep a notebook with me *now. Anyway, thanks again!
I did! And I thanked you and included a link to that particular blog post. I also keep a notebook with me know to write things down. Thanks again!
The juices are flowing! Now go out and attack! ๐
Course i dont mind. Have a great day!
๐ I am glad I can keep inspiring you
๐ Amazing complement thank you very much it means a lot
Hopefully many many more men to come ๐
Very glad to affirm it ๐
I am so glad you are on the same journey ๐
A happy new year to you ๐
Get it!
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Your welcome ๐
You’re very very welcome. May the momentum of small changes build up and create your world ๐
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Thank you ๐ A great 2013 to you
Go get it! No time to lose ๐
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If you have facebook please connect with me over there. Easiest way to get into dialogue ๐
As to you!
Haha, thank you for your comment, I will definitely take your suggestion into consideration. Most of the time I don’t think…I just write. Stream of consciousness.
“When you dream big, you give yourself the chance to become something much greater than what you are right nowโฆbecause the journey is the transformational process, not the destination. But you have to take that first step.”
As you said, you made my motivational juices flowing now. Thanks ๐
Hey! I mentioned your blog in my post…hope you don’t mind! I just said to go check it out. ๐
I can’t help it, each and every post you make are so inspiring and so true, and they always have been. Love your work!
Great blog, great lessons. You seem to have captured the major ones. Keep going you are such an inspiration to the younger generation. More like you and the world is already a better place!
SO inspiring! We need more men in the world like you! Keep going!
Thanks for validating most of what I learnt from the school of life this year, this blog brought them together nicely in one piece.
Great post Evan – This has indeed been a great year and congratulations on your new book! The adoption of writing every day and the plunge into blogging my thoughts and experiences has been wondrous. Thanks for sharing. Edw.
“forever I will be able to walk with the experience of barreling through fear and doing something I am incredibly passionate about” resonates so deeply with me. very well stated!!! congratulations on your dreams becoming reality! happy new year!
I can’t think of any better advice than to go after your vision. Knowing we can create our life and then doing just that!
very inspiring!
Great, inspiring post! Thanks for summing up what youยดve learned during your journey <3 …wishing you an even better year 2013!
I haven’t been following your posts all the way along, but I have found your project to be very encouraging and I thank you for this post as well. It is wonderful to see someone changed positively and to be aware of it.
Happy New Year…all the best in 2013. I truly hope you can continue to build on the momentum of this past year of change and growth.
Love it.
Thank you for the post
I couldn’t agree more on all these points. Thank you so much for sharing. Definitely an inspiration to us all as we enter 2013.
Thank you, Evan! I especially appreciate your advice on writing things down and not waiting. Ideas or things I want to share have come in, but like you said, delay drained the motivational juices. Three thoughts seem to keep coming up for me lately, so I’m gonna start writing right now! (^_~)
Great post!
I love reading your words. Dream Big. Is there any other way? I want to get into a dialog with you, if you are willing in the next week or so.
I’m asking also for your help. If you can please get the word out on a TIME SENSITIVE project. I wrote about Bridget Spence on today’s blog post. It explains all. Please ask other bloggers to assist, as well. Thank you.
Brilliant read and very inspiring! I hope 2013 brings you many more exciting memories.
Dear Evan,
Let me confess to have read your post after having the epiphany of understanding something you involuntarily have written to probably be THE subliminal message of all your posts so far, and please allow me to explain…
“What a year. I mean, wow. To be real…”
I know well, that you have used the “To be real…” part of your sentence as another way of saying “honestly” or anything similar. Nevertheless, this IS what you have truly learned and also brilliantly taught this year: TO BE REAL!
Yes my friend! You have learned the lesson we ALL should learn in a world slowly making the barren moon a more desirable place… To Be Real, truly Real, no fake masquerading of cheap, daydreamed wishes, but hard fought life-lessons.
Every each of your subsequent points pays tribute to this simple request for true viability, because without being Real, an honest display of your inner self, nothing else matters…
Looking forward to be a daily witness to the fulfilment of your dreams!
PS You will surely forgive me for probably being a bit more indulgent with myself on point 9, promising you to compensate on all others. Unfortunately time/age has taken a rather arthritic toll on your humble reader:-))
Reblogged this on Starfish Way and commented:
“…dream big…give yourself the chance to become something much greater than what you are right nowโฆbecause the journey is the transformational process, not the destination. But you have to take that first step.”
“The Mind: It is the most powerful thing you have.”
One man’s tribute to what he has learned over the course of the past year is one of the most inspirational – motivational – pieces I have ever come across ๐
~Lyann