I do not know if it is the date of today or the tour craziness or what, but today has had me thinking a lot. I spent a good bit of time thinking back over the last year and how quickly my life changed. It has been such a year for me.
At this time last year, I was floundering. I had broken up with a girl that I thought I was going to marry. I was blessed to be working a great job with some of my closest friends, but I found zero fulfillment in it because I was not doing what I was made to do. I was dealing with an incredible amount of frustration. I kept saying I needed a change. I knew I had to do something, but I had no idea what in the world to do. I felt like I was always on the brink of doing music full-time, but there was a disconnect between leaving my secure job in home building and starting a full time career in the most unsteady, insecure industry there is.
I was so excited and nervous to take that first step. I had a million questions. Would I make it on the road? Was I good enough? Did I love music enough to take that big of a pay cut? Could I throw away my 3-5 year plan that I had for my life? Was I willing to go out on a limb and commit to live my life on the road with three guys I did not know? Could I leave the town I grew up in with my family, friends, and everything that was familiar?
I had a massive mindset change in the midst of all those questions. I woke up one morning with this crushing realization that I will only live once. I will not get another shot at this year. I will not get another chance to relive one second. That may sound silly, but it was so life changing. It was one of those realizations that motivate you to completely overhaul your life.
I found myself answering those questions with more questions. How do I really define "success?" What good is a big paycheck if what you do does not fulfill you? Why does everyone around my age have a similar 3-5 year plan doing the same basic things as me?
What if I did something different?
What if I decided I wanted to look back and say "I've done everything I wanted to do and I've lived every second to its fullest"?
What I decided to not let society dictate to me what "normal" life is?
What if I said I would not spend one more second doing something I do not love?
And there began my journey into an unconventional life.
Things that were absurd to me are a real part of my every day life. Nothing is ridiculous. Nothing is too far out. Money is not nearly as important to me as it was. I am still business minded, but I can never again measure my success by a number in a bank account. I finally understand people that I used to think were crazy because of how freely they lived life. I understand the saying "if you love what you do, you will never work a day of your life."
I want to build an RV out of a van and put half a million miles on it. I want to play music on every continent. I want to meet the pope. I want to go on a cruise because I feel like it. I want to own a collection of guitars and a collection of stories to go with each one. I want to see and do so much that there is no topic of conversation that I cannot add to.
God gave us life, but this is a short life. Is there anything you can afford to miss?
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