Draw A Map.

You have to know where you're going or else you just get confused.

I have a coworker that has said this to me a few times since I started my job back in April. The first time, I remember thinking what a cool phrase it was. Because it's true. But, naturally, I forgot the phrase, forgot the meaning, and went about my days. Just the other day we started talking about what he wanted from his future. He wants some crazy things. Like, making a house out of aluminum cans and living off the earth and moonshining type weird. And I'm all like -- Yeah, just going to New York, LOL bye..... -- but after he said all of his crazy plans he paused and said 'That's just it. It doesn't matter what you're plan is... you have to know where you're going or else you just get confused.'

The second time hearing it, I found myself smiling. I knew I wouldn't forget the phrase. This past year of my life has been trying to convince myself to focus. To work really hard for the bigger picture. The problem is I keep losing what that picture looks like. When it's 5am and I haven't slept all week and I don't want to get up for work, I don't tell myself to stay focus, I come up with reasons it's okay to fall back asleep. Then when I have five minutes to get ready for work I'm kicking myself because I could have had an hour. You can imagine how put together I look at 6am... The point, is that I get confused a lot. I forget where I'm going. And I'm grateful to my coworker for reminding me that there is always a reason to wake up, there's always a reason to work really hard.

I don't want to serve people food for the rest of my life. I want to be my own version of successful. But I'm ready to work really hard at the part-time jobs to get to new places. I feel really good about where I'm at today but it's all a part of the journey. I'll never get to New York, to San Fran, to the jobs I dream about... I won't get anywhere if I don't remind myself where I want to be.

Cheers to gentle reminders. Cheers to hard work. Cheers to the payoff.