what's holding you back?

I picked up a book at a National Bookstore sale. It's title is 'What's Holding You Back?' It's one of about a thousand self-help books out there. It's supposed to teach women how to be raging successes in their field. I haven't even opened the first page. I read Stephen King's 'Lisey's Story' instead.


But the question is basic, one I've asked myself at one time or another. What's holding me back? What's stopping me from becoming who I wanted to be? What's keeping me mediocre and average?


The answer: nothing. The possibilities are endless. A person's limitations are only as big as his perceived weaknesses. More often we are surprised when that thing that we had been putting off because of our I-can't-possibly-do-it attitude comes out right. Like trying out for the cheering squad, getting out of a bad relationship, baking cookies for the first time, learning to ice-skate at thirty. I can't say I've done all those things or am planning to do them (especially the ice-skating part), but sometimes it's all about having as few regrets as possible. I don't want to be lying there half-senile at 75, and berating myself for not getting an MBA when my brain cells are still jumping around. Failures don't diminish a person. Failures help a person know his limitations. If one is wise, it lets him know when to stop. If one is wiser, it also lets him know where he needs to improve.

As always, it is easier said than done. Juggling motherhood, wife-hood, a job, MBA classes, writing, and heaven forbid, ice-skating, can be quite a challenge. Just writing it down makes me exhausted and think twice about remaining mediocre. It's about knowing priorities, weighing options, and having guts enough. But that's another topic for another day. :)