Go to Grow
How many times have we stayed in a place longer than we’re supposed to?
I recently decided to retire from playing professional basketball. I’ve been playing basketball for 24 years. It feels kind of weird to say I’ve been doing anything for 24 years, since I’m only 29 years old.
There were a lot of emotions surrounding my decision to stop playing, and it happened kind of quickly. My agent called me to ask if I wanted to play in Sweden. I initially agreed until I had a moment. A moment to sit. To think. To process.
Why was I still playing basketball? Possibly because I was used to the routine of spending 8 months in a European country followed by 4 months somewhere, anywhere else. Maybe because I was uncomfortable sitting still. I was possibly even enamored with the hype of being called a professional athlete. All of those reasons were true to some extent, but the realization was I knew I would not be at peace.
My heart was pulling me out of my normal routine into the unknown. So, I hung up my shoes.
How many times have we stayed in a place longer than we were supposed to? Trying to bend time in our own hands to avoid discomfort, growth, and ambiguity. One thing I’ve learned is that life is far too valuable to stay in a place I’m no longer supposed to be.
It’s hard to escape a familiar comfort zone.
It’s also hard to live life in a constant state of unfulfillment.
I had to choose my hard.
Whenever I tell people of my decision they always congratulate me on my self awareness. Good job. Not many people can admit that. That takes a lot of awareness. Etc.
Their response alerts me to how many people are probably choosing to stay in a season that has long expired for them.
Once a person awakens to the fact that they need to move, it can be pretty difficult to take action. Here is some advice that I’ve learned that may help you move from a familiar place.
When you make a decision, you don’t have to make an announcement. We live in the age of oversharing. We share our thoughts, ideas, daily routines, and everything in between. This isn’t all bad, but it can hinder you when it’s time to make a big decision. A trusted voice of reason is good to have, but don’t open up your life’s direction to the opinions and scrutiny of people who aren’t truly concerned about your success.
Remind yourself of your purpose. There’s a reason why you were born, and it’s important that you know it. It’s also important that you frequently revisit that purpose as seasons change and opportunities open and close. Like a successful business revisits their mission and vision to stay in alignment, you should constantly revisit your life’s purpose. This will keep you on track, and keep you out of complacency due to comfort. A good question to ask yourself is, “Why am I doing this?” Answer honestly and act accordingly.
Develop your faith. A huge reason people refuse to move when they’re unhappy or unfulfilled is because they lack hope and faith. Many people have adopted the mindset that things are horrible and they will always be horrible. I know these people exist because I’ve held (and quickly shut down) plenty of conversations with them. You know these people too, but you can’t be like them. You have to be different. Faith will undoubtedly separate you from the crowd, because you will act on things simply based on your belief. Those without faith won’t understand, and they may try to get you to be more like them. This is why I mentioned point #1 first.
Radical action takes an awareness that most people don’t want. Take some time to analyze where you are. Is it where you want to be? Is it where you need to be? Are your current motives aligned with your core values? Get in alignment friend. I know firsthand how hard it is to move, but you deserve to see all that life can be.
