The Awakening

One in 400 trillion is the chance of being human. How can you not be baffled by this?! You have been blessed with the opportunity and privilege to live for roughly 79 years, which is 28,835 days to seek and discover the heart's desires. According to NY Post, the average time spent sleeping is 6.93 hours, plus an average of 3.93 hours awake in bed, totaling 10.86 hours each day. Half of the number of hours given in a day and roughly 165 days in a year wasted in little to no productivity. Based on human life expectancy, that would be 13,035 days or about 36 years of sleep.

Life is short. As much of a cliché, it may sound, that is our painful reality. If you are lucky, living up to 79 or more is a gift that few will have the privilege of enjoying. Then there come the things that are beyond our control.

Taking a personal example of mine, I lost my dad at the age of 20 due to an underlying health problem he unknowingly had in his digestive tract at the age of 48. My dad proved this very cliché to be true. He did live a great life.

First in his family to study abroad at the University of Oregon, married his high school lover whom I now call mom, got a seat at the high tables in several jobs, traveled the world, had two sons, and bought his dream motorcycles. His life wasn't always sunshine and rainbows. I remember a time I was on a car ride with him, and out of the blue, he told me the one thing he regretted during his last few lifetime years, "I should've started sooner."

Like many of us, he had dreams. My dad was always a huge fan of adventure and off-road motorcycles like the GS BMW or the Honda CRF 250 Rally. His love for motorcycles became the core of his lifelong dream to open a store that reflected his burning flame one day. But sadly, he missed that window. He was slow on the sense of urgency to act while he still had time. That dream died with him. Then it hit me as I sat down under the running shower; I began to question myself: "What am I doing? Like, really."

I used to have the worst daily routine any of you could ever imagine. I struggled to discipline my eating schedules and manage my time for college. I often slept late hours playing online games past 2 am (which was how I became a night owl, apparently). I never thought it was a matter to be concerned about until I had a good look in the mirror one day, and my God, was I in the worst shape of my life. At that moment, I told myself that I was better than this.

I immediately went back to the drawing board. I made schedules and reminders for my daily errands, planned out my weekly to-do assignments for college, shifted gears on my daily diet, and started becoming more conscious of calorie intaking. I also switched up my training routine to focus on form and eventually got rid of the old nasty habits. In almost anything, the first steps are always the hardest, but also the most important ones. After all, we all have to start somewhere at some point.

I was training with a good friend of mine one time, and I asked him how he was always so pumped and ready to hit the gym almost every day. He looked me in the eye and said: "Don't seek motivation, seek for a cause."; this right here is the ultimate gamechanger. Motivation is often temporary and short-lived, but a cause, a cause is what elevates the playing field.

Figure out what sets your heart on fire and excites you to get up every single day. Whether it be basketball, bodybuilding, cooking, knitting, coding, or whatever it is that you devote to in your spare time. Be consistent! List these things and rank or categorize them based on your liking as soon as you've done this; congrats! You found your passions! (or getting there at least) What now?

The Internet. As Gary Vee called it, we live in the Golden Era, where technology is readily accessible and available to just about anyone, even toddlers! Set your eyes on the first 3 to 4 things on top of your list and Google them. Do the research and take notes (type or write it down on your notes). Dig deep into the things cultivated by others, then look up and follow these individuals who have succeeded in that craft. Follow Gordon Ramsey if you're into culinary arts or Cristiano Ronaldo if you're a footballer; Lebron James for aspiring basketball athletes.

Everyone has been gifted the same 24 hours in a day and the same seven days a week; it's just a matter of how you manage your time. I have never understood it when people tell me that they're "too busy" or they have "no time" because of this and that. It's senseless. There is no such thing as "I don't have time" because you do have the time, and no one is ever "too busy"; it's just a matter of priorities.

If you had the time to text your friends, to buy a cup of joe at Starbucks on your way to class, and to workout at the gym, then you most definitely have time to spare. "If you don't have the time, make the time." As simple as that. I had to learn this the hard way as I, too, still struggle with it. I strive to overcome it every single day, and maybe it'll take forever, but at least I'll die trying. Don't listen to the noise and just do, rest, and repeat.

Living in a digital era opens up doors to countless possibilities and opportunities to become something greater than ourselves. Don't let these things slip to leave you with regret when it's all too late. It's time we rewrite the narrative and start to live it truly.