You’ve got to focus, man! You’re all over the place.

In my last blog, The Dream of the Week, I talked about all of the things that I wanted to try, and all of the different lives I wanted to lead. That was fun, and while I was looking for my purpose and priorities that attitude served me well. But that approach can become a problem when you spend all of your time sampling and never get down to recognizing—let alone actually doing—the things that you really care about.

There is so much cool shit to try out in the world. The thing is, we won’t be able to get to it all. So, rather than casting away last week’s dream for this week’s, I’ve starting taking a longer view, really considering the areas in my life that are important.

Here is a thought exercise that I enjoyed: Imagine that you are 95 years old and looking back on your life. What will you wish you had done more of?

The first thing that came to mind was stretch more! I want to be able to get around at 95!

When I really spent time thinking about it, I realized that there were main areas of my life that I wanted to focus my attention on—things that are really important. Suddenly, everything else faded away.

The only thing left to do was to commit. I am now doing the things that I want to do every day.

Sure, I do a lot of things that I probably wouldn’t do if I didn’t have to (like work), but rather than living with the nauseating feeling that I am not in control of my destiny, I realized that I am the captain of my unconquerable soul. I have the ability to commit to doing the things that are important to me: family and friends, my home, climbing, and writing.

It’s difficult to feel bad when you are doing exactly what you want to be doing.

I have even made my peace with work. It’s where I have my best ideas. I have all day to think, to be present, to listen to audio books, and I get to walk 4-5 miles per day reflecting on the human condition.

Rather than viewing work as an obstacle, preventing me from doing the awesome things that I want to do, I now see it as supportive, a place where I can develop a routine, a disciplined approach, and train the areas in my life that have personal meaning to me. Your practice can be anything, your training ground anywhere. Once you realize the possibilities and potential for your development, you no longer have to dream of life that isn’t yours.