Why Not?

A few weeks ago I was in Charlotte, NC. It is a beautiful town with very cool people, and I had a great experience there.

One evening, at dinner, we were talking about the projects we were working on.

I was talking about stuff I am currently working on.  My thoughts wandered to my old employer from almost 6 years ago. If I would have proposed to do any of these projects six years ago they would not have been approved, for sure.

The management wouldn’t have seen how they would bring value to the organization, or the bottom line.

But I see how they bring value.

And so I’ve written a book.  It wasn’t supposed to make me any money, but I can easily attribute at least $100,000 of income to writing that book.

And I wrote another book.  Even though it took a lot of time, I did it.  And more money followed.

I decided to write a children’s book.  I did that on personal time, but by this time I realized I could do what I wanted.

And when doubt moved in, I asked “WHY NOT?”

Why not write a children’s book?  I’m one line away from having that masterpiece done, but I did it.

Why not?

It has helped my refine writing skills, since it was a completely different style than I was accustomed to.

One night I thought of an awesome idea for a movie manuscript.

WHY NOT?

I started a couple of years ago, and recently made some excellent progress.

WHY NOT? Because there are thousands of movies.  Because I’m not a movie writer.  Because I don’t know what I’m doing, or what I’ll do when I have the first draft done.

But seriously, WHY NOT? Those are things that keep me from doing what I want to do.

I don’t have someone keeping me from doing it.

So I do it. I think about it. And sometimes I make progress on it.

After watching my oldest daughter excel at the piano for about 11 years I finally decided to take the plunge, sit down, and start learning the piano.

WHY NOT?

I’m too old, perhaps.  I don’t have enough time.  But I’ve always wanted to learn to play the piano.  I’d love to sit down and plunk out a tune, whether I’m alone and it’s to relax me, or because I’m somewhere and want to show my mad piano playing skillz.

Right now I can play a few tunes with my right hand.  I’m a beginner.  But I’m only a few months into it.  Wait for 11 years, like my daughter got, and I’ll be doing some pretty cool things on the keys.

My wife declared, one day, that she is a songwriter.

WHY NOT?

She didn’t make the best grades in school… so she really isn’t qualified to write for the arts, right?

But she’s been a student of lyrics for many, many years, and even wrote her first lyrics when she was around eleven.  Now her goal is to get her first 100 songs written, and go from there.

WHY NOT?

Why not do what you’ve always wanted to do?

You don’t have enough money?  Not good enough.

You don’t have enough time?  Not good enough.

You are too old (or too young)?  Not good enough.

Go for it.

At least try.

I’ve wanted to play the piano for decades.  It is too late for me, really.  But I don’t care.  Maybe I’ll be good at it when I’m 70.  And I’ll enjoy it!

Do it.  Try it.  Make progress.

There is NO reason to not move forward.