Waiting. In 2017, I spent too much time waiting on…everything really. On the job front, I waited for things to change—for process, for people, for workload, for salary options and opportunity to change. On the home front, I waited for my youngest child to go away to college. Once there, I waited to hear from her, waited to watch her next tournament, waited to see how she blended in. I waited for my son to move out. He’d talked about it for the eighteen months, looked at a few places with his crew, and finally made the move the last week of the year. On the writing front, I waited for my first book to be relaunched by a new publisher. On the public/political front, I waited for the nightmare of 45 to end.

I waited.

If it hadn’t been for last week, I’d still be waiting. Sometimes you need that phone call from the Universe to change your perception.

Last week I got sick—a real ass-kicking flu. I haven’t been down and out like that in years. It got so bad after several days, that I called the doctor. Of course, the doctors in my usual office and all their doctor friends and doctor neighbors had no appointment availability. Desperate for some relief, I went to an Urgent Care clinic. These guys don’t know my medical history or medications or anything. They just know that I’m sick and need treatment. Having no known medicinal allergies, the kindly old doctor ordered me up a pack of hella-strong antibiotics and a fistful of steroids. I kinda liken it to a flu-scouring treatment of Liquid Plummer.

The combination worked…well. It cleared my yuck, both in my chest and throat, and scoured away the crust, grime, and self-delusion amassed by waiting for shit to happen for too long.

Thank goodness. I needed the wake-up call.

I know I’m not the only one out there realizing they’ve been trapped in mediocrity fueled by banal time-fillers and spoonfuls of quasi-accomplishments.

I’m stepping out of the Matrix. Care to join me?

It’s easy, now that I can see the pitfalls and habits that spun me down and tied me up. The key is to keep moving forward. Don’t stop. Don’t settle. Strive for more.

I could throw out a laundry list of goals for 2018, but I’m not the list-maker in the family. That’s my wife. She lists making a list on her To-Do list. Crazy. But it works for her.

I’ve boiled down my plan for 2018 to two simple words – take action.

I’m going to take action. No more. No less. This is my story and I’m the main character. Time to do hero-stuff. Job. Family. Bowling. Writing. I’m all in.

I’m done waiting. Time to step up and kick ass.

Are you with me?