Author Archives: Steven

24 Hours

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“If you only had twenty-four hours left to live, what would you do?”

It’s one of those hypothetical questions people often ask themselves (or others) to determine whether they’re following their hearts, living their passions, or leaving a meaningful impact. At the end of our lives, we want to be able to look back over the years with a sense of accomplishment, of having made a difference. We want to be remembered for the good we brought to others.

The other day I was asked that question: “If you only had twenty-four hours to live…”

As much as we might wish it weren’t true, we all reach a point in our lives where we’re left with only twenty-four hours to live. And right now, there are people making plans for tomorrow without realizing they’re going to die today…

It’s cliché to say “Live each moment like it’s your last,” and there are hundreds of similar phrases, all telling us the same thing. But rare are the moments when we actually pause to appreciate how fortunate we are to have been able to grace this strange and wonderful planet, to have had the opportunity to leave a mark. Too often we’re caught up in the minutiae of daily life to acknowledge just how blessed we really are simply to be able to take in this breath at exactly this moment.

A diagnosis, an accident, an undetected medical problem…in an instant, life can (and eventually will) change for each of us. And while we’re all planning for a bright future ahead, some of us won’t be there to see it. None of us are promised a tomorrow. Are you living your life today like you might not see tomorrow? Because you just never know…you might not.

Appreciate your gift.

You Can’t Fail if You Don’t Quit

4 May 2011

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I’m famous (if by “famous” I mean I’m aware of myself) for saying “If you don’t quit, you can’t fail.”

For the most part, I really believe that statement. I think most failures in life are the result of quitting, or never trying in the first place. For whatever reason, people get overwhelmed in their moments of struggles and give up. Or they’re afraid of what might happen if they do pursue their dreams, and never start.

I still face many moments of doubt. If I didn’t, I might begin to question whether I’m challenging myself enough.

When I think about climbing Devil’s Tower, I wonder if I really have what it takes. Can I climb well enough? Do I have the endurance to make it to the top? What if I freak out a few hundred feet in the air? Or when I think about the marathon I’m running in June, I fear that my knees will give out. I had problems with them a couple of summers ago and could barely walk. What if that happens again? What if I have to poop when I’m in the middle of nowhere?

For almost anything in life, there’s a reason not to take the risk. And many times, many people don’t. Or they only give it a half-hearted attempt, never totally committing themselves for fear of failure. Or maybe it’s the fear of success. What if you actually do succeed at what you set out to do? Maybe your life would be drastically different from the one you know today. That’s scary. Life today is familiar and comfortable. We know what to expect…it’s safe. Tossing that security aside in pursuit of the unknown, even for better possibilities, is frightening!

But what if you’re already giving it all that you’ve got and still can’t seem to make things work? Is it true that if you don’t quit you can’t fail? Or is that just a bunch of motivational bullshit people try to sell you? I think it’s a bit of both, actually.

An example of this in my life is my goal of witnessing a Space Shuttle launch. I’ve been to Florida on two occasions now (and am mulling around a third attempt) and both trips have have been failures. Now, it’s not for a lack of trying. I’ve been working on this for a year, and so far, no luck.

My most recent attempt at witnessing a Shuttle launch was last weekend.

Erin and I packed our backpacks and headed out for the 3,000 mile road trip to Florida (and back.) When we arrived at Kennedy Space Center, I was excited to finally get this goal taken care of. It would be a wonderful finish to a difficult challenge. It was a historical moment. President Obama and Gabrielle Giffords were there, and in a couple of hours we’d all get to watch the most spectacular accomplishment of mankind.

Of course, that’s not how things worked out.

The launch was delayed due to equipment malfunctions and my two days of driving to Florida was for nothing. Having spent only a few hours enjoying the day at KSC, we hit the road again to return home. I was (and still am) incredibly frustrated and disappointed that no matter how hard I tried to make this goal happen, no amount of effort on my part can prevent a delay. I’m at the mercy of NASA.

Can I try again?

Of course I can, but the real question is “Will I?” At this point, I’m not sure. I feel like I’ve given this everything I possibly can. I’ve spent days driving, traveled thousands of miles and when I consider the money that I’ve spent on this trip and the previous one, a lot of money has gone into making this happen. Is it worth it for me to continue to invest time and money into a goal that I can’t control the outcome? I don’t know.

But it’s hard to let go of something that I’ve worked so hard for, and maybe this proves that if I don’t quit, I can’t fail, since one day, the Shuttle will launch. And if I persist, I’ll be there to see it.

What do you think? Is it possible to fail if you don’t quit or is failure the result of giving up or never trying in the first place?

Update: I made the third trip, on the very last Shuttle Launch and am happy to announce that because I didn’t quit, I didn’t fail! I finally got to witness a Space Shuttle launch. Finally!

Don’t Swim With Dolphins

1 April 2011

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One of the most common goals I see on other people’s list of life goals is to swim with dolphins. I understand why it’s such a popular goal; dolphins are amazing creatures. But swimming with them in the wild seems like a longshot for most people, so they settle for a few minutes with a captive dolphin in a swimming pool.

What we don’t understand, however, is just how evil the captive dolphin industry is. We only see happy dolphins doing tricks for our entertainment. We marvel at their intelligence but never once stop to ask ourselves why such intelligent creatures deserve to spend their life in a concrete tank, doing tricks for dead fish and our amusement?

It’s nothing more than a minstrel show.

Why is it acceptable for us to dominate every creature on this planet simply because we can? Does our intelligence give us an inalienable right to control the destiny of another sentient being? Where is our empathy for other species? How can we walk through life convinced that it’s okay to confine another living creature to a pen or a pool for our amusement? How do we justify that to ourselves?

Our intelligence also provides us with another option: to stand up for what’s right in the face of what’s popular and accepted by society at large.

Anyone who has seen a dolphin knows how intelligent they are. Researchers have suggested that they are as intelligent as humans, and have complex social structures. Why then, do we rip these beautiful animals from the oceans and put them in a concrete pen? How can we patronize businesses such as Sea World or Discovery Cove when it’s nothing more than a prison for the dolphins?

Is it greed? Is it because we want something for our own selfish desires? Is it for that photo-op moment so we can show our friends and brag about how cool we are?

I’m asking anyone who has a list of life goals that includes swimming with dolphins to remove that goal from their list unless they do it in the wild, at the will of the dolphins. Join my Facebook Cause to show your support and pledge your refusal to patronize any captive dolphin programs.

I’ve seen dolphins in the wild, and they are far more amazing in their natural habitat than confined to a concrete prison. I’ve also seen dolphins slaughtered with my own eyes in Taiji, Japan out of greed and sometimes I wonder if death isn’t the better alternative for these creatures rather than a life of captivity doing tricks for stupid humans.

It’s a minstrel show. Jump Dolphin Jump.

To learn more about dolphin captivity, please read this document.