"Even when you think you have nothing, you’ll always have something!" - Futurist Jim Carroll
That's because the possibilities are infinite when you start with nothing - there's nowhere to go but up! It's a simple fact that when you have absolutely nothing, you still have the chance to have everything!
Nothing? I started my day today without my normal inspiration post idea ready to go - normally, I would at least have pulled together the image for my post the day before, but it was a busy travel day so I was a bit out of sync. Then, the smoke detector went off at 130am for some unknown reason and so it was a bit of a situation of sleep interrupted! So as I started today, I wasn't quite ready to go with my post with my morning coffee, and began wracking my brain for thoughts and ideas of my inspiration for the day.
And then I realized that while I had nothing, at least I had something - the initiative to start my day with my inspiration goal in mind. I had something! We always have something!
So I went for a nice swim, poured a cup of coffee, and here I am.
Think about today's inspiration - it's an important one for the simple reason that it is a reminder that even when we might despair at the lack of opportunity, opportunities are endless; that when we think there might be no hope, there is always endless hope; that when we think there are no great ideas, there are always many great ideas; that when we believe that there is not much we might hope to accomplish, there is a lot that could be accomplished.
It's an important thought because the mere structure of the phrase helps us to always remember that when it seems we are in the presence of nothing, we are actually in the presence of something!
With that being the case, I thought I'd share an older post about the beauty of nothing things. Enjoy!
In many situations, low points define the highest points of opportunity for people. We’ve all been there at one point or another — hitting a challenging point, without a lot of hope, and which success seems elusive. Life is full of those ups and downs - it’s a part of the deal.
And yet, when you are at that point, you might have the chance to realize that it is at that very point that the opportunities in front of you are wide open if only you commit!
My career path went down this road. In 1988, my company was merging; my future path was cut off; no one understood the potential of this ‘stupid’ thing that was to become the Internet was all about. I was told I should be like other people and follow a traditional career path.
And yet, I was convinced that something huge was about to happen with the marriage of technology and connectivity.
So I quit my job, left my career, and with the help of my wife, started doing my own thing. I wrote a bunch of books, hosted radio shows, had newspaper columns and other writing opportunities - and turned my obsession with technology into a wonderful career.
Today, I travel the world, advising people on how to take advantage of the next infinite possibilities that can come about.
On a personal level, it’s when you have nothing that you have the opportunity for everything. Many people, at some point in their lives, can hit a point of emotional and spiritual collapse.
And yet if they focus and take the future but one day at a time, they have endless opportunities through renewal. They surround themselves with people who think like them - those who help them realize there is a pathway out, and a road less traveled that can help turn things around in a magical, wonderful, life-defining manner!
Futurist Jim Carroll writes his Daily Inspiration post each workday because he likes to start his day with a reminder of the importance of looking forward, not back. He's been doing this post since August 2016.