Today I received a letter from my future self, coming from 5 years into the future, and I wanted to share it with you.
A letter from my future self …
Dear Current Self,
I have so much I want to tell you about what your life will look like over the next 5 years but I don’t want to spoil the surprise.
Let me just say …
Things are different.
I mean that in a good way.
We see the world differently. We upgraded our beliefs. We fortified our values.
I’m not sure you can even imagine the growth that’s about to ensue.
But I really want to thank you.
If you hadn’t invested in yourself when you did … we wouldn’t have come this far.
The time and energy you are putting in right now is worth it and it pays off big time.
Our relationship with Mel and the kids has never been better.
Mel is still our biggest supporter and the bond we share with her has grown in so many beautiful ways.
We’ve seen some amazing places and have experienced some incredible things.
I’m intentionally keeping it vague because you have to see it for yourself.
Embrace those moments and be fully present with her.
The kids are thriving. They have really come to appreciate our wisdom and support.
Individually, our relationship with each of them has blossomed.
The example that you and Mel are setting for them is paying off in ways that will make you proud.
All of the mistakes, failures, and poor decisions have shaped us for the better.
Your openness to learning has been the catalyst for our evolution.
You made some pretty big mistakes but never let them define you or stop you from becoming better.
And over time, those small compounding changes led to massive growth.
I also want to thank you for all the deposits you made into our health and well-being.
Not only did you deposit money in the form of coaching, therapy, personal development, and business development…
But you deposited time and energy every single day to improve our physical and mental health.
The short term sacrifices are worth it.
Try to be aware of the urge for instant gratification.
When you avoid temporary discomfort, it impacts your future self.
I appreciate your consideration for me when you choose to delay gratification on my behalf.
You may not believe me, but we have never felt better than we do in our 40’s.
Those small daily habits that you’ve built up really come in handy down the road.
We can still be a little hard on ourselves when things aren’t perfect but we’ve worked hard to improve our perfectionist tendencies.
And here’s a shocker … we still love food.
I’m so grateful for the foundation you’ve built and are continuing to solidify now because I feel an immense amount of freedom in my ability to enjoy my nutritional choices and still remain lean and fit.
Don’t worry … we still have a deadly 3 point shot 😉
Although, watch out for our nephews, they are catching up and might be able to beat us soon.
The family is all doing well and they absolutely love this version of us.
They are proud of our success.
You won’t believe how many lives we’ve impacted through POP.
It’s truly remarkable.
You created something insanely special.
The courage you had to try and fail … over and over again, has led to a level of success that I don’t even think you can comprehend right now.
You’ll be blown away.
And the lesson you learned financially … TIME IN is better than TIMING … has really made a difference.
Dollar cost average and be patient. It works.
All in all, I know right now you often feel like you’re climbing an uphill battle.
And I wish I could tell you that it’s all smooth sailing from here, but that would be a lie.
Things don’t get any easier.
We simply get better at doing difficult things.
We get better at tackling problems head on instead of running or hiding from ourselves.
We learn to set boundaries and hold them.
We slowly release our people pleasing tendencies.
We make a lot of mistakes but we learn from them and get better as a result of them.
I promise you that every shit storm we face is temporary.
They don’t last forever and we actually improve at handling them each time we face one.
It’s all because of the work you’re doing right now.
Every decision you make impacts me and I’m beyond grateful that you approach those decisions with empathy and compassion, even though you don’t know me yet.
I know that right now you want everyone to invest in themselves and you want to help as many people as possible.
Be patient. They’ll reach out when they’re ready.
They have their own future selves to worry about and hopefully they’ll recognize that the decisions and investments they make today will dramatically impact the people they’ll become.
The human experience is complicated.
Not everyone is ready for change.
Continue to lead by example and guide those who are ready.
Show up for those who aren’t ready.
Your words and actions may land at the exact time that someone needs it most.
Buckle up, Mike …
You have quite the journey ahead.
I’m honored to be reaping the rewards of everything you’re doing right now.
Much love,
Your future self (you in 5 years)
