Blind Can You Can

Tag: personal-growth

  • Why We Let Others Decide Our Dreams (And How to Take Back Control)

    Why We Let Others Decide Our Dreams (And How to Take Back Control)

    Why do we let other people make our decisions for us? Why are we often so out of tune with our own selves?

    Ever since I was young, I’ve been easily persuaded by the next shiny object that promised me happiness or success. More often than not, that “shiny object” was the idea of money. The lure of that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was irresistible.

    I remember joining various multi-level marketing businesses in search of that pot of gold. Later in life, I poured money into courses and mentorship programs that promised the success I thought I deserved. I tried being a real estate wholesaler, a real estate investor, a stock trader, a stock investor, even an Amazon seller. Everyone dangled the same dream in front of me: financial freedom, more time, more choices.

    And I—blindly, no pun intended—followed.

    The truth is, I wasn’t chasing my own dream. I was chasing other people’s dreams. I allowed myself to be distracted, to be fixated on paths that didn’t feel important to me deep down. Why? Because I let everyone else tell me what was important, what life “should” be about. Meanwhile, my own true feelings, dreams, and ideals were drowned out by the noise.

    Sometimes that so-called “out of the box” thinking they sell you is really just another version of society’s box.

    But here’s the thing: What if your dream really is to work a 9-to-5, a regular job without the stress of managing people or investments? What if you feel called to be a schoolteacher, shaping the minds of the future instead of closing real estate deals? What if your true happiness is living out in nature—yes, with all the luxuries money can buy—but far away from the rat race?

    The truth is, we let influencers and “gurus” tell us what we should want until we forget the most important voice of all—our own.

    Your path doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. The dream that matters most is the one that reflects who you are, what you value, and—if you’re religious—the ideals of God, not the ones shoved at you by the latest social media ad.

    So the question is: Are you ready to stop chasing someone else’s dream and start living your own?

  • Trust Yourself in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

    Trust Yourself in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

    Artificial intelligence is making research faster, easier, and more convenient than ever. At times, it feels like AI is more capable than we are. But no matter how advanced technology becomes, there’s something it can never replace—our inner compass. Deep down, we often already know what’s right and what’s wrong. The real challenge is slowing down and listening to that voice within.

    Too often, we blindly follow advice from others. We punch our destination into a GPS and simply obey the directions without thinking twice. Somewhere along the way, we’ve stopped trusting ourselves and started letting technology tell us what to do.

    I’ll admit it—I’m guilty of this too. First, it was Google guiding my decisions. Now it’s ChatGPT helping me plan my next move. And it doesn’t stop with technology. I catch myself listening to other people’s advice just because I don’t want to be impolite, or because I don’t fully trust my own ideas. Sometimes I follow trends, go with whatever’s popular, or let social media opinions shape my decisions.

    The problem is, when we live like this, we lose sight of what truly matters. We drown in the noise and chaos until we can no longer see clearly. That’s when we need to turn on our fog lights—not literally, but mentally. We need to filter out the distractions, slow down, and focus on the road ahead. If that means pulling over to the side of the road to pause, reflect, and regain control, then so be it.

    What we shouldn’t do is blindly power through with other people’s ideas, beliefs, or shortcuts. Instead, we need to be true to ourselves. Deep down, each of us has an instinct—a survival instinct we were born with. It’s always there, waiting for us to tune back in. We’ve simply grown lazy, relying on technology and random influencers to tell us how to live.

    It’s time to flip that switch back on. Turn on your survival mode. Trust your instincts. Let them guide you where you truly need to be, because no amount of artificial intelligence, viral trends, or outside voices can replace your inner wisdom.

  • One Step at a Time: Beating Overwhelm, Setting Boundaries, and Moving Forward

    One Step at a Time: Beating Overwhelm, Setting Boundaries, and Moving Forward

    Ever get that overwhelming feeling that you’ve taken on more than you can chew? Same here. Often, it’s a false sense of insecurity whispering that we’re not ready. A new job. A competition we signed up for. Extra volunteer work. At the beginning, everything feels daunting—mostly because the task is 100% unfinished. Of course it feels huge.

    That’s when it helps to take a page from Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog! The mindset is simple: take it one step at a time—one bite at a time.

    Sometimes we overload ourselves because we want to be liked. We want to be helpful. We want to be the “yes” person. I’m guilty of that too. Friends say, “Let’s go out,” and I say yes—even when my dining-out budget is already in the red. Church asks for volunteers and my hand shoots up—then my vision limitations make the role tough to execute. I sign my son up for multiple activities, then stress about how to get him to all of them.

    I pile things on my plate because I want to look like a good dad, a caring friend, a useful human. And then I end up on the couch, stressed about everything I promised to do. Not exactly a winning strategy.

    So how do we handle this? First, I sit myself down and remind myself: I can’t do everything—and that doesn’t make me a bad person. It’s okay to pass. It’s okay to say no. Sometimes, as I’ve learned in jiu-jitsu, the best defense is to avoid the bad position in the first place.

    If you do end up in a tough spot, tackle it step by step. The task is doable—you just need to break it down. Remember those LEGO sets from childhood? The massive ones looked impossible…until you opened the manual. Step 1, then Step 2, all the way to Step 1,000. It always starts with Step 1.

    When you feel overwhelmed because you agreed to everything, come back to basics:

    • Set a boundary and decline what doesn’t fit your season.
    • If you can delegate, do it—get the family involved.
    • Focus on the next small action, not the whole mountain.

    There is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you keep moving—one step at a time—you’ll get from Step 1 to Step 1,000. And yes, you can still be kind, helpful, and dependable—without saying yes to everything.

    Progress, not people-pleasing. Steps, not stress. That’s how we win this one.

  • Patience in a World of Instant Gratification

    Patience in a World of Instant Gratification

    Patience is one of the hardest things to find in modern society. With all these technological advances, we’ve gotten used to having everything at our fingertips. Food cooked in minutes, deliveries in less than an hour, and information at the speed of light. And now we even have AI fast-tracking nearly every part of our personal lives and society.

    But growing up, it wasn’t like this. I had to wait for everything. If I wanted to watch the next episode of my favorite show, I had to wait an entire week. If I needed something, I had to actually go out to the store. Every task seemed to take forever because the tools and shortcuts we take for granted today just didn’t exist.

    Now, I catch myself getting frustrated if something isn’t resolved instantly. My son does the same—he wants things at short notice, and he can’t even sit through an entire show anymore. He just skips from one YouTube short to the next, rarely finishing even half a video.

    And honestly, I can relate. I want my information fast. I lean on ChatGPT to speed up my research (yes, guilty as charged). I adjust the playback speed of videos and podcasts to the max just to save time. I even hesitate to order something online if it’s going to take longer than two days—thank you, Amazon Prime, for spoiling us.

    But deep down, I know this isn’t how life is supposed to be. Growth takes time. Real transformation—whether it’s reinventing yourself, developing your mindset, or building character—doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not a quick delivery. It’s a lifelong journey.

    So when you feel yourself wanting to fast-forward to the finish line, slow your mind down. Take a breath. Watch Adam Sandler’s movie Click if you need a reminder of what happens when you rush through life. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t end well.)

    There’s truth in that old saying: “Stop and smell the roses.” The journey itself is what shapes you. The experiences, the waiting, the little struggles—they’re what make the victories sweeter.

    Patience may feel like an outdated virtue in a world of instant gratification, but it’s still one of the most powerful lessons we can learn. Slow down, enjoy the process, and remember: the best things in life rarely come with same-day delivery.

  • Let Your Authentic Self Shine: Living Life on Your Own Terms

    Let Your Authentic Self Shine: Living Life on Your Own Terms

    Sometimes life feels just fine… until someone else tells you it isn’t. You’re going along, happy with your decisions, and suddenly a friend, family member, or random stranger on social media starts handing out opinions like coupons at a grocery store.

    Maybe you want to live a certain lifestyle—be vegan, move up to the mountains, or work at that nonprofit you love. Maybe you want to be a foster parent to a dozen kids, or maybe you want none. Maybe you’ve chosen a career that isn’t high-paying but is fulfilling, closer to home, or simply allows you to spend more time with family.

    Basically, you just want to do you. But for some reason, everyone around you feels the need to second-guess your choices.

    Of course, I get it—there are some decisions that are just plain wrong (lying, cheating, stealing, killing—yeah, don’t do those). But outside of the obvious stuff, when it comes to everyday life decisions, it feels like everyone has an opinion.

    Your friends might say, “Why are you vegan? Meat is amazing!” Or, “Why live up in the mountains? The city is where the action is!”
    Your parents might push for that high-paying career in tech, law, or medicine so you can buy the big house, the luxury car, and provide for a family.
    And strangers online? Oh, they’ll tell you to ditch your 9-to-5, start a business, and chase “generational wealth.”

    It doesn’t stop there—they’ll have opinions on the clothes you wear, the people you date, and basically how you live your entire life. But here’s the thing: who knows you best? You do.

    I lived like this for most of my life. I grew up in a good neighborhood with a competitive school district. Pressure was the norm—you had to compete for the best grades, the best colleges, the highest-paying jobs, the nicest houses, cars, and kids who could probably write code before they could walk.

    All that pressure distorted who I really was. For the longest time, I wasn’t okay with what I actually wanted: a simple life.

    The truth? I don’t care for fancy cars (can’t drive anyway). I don’t want a mansion; I just need a roof. I don’t care about designer clothes, fine dining, or the latest gadget. What I want is affordable housing, a reasonable cost of living, and a community where people value connection more than the number in their bank account.

    So here’s the real question: What do you want in your life?

    I finally realized it doesn’t matter what others think. Yes, friends and family mean well, but at the end of the day, I’m the one who has to live with my decisions—not them. We can thank them for their advice, but we still have to follow what’s right for us—and if you’re like me, what God wants for us too.

    We all have an authentic self, and it deserves to be front and center. Maybe your authentic self is serving others in a third-world country, maybe it’s starting a business, maybe it’s living a simple life with a spouse, a few kids, and the essentials. Whatever it is—it’s yours.

    Don’t let others dictate what makes you happy. Only you know that truth. And even if it takes some digging, that authentic self is in there, waiting to shine.