Superhuman

I have a lot of different goals that I set out to accomplish in the beginning of this year. A lot of milestones and benchmarks to clear on a daily or on a weekly or on a monthly basis. I want to be active. I want to achieve. I want to build. I want to improve. I want to grow.

I want. I want. I want. I always seem to want more. And there are so many goals in mind that I want to hit. I want to improve my relationship with one friend per week. I want to read at least one book per month. I want to write one letter to the elderly per month. I want to watch one Oscar-worthy movie per week. I want my business to hit one million dollars in gross revenues within five years. I want to learn a new piano piece every few months. I want. I want. I want.

There are so many things that I want to achieve. And sometimes, admittedly, I find myself biting off more than I can chew. I get a bit anxious if I’m not doing something every day. When there are lulls at work, I feel like I should be proactive and be doing something to help achieve my goals. I feel like I am not accomplishing enough during some days. Sometimes, I feel like I’m stuck in a rut. Like I’m not getting 1% better each and every day (which is another thing that I’m trying to do).

That’s the beauty of this world, I guess. There is so much to do. So much to experience. So many interesting activities out there. That you want to just do them all. That you want to accomplish so much. Be kind of superhuman. Be a superman so to speak.

Well, I had that mentality when I was young. When I was doing well in school, I thought that I was immortal. That I was untouchable. That I would go on to be a young stud and a superstar in every aspect of life. Little did I know that I’m simply an ordinary guy living in an extraordinary world.

I am one in billions of people in this world. Simply trying to make ends meet. Trying to work on my goals. Trying to do as much as I can to help the world every little way I possibly can. To support what I can support. To enjoy what I can enjoy. And to do it at my own pace - without the need for comparison.

I think that is a healthier mindset these days. I’ve been living on my own in my apartment for a few days per week these days. And I have a healthy respect for the independent liver. The guy or girl who needs to wash his own laundry, cook his own food, buy his own groceries, do his own taxes, vacuum his own floor. And so on. It is time consuming.

These supposedly mundane chores take up a lot of time and effort and energy. And sometimes, a big portion of your day is spent on doing that and that alone. That sometimes it feels impossible to accomplish the supposedly big dreams that you have. It could be a feeling of insufficiency or helplessness. Like you are not doing enough.

When I fall into that trap, I remind myself that I am simply one guy living in this world. I can’t be everywhere at once. I can’t be reading my book and doing business and playing the piano and learning philosophy and practicing my leadership skills all at the same time. My time in this world is limited. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. Rinse and repeat.

And maybe it’s for the better. Maybe it’s nice that none of us are supermen or superwomen. Maybe it’s nice that we are all trying to get by in our own little way. Maybe it’s good that we struggle sometimes. That sometimes we fail. That sometimes we don’t reach our daily goals or accomplishments. That type of flawed nature and vulnerability is what makes us human.

We are all interconnected. We all depend on one another. No one man or woman can go at it alone. There is a wealth of help and resources out there in this world. And sometimes, it’s okay to ask for assistance from a loved one or from your community. This is a place where people can and are willing to lend a helping hand.

So, next time, when you’re overwhelmed with things to check off on your to-do list. When you’re getting anxious, just take a step back. Remind yourself that it’s okay to take baby steps in the right direction. To take it slow. Move at a slow and steady pace. Not get too ahead of yourself with all the goals and accomplishments.

Because we are all trying to get by. We can’t do it alone. And we certainly can’t do everything all at once. No one is that godly. Everyone is just trying their best to get by with their lives and make a good living with what they have and the cards that they’re dealt.

So, when you fail, when you fall, when you don’t achieve as much as you’d like in a day, be kind to yourself. Go easy on yourself. Tomorrow is another day. Baby steps at a time. Give yourself a pat on the back for simply waking up and trying. We are all trying. We are all simply human. And that is more than enough.