I'm Practically Tony Robbins

I wrote the following a long time ago:



I always imagined that by my age I would somehow "feel" grown up, that I would know what was necessary of a man. All that it seems now is that the uncertainties of boyhood become replaced by the uncertainties of adulthood. That manhood is somehow not as far from boyhood as I thought it would be, or that somehow I'm really not grown up yet. I have always had vibrant imagery of how my life would be. That I'd have a loving wife, a healthy child, and a great dane by now. What was missing was the in-betweens. Animators call the in-betweens "'tweens" for short. They are how you get from here to there, from one important frame to another. When do I think about how to get from me to the future me? This is the most puzzling aspect of growing up, you aren't really sure how to actually do it. This is my first time after all.



I thought it was interesting to look back at this and wonder again what it means to "grow up". Unfortunately I can't say that I know any more about it than I did back then, but I can say I'm happy to be where I am. I DO have a loving wife, and a healthy child, and you know what? The in-betweens didn't matter at all. I guess what I am saying is that if you want something, or you know that there's some place in your life you need to be, you need to do whatever you have to do to get there. Your future-self will thank you, very much. He might even buy you some ice cream for doing such a good job.



To further illustrate this point, I have included a color reproduction of a page from my latest inspirational classic, "You Can Be A Giant, Just Like Andre":