Start, Don't Regret

This post hearkens back to several articles I've read lately, namely - this, this and this. Often I find myself passionate about something for weeks or months then it just passes me by. For instance, about a year ago I was serious about Japanese cooking, so serious I bought the best Japanese cookbook available, once it was delivered I flicked through it (it's fantastic, it really is) but it all looked a little too hard. To be honest, I think I kinda lost interest between the time of clicking "order now" and receiving the parcel. I've become enamored with loads of little 'hobbies' like Japanese cooking, Billiards, keeping a fish tank (twice), learning Spanish, and Swedish (to name a few) over the past few years and nothing has ever really stuck. Every time I become interested in something I do a lot of reading on the internet and learn about it, and sometimes buy some stuff. Eventually I lose interest, some people may think this is a waste of time and money, but the way I see it - it makes for an interesting life. In 20 years time I'll have had 20 different hobbies, sure I'll only know a bit about a lot rather than a lot about a bit and that's the way I want it.

I must say there are some hobbies and passions which I dropped, some that should never have been forgotten and it's only procrastination that's holding me back. I played piano for a few years when I was a kid, I was quite good but I never really practiced and eventually I talked my mum into letting me quit. What a mistake, there would be millions of people all around the world who identify with this story, but I don't want to be someone who lives to regret it. I want to right the wrong and learn to play again. My grandmother used to play the piano for hours on end everyday, I can only think what a friend that must have been. I've wanted a telescope for the longest time also, to look at the stars and the planets in the 'flesh' rather than just seeing the images on a screen would be just incredible. Not that I want to be a 'serious amateur astronomer', I just want to whip out the telescope every now and then to gaze.

None of this is hard, it just requires a little proactivity. If I didn't buy that Japanese cookbook I would never have been able to lose interest in it in the first place (I can always go back to it, I plan to cook something out of it one day). In order to avoid regretting the things that could have been all you need to do is just start and see where it leads, that way you'll never be left wondering.

- Dogman