My dad liked to save things. He wasn’t a hoarder or anything, but if he got a nice gift at work or home, say a nice shirt or a golf accessory, he’d put it away and save it.  While I sometimes wondered about it, I really didn’t think too much about it. I think he was just waiting for ‘someday’ to use them.

Later in life, I began to realize that I was doing something similar as I got out on my own.  One of my graduate school graduation gifts was a nice Cross pen and pencil set.  I was starting my career with a large consulting firm so it was an appropriate and useful gift idea.

But, I put the set away in a drawer to save.  I suppose I’d never had anything like that and it seemed too nice to use. A year or so later I found the set in a drawer and had a mini epiphany.  What exactly was I saving it for? For “someday?” It was liberating to take them out of the fancy box they came in, throw the box away, and start using them! I kept them long enough to buy refills!  And, here’s the thing…I enjoyed using them every single day. 

What else in my life was I saving or waiting on?

Many of us have dreams and goals that we want to attain, but we find ourselves waiting for the right time or opportunity.  We might think that we need more time or more money or better health.  But the truth is that waiting for the perfect moment can hold us back from achieving so many things.

Life is unpredictable and we don’t know what the future holds. Waiting for the right time for something can mean missing out on opportunities that might not come again. By taking action now, we can make the most out of what life has to offer.

Here’s a recent story to illustrate my point. Like many people, I enjoyed watching the final round of The Masters golf tournament on Easter Sunday. The tournament itself is always a battle of the world’s greatest golfers, but there’s usually some interesting backstories as well.

This year one of those stories was Sam Bennett. Sam is an amateur and a 5th-year senior at Texas A&M. After 36 holes the 23-year old was in 2nd place and through his stellar performance, had won over many of the fans. He continued to play well and finished tied for 16th as an amateur among the best professional golfers in the world.

His father, Mark, who introduced Sam to the game passed away in 2021 after battling early-onset Alzheimer’s. Bennett is reminded of him every time he prepares for a shot. Because before his swing he glances at some inspirational words from his dad that he has tattooed on his left forearm, “Don’t wait to do something.”

So, there’s a call to action for you. Think of where you’re at in life and what your goals are. What are you waiting for?

“Don’t wait to do something.”