There are times in a person's life when things open up: when a person turns 18, when communities resume business in the wake of a global pandemic, or more simply - raises, career changes, and even summer vacations all provide a variety of new opportunities.
With all of these choices, there is a foundational decision to be made. Will I choose to live intentionally or accidentally? Living intentionally instead of accidentally means "because I can" is not a sufficient reason. Because our decisions determine our destiny it is best to make them with our desired outcome in mind.
When turning 18, at the gates of adulthood, rules that defined what someone can do may seem to disappear or be challenged. In order to make wise decisions ask why such rules existed in the first place. If not correctly understood painful consequences may result.
Curfew is a good example - most emerging adults come from a history of weeknight and weekend bedtimes. Why would parents impose such a rule? The answer might be have to do with the effects of fatigue on decision making abilities, school, job performance, and relationships. Thrown thoughtlessly out the window, failing out of school, being fired from jobs, and late night regrettable decisions with lasting consequences may be included in the tragic results. Because of youth, the consequences might not be evident at first. No large explosions at first may feed a false sense of security, but things may begin to quietly deteriorate. With so many heavy things weighing upon them - all possibly stemming from one primary decision - a young person may be convinced that that world is a hard and heartless place that they aren't fully suited for - or at least not for excellence in it. They might decide to take a back seat, forgo post high school education, enter the workforce in a poor paying labor-intensive job, and start a family before they have really begun to think seriously about what that entails. Once you know the reasons questions like: "Do I believe them?" and "Am I willing to risk as much as being wrong require, or should I at least put it to the test first?"
On the other hand, a young person who chooses to believe, or learns through their own lower stakes experimentation, may find that through disciplined adherence to their own standards they are able to achieve impressive degrees, well paying jobs, and a much more approachable view of the world. Maybe what one can or can't do is not as important a question as "What should you do (in this situation) to achieve the future you desire ?" or even "What do I really believe?"
What I do today simply "because I can" will certainly affect and perhaps significantly curtail what I can do in the future. Those things of most worth often come at great cost over time. Sports often serve as a great metaphor. That which I will do today and tomorrow will open the door -- or the "can" of opportunities tomorrow :)
What will you do today and tomorrow and the next day so that you can enjoy next week or next year?
