So earlier today, I was perusing the Internet, as one does, and I randomly found this website/blog/I-don’t-even-know-what-to-call-this-monstrous-piece-of-Internet-real-estate where some author was rambling on about how she’s publishing this zombie steampunk novel and whatnot. What the hell? Why am I not publishing a zombie steampunk novel?

Seriously, I wasn’t even finished reading the mediocre-at-best sample she had posted before I had opened up a new Word document and started penning some crap story about an undead girl with goggles. Of course, it was completely ridiculous and not even close to as good as the steaming power of dog poo that some chick on da Internets is apparently having published in 2024. She probably means self-publishing, right? Just say yes so I feel better about my life.

But this whole evening really did feel like a boot up my ass. I’ve been saying for years that I want to start - and actually finish - writing a novel. Why haven’t I done it? Every so often, I’ve started writins something, but after a week or so of setting aside time to do it, I lose track of the goal and end up forgetting about it.

It isn’t because I’m not passionate. When it comes to writing projects, I have passion coming out of my ears. (Side note: I was going to say that I have passion coming out of my ass, but frankly, that’s a picture nobody needs to have in their mind). So if it isn’t for lack of passion, why haven’t I just done it already?

And why haven’t you done the thing that you’ve been saying for years that you want to do? Why haven’t you quit your job to start your own business? Why haven’t you gotten your master’s degree? Why haven’t you applied for a job with Disney? Why haven’t you told your mother-in-law that she’s an annoying hag?

Ok, I know why you haven’t done the last one, but all of the others - why haven’t you done them?

I’m not sure that there’s one answer to that question. Sometimes, it’s because we’re afraid we won’t succeed, so we tell ourselves that it’s better not to try at all. Sometimes, it’s because we’re unfocused and lazy. Sometimes it’s because our interests change. Sometimes it’s because we surround ourselves with a spouse or friends or both that do not support our passions in life.

But I think, most often, it’s because we simply think that it will happen “some day.” I want to write that novel, but I never carve out time for it in my life. I subconsciously think that time will just create itself some day, that some day I’ll actually do it.

Some day is never going to happen. Today is never some day unless you make it some day. We never reach our goals because we don’t even make them goals in the first place. To be a goal, you have to actually be working toward it.

Make today your some day. Whatever it is you want to do, today, promise yourself that 2024 is your year to do it. You might fail spectacularly or you might change your mind because you realize that your damn zombie steampunk novel is stupid as hell, but it’s better than looking back on your life when you’re on your deathbed and realizing that you’ll never actually do that thing you wanted to do.