Building on the Rededication Ritual, here’s a sample letter that one of my clients has written. I’ve removed all identifying information for privacy reasons.
When they feel like giving up, they will read this letter – and it should inspire them to keep going.
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Dear XXX,
This is you from the future in a timeline where you failed to achieve the goal you set out to achieve. I lost track of my goals and failed to build myself into a valuable contributor in my team. I had talent, I had wonderful people around me and I had every resource I needed to build the career that I wanted. But somewhere along the way, I got got lazy.
In those small moments I procrastinated, got lazy and chose quick and easy pleasures instead of working on my long term goal. I picked instant pleasures over delayed gratification. All that enthusiasm I had is now dead and I have nothing but unexplored potential… it’s too late for me. I can’t break out of these bad habits now.
I spend my days with a job I am not passionate about anymore, giving me mediocre salary and hating this person I’ve become. Every night before bed I wonder where I went wrong and why I didn’t capitalize on that passion I had for coding and technology. I am not broke or homeless but I live a life of quiet desperation looking forward to the weekend, desperately searching for something to give me meaning, failing and dreading Mondays.
I wish things would’ve been different for me. I wish I had believed in myself and put in the effort to build the future I wanted. I wish I had been focused. I have lost all respect for myself and can’t get out of this feedback loop of regret and guilt. Please don’t make the same mistakes I did.
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That’s some heavy stuff.
And yes. It’s supposed to be heavy.
Go ahead and make yours now.
I’ll not be sending any mails this weekend apart from the weekly recap. House shifting and all that.
See you on Monday, macha!
For now, this is Arvindh “Happy” Sundar saying over and out!