Don't live with regret!
I listen to this song several times a week. Often every day!
Daydream by Lily Meola
The first couple of verses hit me hard!
“When we were kids in the backyard
Playing astronauts and rockstars
No one told us to stop it
Called us unrealistic
Then suddenly, you're eighteen
Go to college for your plan "B"
What you want is too risky
Live for weekends and whiskey
We all got these big ideas
One day, they're replaced with fears
How did we get here?
Darlin', don't quit your daydream
It's your life that you're making
It ain't big enough if it doesn't scare the hell out of you
If it makes you nervous
It's probably worth it
Why save it for sleep when you could be living your daydream?”
Here we are again. Start of a new year. What will I look back on and regret at the end of 2025 for not doing?
Well let me tell you a story of regret from 20 years ago.
I was Scotland Under 19 captain and things were looking good. The next year I bust my knee and missed the Under 21s World Cup in Edinburgh. I was still young enough to play again for the 21s and played in the World Cup in Argentina.
At some point Edinburgh came knocking and I was brought into the full team training squad under Frank Hadden and I turned it down.
Looking back now, Abby is the only person I have ever discussed this with. But what the FUCK was I doing?
Bill Lothian a local rugby reporter even wrote an article about my decision.
All I had ever wanted was to play rugby! Now, the honest truth is who knows if I would have gone all the way to the national team or been good enough to even play pro full time with Edinburgh to enjoy a decent career. We will never know!
The fact of the matter is I gave up on my dream before even trying!
Can’t remember all the details, it was 20 years ago but I played for Watsonians and Rodent Rugby. Won some trophies, toured and had a great time. I had also just started building my property company and have never looked back.
Unit now!
I was brought up to go to school, go to uni (I fucked that up!) get a job and work hard. The money Edinburgh Rugby was offering was peanuts and 20 years ago It was always drummed into me that you need something to fall back on!!
How do I look at that now?
“Chase your dreams, do what makes you happy and try your best!” I should have gone all in with rugby! Or at least tried!
The line in that song - “Go to college for your plan “B”.
You might aswell try and try again, fail and fail hard and then realise you just need to get a job. But at least you tried.
I did not follow my dreams 20 years ago. I took another route and it worked out well. I got lucky. But work ethic and effort pulled me through.
I am 41 in 2 days and I am basically starting over again. I probably have 20/25 good working years ahead of me.
How fucking exciting!
This blog started 2 days ago because I was bursting with stuff to talk about. My ambitions are wild when I start these things! I imagine merchandise ranges, podcasts and a business that grows around me talking shit. Ha! Why the hell not! Dream big, try and If you fail at least you tried.
There are blogs out there that I have written before about the ideas / businesses I have started which failed. Go and find them. Have a read, a laugh or take it as wake the fuck up and have a go.
What have you always wanted to do? Where have you wanted to go? Who or what is stopping you?
“Can’t I’ve got kids.” Trust me kids will enjoy the ride.
“I have bills to pay.” Nobody said quit your job! But use your spare hours, you do have spare hours, to make stuff happen for yourself. Write the blog, organise your income and save a bit more etc etc
I have never left rugby. I just haven’t played in while. I enjoy nights at Murrayfield with Edinburgh Rugby. Podcasting and interviews were my way of keeping in touch with rugby while developing in other areas all while still working. Hell yes my attention would sometimes wander to the new exciting project but that’s normal and I was lucky to have a good team around me to pull me back in. They know who they are and I thank them for that!
I look around and know many people that hate their jobs and now feel stuck.
I don’t want that for my kids. Although ultimately I just want them to be healthy and happy!
Are you healthy and happy?
If you take anything from this ramble take it from me that when you look back you will regret not taking that chance. I think you might also regret not letting your kids take risks and fail.
Failing is good! Toughens you up! Just don’t fail too often.
Get the fuck up and get going. People will judge and point. Talk about you behind your back. They will ask you questions that are none of their business like “How much money does your Podcast make?” Ha!
I regret not trying to go further in rugby. What ever route you take go all in! As parents, let the kids go all in. Take your emotion out of it and what ever the neighbours, other parents or even granny and grandad might think because the kids aren’t going to uni or straight into the bank to work a job they will hate for their entire life. Let them judge! They are stuck in their own life.
To the 14 of you that subscribed following my first post, thank you!
To those of you that messaged me, thank you!
Now, fuck off and Go GET AFTER IT!
I’ll catch you later!
Nashy