Make your future bigger than your past

A friend recently sent me a copy of the book, The Laws of Lifetime Growth, which proposes and explores 10 laws for growth. I almost didn’t get past the first law it struck such a powerful chord with me. In fact I haven’t been able to get the thought out of my mind since: “Always make your future bigger than your past.”

I’ve been talking up the concept with just about everyone I speak with these days. I recently shared the thought with a group of more than 500 business and community leaders at a leadership breakfast. I find myself reminding my staff of the concept as well.

It boils down to this: Too many people get stuck in the past. They stop growing and never fulfill their potential. If you think about it, growth is at the root of everything that gives us a feeling of achievement, contentment, progress and purpose.

This got me thinking about the value of the future. The past is useful if we extract lessons from it and use experiences that are worth thinking about in new ways. The future, though, is much tougher to get your mind around.

Many people were raised expecting a future resembling something like The Jetsons, but instead they find themselves stuck in a scarier version of The Waltons. Many of us have been raised on a steady diet of science fiction movies, overzealous politicians and too much corporate hype.

While the actual future has turned out different, it can in fact be even better and more exciting than you ever dreamed of—if, that is, you define and pursue your own vision for the future.

A bigger and better future can be anything you want to have and see. That’s an improvement on what’s true now: more opportunities, greater learning, better quality of life, more confidence, compassion or community involvement. The list is limited only to what you can imagine.

A mentor once told me, “Always make your vision bigger than your life.” In other words, only by seeing and believing in bigger and better things can you actually make them so. We are living in exciting and challenging times in Louisiana, and one of the keys for every citizen—young and old, male or female, black or white—is to believe that it’s possible to have a bigger and better future no matter what your circumstances are. Belief alone won’t bring about your brighter future, but it is the necessary starting point. The next requirement: taking small action steps toward your goal, every day.

Just imagine if every person in our state took responsibility for their own quality of life and were equipped with the educational opportunities and tools to turn their dreams into reality. You might think that lots of things need to change before this can be true, and you’re right. A community and state like this can only be created when more individuals like you and I believe and act like the future will be bigger and better than our past.

Doctors in the house

Growing up, sisters Kenyatta and Tasha Shamlin (pictured) were always close. They attended school together and eventually distinguished themselves at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. Next they went to LSU, then Baylor Medical School together. Finally they went into medical practice together, and more recently have opened a trendy new medical spa practice at Towne Center. Read about the Shamlin sisters chasing and catching their dreams in this month’s Signature, page 67.

The man behind the name

Often, the gems we unearth in 225 are people. This month we bring you yet another: Ivar Quigley. His son, Pat, opened Ivar’s Sports Bar & Grill in 1990, and named it for his Irish-born father. Eighteen years later Ivar’s is still going strong, offering patrons big-screen sports, ice-cold refreshments and tasty food, not to mention a little Irish flair. Read about Pat, his dad, and how it all came together, page 40.

On the courts for a cause

If you enjoy tennis, then mark your calendar for April 4-6 for the second-annual Mixed Doubles Tennis Classic and Gala. It’s a fun tournament at the Country Club of Louisiana that benefits the Louisiana Pediatric Cardiology Foundation. The LPCF is a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to local families whose children are suffering from congenital heart defects or cardiac disease.

To register or for more information contact Angelle Bourgeois at 752-4995. lpcf.com.

Our free e-newsletter just got better

One of our goals at 225 is to help you discover all that Baton Rouge has to offer, and to stay on top of interesting and new events shaping the Capital City. Two years ago we launched our weekly entertainment e-newsletter, 225 Select, offering tips and picks for the weekend ahead. This past fall we took a survey of our subscribers and readers to gather your candid comments about, and wishes for, 225 Select.

As a result of your feedback we retooled 225 Select. We condensed and streamlined the categories, and now give you more information about entertainment choices every week. From music and dining to movies and arts, 225 Select makes your weekend easier to plan. To start receiving your free e-newsletter, visit us online at 225batonrouge.com and click “Sign Up” for 225 Select.

At 225 we’re always eager to learn from our readers’ interests, concerns and ideas. E-mail me anytime at [email protected].