By Toby Moore
For Capital Region Independent Media
New Year’s has come and gone, and 2023 is here! Are you excited about the year ahead?
I am enthusiastic about what 2023 holds. I have goals and new year resolutions I’d like to accomplish; figuring out what is achievable takes time and effort.
Sometimes giving yourself an honest assessment of your resolutions is a challenging task. My father always told me, “Toby, you can do anything you want in this world as long as you don’t hurt other people in the process.” Humans can and do transcend all types of limitations.
We admire and respect those who seem to rise above every limitation effortlessly and easily, achieving the highest and loftiest goals; of course, what may be high and lofty for one person is less lofty for another. That’s because each of us has our own set of limitations and while we can overcome many limitations, overcoming them all is unlikely.
You may be able to start many different companies and bring them all to market, but before you try to match what Elon Musk can do, be honest with yourself. You may be able to play a great game of basketball, but before you set a goal to be as good as LeBron James, make sure it’s possible.
Sometimes we don’t know what we’re capable of, and with some goals, you have to try before you know. It’s also tricky because some perceived limitations are not limitations at all; it can be a trial-and-error process.
It’s easy to get swept up at the moment and believe you have no limits, but recognizing your limitations and being honest about them will give you greater chances of hitting all of your goals for 2023.
When I lived in L.A., my roommate from Venezuela invited me to a recording studio to hear three new female vocalists record an album. We’d never been to a recording studio before; it was a completely new experience. The studio was in a skyscraper in the heart of Hollywood; it seemed so exciting and important as we walked down the same hallway as famous musicians and executives.
We met the singers and enjoyed a good chat; they were happy to have us as guests in the studio! We took our seats behind the sound technicians and producers with what seemed like hundreds of flips, switches, dials and computer controls at their disposal.
The women eventually made their way into the soundproof recording room behind the thick window, where they began recording.
During one of the breaks, a man wearing an expensive-looking hoodie and sweatpants walked into the room; he wore a gold chain that said, “No Limit,” and in the center of the chain was a golden tank! He had a powerful presence and charisma. We asked his name, and he replied, “Percy.” He proceeded to sit with us and casually strike up a friendly conversation.
It turns out that Percy was also known as Master P, and his record label No Limit was one of the most successful rap music labels of all time. We were sitting with a rap superstar.
I was a little star-struck and immediately accepted the idea that there was No Limit to what I could accomplish! I remember feeling fired up! If Master P can do it, so can I! There’s only one problem — I’m not Master P.
Many of us don’t want to face our limitations, and when we do, the feeling of shame can often accompany the realization that we may fall short of our standards, ideals and goals.
There are all kinds of limitations — physical, mental, geographic and financial. There are limitations to our relationships, our energy and our focus.
It’s easy to get swept up in the New Year’s resolutions and set many goals that often never get accomplished.
One statistic says that by the end of the first week of January, 25% of people have already given up on their resolutions, and after six months, only 49% of people are still keeping their resolutions.
The biggest reason people listed for not accomplishing their goals was that they were unrealistic.
Once you fully understand what is unrealistic and your limitations, you can begin to transcend them and overcome them. Happy New Year!
Toby Moore is a columnist, the star of Emmy-nominated “A Separate Peace,” and the CEO of Cubestream Inc.
