My friend's son is working on becoming an Eagle Scout, which requires a boy to get 21 merit badges from a list of 121. The categories include Personal Development, Sports, Professions, Business and Industry (including Salesmanship) and many others.
This got me thinking…as in so many aspects of adult life we often times stop learning when we leave school and youth organizations like Boy Scouts (or 4-H or others).
Why NOT have adult Merit Badges? When we grow up; get married; start a family our “to do” list becomes full of “have to dos” instead of “want to dos.” Is that old list of dreams pretty dusty? Things you thought you’d do when you grew up or got settled (does THAT ever happen!?); things that might appear every January when you put together your New Year’s resolutions and then you look up from your bills or laundry and think, “One of these days…” Make a decision that TODAY is the day!
Make a “badge buddy.” Tell someone what you are going to do, and/or make a date to do it together - most people are less likely to stand up another person than we are to stand up ourselves (which is why personal trainers do so well.
Make a list of what you want to do over the next couple of years (learn to paint, take a photography class or maybe learn to scuba dive). Need help remembering? Here is the official Boy Scout list of merit badges - http://www.usscouts.org/meritbadges.asp
If we don't take the time to make our wishes come true they might never happen. Take time for yourself and fullfil your inner renaissance man (or woman). You'll feel better about yourself, which can only work wonders for your career and personal life.
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