A few weeks ago, I attended a conference, and during one of the plenary sessions, a speaker shared a striking experience. She said she was walking on the road one day when someone greeted her and called her “mummy.” Surprised, she wondered, “Who is your mummy?” But in that moment, she realized she was no longer the little girl she used to be — she was now 45.

In a similar way, I still have vivid flashbacks from my childhood, and sometimes it amazes me that we are all grown up now. I see former classmates or colleagues and I think, “Wow, how time flies!”

But the truth is, the clock will keep ticking and the years will continue to pass. What truly makes the difference is how we utilize our time.

Some years ago, I came across a quote by Charlie “Tremendous” Jones that has stayed with me ever since:

“You will be the same person in five years as you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read.”

Change is inevitable, but growth should go beyond age. What have you learned in the last two, three, or five years? What intentional steps have you taken?

Everyone is allowed to dream, but dreams require structure. Set realistic goals and push yourself toward achieving them. Even if, by your set timeline, you haven’t accomplished everything, you will find that you’ve made real progress.

Remember Newton’s First Law of Motion:

“An object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.”

In other words, things will not transform on their own. Action is the external force. Nothing changes until you move.

Let it not be said that you left things to chance.