Don Roulo is the CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) of Life Quest. He is a life, career and business coach as well as a Certified 48 Days Workshop Facilitator. He travels nationally and internationally to conduct business and career training as well as marriage and family workshops.

By DON ROULO

I recently had a conversation with a friend where we were discussing the past. We ended up talking about the dreaded coulda, shoulda and woulda’s of the past. You know what I mean. The conversation sounded like, ‘I wish I coulda … I know I shoulda … If only I woulda.’ We have all been there haven’t we?

Question: When is the best time to plant an oak tree? 

Answer: Twenty years ago may have been a great time to plant an oak tree, but if you didn’t do it then, NOW is the next best time.

We can’t live in the past, but we can learn from it. You can’t change your past, but you can always change your future. Sometimes a great time to have made a particular choice, like planting an oak tree, is at some point in the past. If you didn’t make the choice in the past, now is the best time to make the choice. 

Maybe you shoulda pursued your dream job 15 years ago when the opportunity seemed perfect. You didn’t, so now you think the opportunity is lost forever. Who said? The time and the circumstances are never going to be perfect to pursue any dream. Fifteen years ago everything may have appeared to be just right to take on the challenge of a brand new career, but if you didn’t do it then, now is the best time to pursue your dream job!

Maybe you coulda started your own business 10 years ago. Do you think it’s too late now? Why? Without a doubt, you know more now than you did 10 years ago. You have more experience now than you did five years ago. It makes sense to assume you are better prepared now than five years ago since you have more knowledge and experience to bring to the table. Ten years ago may have been a great time to start your own business, but if you didn’t do it then, now is the best time to start! 

Maybe it woulda been a great time five years ago to make changes to be a better spouse, parent or friend. You can’t unscramble scrambled eggs, right? No, you can’t, but you can make the best omelet ever. You have learned some hard lessons of what not to do. You now know what to change and more importantly want to make changes. Five years ago was a good time, or even a great time to make necessary changes, but if you didn’t do it then, now is the best time to change your life!

You can’t live your life full of coulda, shoulda and woulda’s. The past is simply that – the past. There certainly were opportunities in your life 10, 15, or even 20 years ago. Does this mean there are no longer any opportunities left for you in your life, career or business?  How silly! Yes, there were good, or even great times in the past to pursue your dream job, start your business or change your life. It may have been a good or great time then, but if you didn’t do it then, now is the best time to make it happen!

About the Author

Don Roulo is a life, career and business coach as well as a Certified 48 Days Workshop Facilitator. He travels nationally and internationally to conduct business and career training as well as marriage and family workshops.

As a business consultant, he has written business plans and worked to market products or services as well as organizing financial statements for investors. Because of his success in the sales and business arena, Don has been blessed with the opportunity to train, motivate and inspire others. His passion is to motivate and equip people to find their passion and achieve their goals and God given destiny.