Hi, I'm Michael Mistretta, a student passionate about technology, photography, and design. Welcome to my online home where I write about technology, reviews, and my thoughts and opinions on technology-related matters. After a crazy weekend at Podcamp Toronto, I’m sitting here at my desk, and I can’t sleep. Thoughts just keep twirling though my head. All the people I met and relationships I made. All the people that inspired me, and all the plans and dreams they put into my mind.
It is in quiet moments like these that inspiration strikes. I can’t resist it. I can’t hide from it. I just exist in it.
I wish I could feel like this all the time. But I can’t. I can only continue to pass in an out of the realization that there is something much bigger than me in this world. Something much bigger than any social network. Something much bigger than my friends. Something much bigger than my life.
Thoughts of my future keep passing through my head. Goals, dreams, and aspirations. I look at where I am, and where I hope to be. There are so many things that I want to do this year, and in moments like these, I rise above all the obstacles. Suddenly, there is nothing between me and my dreams. I can see them clearly. I can feel them. I can reach them. And I will reach them.
This inspiration, has continued to set my life on a course that I could not have chosen myself. And as I pass beyond the known into the unknown, I feel a sense of nervous excitement. I have no idea what lays in store for me a year or ten years from now, but I know one thing.
I can’t wait.
I know exactly how you feel. My 16th birthday is coming up, and its a good time for me to reflect on all that I’ve done. I’m only 15, yet I’ve done a lot more than most kids my age, but still feel like there is so much more out there! I can’t wait to find out what it is.
Comment by Josh Holat — February 26, 2008 @ 7:09 am
I know the feeling. I often get moments, or days of great inspiration where I’ll code up a storm, coming up with great ideas and not wanting to wait to build them.
But then during the rest of the time, during my free time, I just want to be lazy and relax. I spend all day working where they pay me; working during my free time becomes hard to do.
If only the inspiration was constant.
Comment by William Spaetzel — February 26, 2008 @ 7:25 am
Michael - It was great to see you and the rest of the young’ins out playing with us old folk at podCamp2008 Toronto. We need some new fresh eyes / perspective on where this communication vehicle is heading. Take a look at http://www.takingitglobal.org > If it inspires you, then lets talk. I might just have a project for you that will let you sink your teeth into with so many positive outcomes;)
Comment by clickryan — March 1, 2008 @ 8:54 pm
I am an adult and found his site while using another called, StumbleUpon.com. It was refreshing for me to hear the enthuiasm and inspiration of some of today’s youth. Let me try to relate to you the importance of planning, two types of planning that can boost you to your goals.
Your high school years is a period when none of you should spend all your time in the “what am I gonna be; what am I gonna do about a career?” mode! Enjoy your teen years, and use them to begin exploring your interests. Life is not a race, and at this point your only competition is YOU!
Statistics show that fewer than 10% are working in an area that they even thought about at age
sixteen. Certainly there are exceptions, and we all know it! By the time you get to college, you may have found the career area that really appeals to you. If by then, lightening hasn’t struck yet, don’t panic. It will come to you!
Now it is up to do some strategic and tactical planning. If you are unfamiliar with these two planning methods, a trip or two to the library will put you on sound footing. Neither process is difficult, however, each has precise steps that must be followed!! Discipline yourself to work and study; without them thoroughly embedded,…. you’ll fail!
Let me tell you about a guy that learned proper planning techniques, and applied them not only in college, but to organize things in his life. His goal attainment? By 25 he was the youngest VP in a Fortune 500 Company. Learning & useing networking practices along the way enabled him to broaden his scope & horizons. In today’s dollars, he was earning seven figures by the time he reached 34. Now other companies were recruiting him to sit on their Boards of Directors. For attending one evening meeting per month he was earning on the side, another
$12,000 per month. By 36 he was sitting on four Boards & receiving director fees. This whole time he had been learning and growing at his FT workplace. By 40, with prudent investments, salary, bonuses, and outside fees; he was grossing 2 million. To shorten a long story, he retired at 50. His total compensation from all sources was $7 million. He walked away with a pension in excess of $1 million per year. He remained on a couple of boards, which brought in that little extra. He was healthy, happy, had been financially comfortable for all of his adult life;
and facing a retirement doing all he wished to do, insuring his family’s future happiness, just as he had throughtout his worklife.
This June he and his wife of 30 years are moving to Paris for a year, and on, and on he goes!
STRATEGIC PLANNING, TACTICAL PLANNING, FAMILY PLANNING, FINANCIAL PLANNING; for this man and his family, life has been both full, and abundant !
With Planning can I guarantee you success similar to mine? I DON’T KNOW! What I can guarantee, is that you will NEVER SUCCEED WITHOUT PLANNING!!!!!
Last piece of advice: LET NO ONE DREAM YOUR DREAM!!!
Comment by Alec Moffat PhD — March 14, 2008 @ 3:25 pm