Keep Calm… Mask On… And Carry On!

We’re on the precipice of a cold and dark winter; the pandemic’s darkest hours are around the corner. It’s up to us to face it head-on, make a plan, and come out on the other end stronger.

Pick that chin up and enough of the G@d damn melancholy! It’s time to set our sights on the end game of Covid.

But first, we have to deal with the fact that Thanksgiving will likely usher in a second spike due in part to family gatherings. Covid-infection rates will increase. The return of college students will also play a role, working in unison in what feels like a dark conspiracy to grind down the last bastion of hope we have left to lean on: spending time with our loved ones.

Despite the fact I was born thirty years after the Battle of Britain, when the Nazis carpet-bombed British cities, what we’re facing today is not unlike what the Brits endured when they heard the sound of air sirens. They knew what they had to do: find shelter, head for the Underground, and fight to survive.

It’s the right analogy for this moment. Maintaining social distance, wearing masks, and being cautious, represent our defense against the pandemic. Perhaps stocking up a bit more – given that one-year supply of toilet paper you stashed is down to six months now – but unlike the Spring season, the storyline is swinging in the protagonist’s favor.

Not one… not two… but three vaccines are 90%+ effective in treating and fighting the disease. We have a new administration gearing up to take charge, and we’re more knowledgeable about the virus itself.

The question is, how are you going to manage the next four to five months until mass-produced vaccines are ready at scale?

I have a suggestion that is worthy for anyone who possesses ambition and the grit to accomplish a goal, and that is… to set one.

If you are managing a job or you are a student, if you are managing an infant or caring for an elderly relative, it is time to carve space out for yourself to accomplish something.

Perhaps you have always wanted to write a novel – find resources online and pursue it – one hour a day, every single day. Put pen to paper and stop dreaming.

If you are an athlete who hit a high mark over the summer—well done! Now set the bar higher – run longer or faster, bike at a steeper incline, subtract two strokes off your golf game by practicing at the driving range. Set the goal today and commit to it.

Stop scurrying around trying to be all things to all people in a half-assed manner. Assume that you will have four months to kill and if you endure another five-season marathon of some B-grade Netflix series, you are in fact wasting an opportunity.

Commit to being a student of life once again and master something while you can. Carve out time every single day and you may be surprised what transpires over the winter season.

Besides, you know what will happen when the world is back and open for business. You will likely rush out to see some part of the world you always wanted to see, expose your children to everything you postponed for a year or more, and you’ll become distracted with life itself.

Imagine having something you grasp with both hands that stimulates you… motivates you… and intellectually challenges you. Imagine having something to pitch to producers, publishers, app developers or perhaps you can enabled yourself to compete at a higher level.

It’s right there waiting for you to apply the proper amount of motivation.

Will Smith, when he appeared as a guest on Oprah Winfrey years ago, spoke to how many resources are available for the average citizen to access in order to learn something new. Today, the web represents the primary medium, given Covid, and it’s well suited for homebound citizens who cannot venture too far outdoors.

How about music – and learning how to play music? Buy a second-hand or beginner’s guitar and start learning how to play some basic chords, for example. Learn the basics, watch video lessons, and practice.

Committing yourself to one hour a day will enable you to produce something in an era when the world offers little to nothing. Accomplish what your heart desires – it can be anything.