Life is starting

Back in my senior year of high school, we were at the baseball field—some of us fixing it up for the next practice, others just sitting around. That’s when our coach exploded at the kids who were sitting. I’ll never forget what he said:

“Look at you all sitting down doing nothing. See them? They’re out there doing something. Whether it’s right or wrong, at least they’re doing something. JUST DO SOMETHING.”

For years, that phrase—“whether it’s right or wrong”—stuck with me. Why would he include “wrong” in that?

Eventually, I got it.

We all know someone who’s constantly on the move. Always trying something—new errands, new hobbies, even new businesses. Sometimes we judge them: “That’s dumb. Why are they doing that?” But the truth is, they're doing something. They're starting.

You have to start somewhere. You may not even know what the goal is at first. You might get it completely wrong. But starting is the first step to learning. And you can’t learn if you don’t start. The earlier you start, the more you can grow, build, and accomplish in life.

Just Start—The Sooner, the Better

Look at some of the world’s most famous entrepreneurs. They didn’t wait until they had a degree or a five-year plan:

• Steve Jobs started tinkering with electronics as a thirteen year-old and even called the HP founder, Bill Hewlett, to ask for parts and advice.

• Michael Dell was fixing computers in his dorm before founding Dell Computers.

• Mark Zuckerberg was building games and apps while still in middle and high school.

• Elon Musk coded his first video game at 12 and sold it for $500.

• Richard Branson launched a magazine at age 16.

None of them waited for permission. They followed their curiosity. Some ideas turned into billion-dollar companies. Others simply led to learning. Either way, they started.

Now imagine a world where they had waited—until college, until they felt “ready.” What would we be missing?

Let Kids Try Things

“You can just do things” might sound like a cliché these days, but it’s powerful. I remember a friend from elementary school who embodied this. One summer day he said, “Let’s sell lemonade.” He didn’t have a plan. He didn’t know how we’d get the supplies or where we’d set up—but we figured it out together. And we did it.

Another friend built a rickety bike jump ramp when we were in elementary school. His mom was so scared he’d get hurt but let him anyway. A few years after, he built a fully functional adult-sized half pipe for his skateboard in his backyard. He later went on to become an engineer.

That kind of initiative feels rare now. Today, many kids aren’t allowed to ride their bikes to the store or go knock on a neighbor’s door. They have to stay near the house, wait for parents to get home—but when the parents do get home, they’re tired or glued to their phones.

How can we raise a generation of doers if we stop them before they even get out the door? We’re raising a screen-bound society, modeled after our own passive habits. We scroll social media, see the world’s problems, and our worldview gets darker. We say, “It’s a crazy world—don’t go out there without me,” but then we never actually go out there with them.

You Have to Stop Something to Start Something

There’s no magic switch. You can’t start something new without stopping something else.

• “I can’t stop doomscrolling.”

• “I can’t stop binging this show.”

Maybe the problem isn’t what you’re doing—maybe it’s what you’re not doing. Go outside. Fix something around the house. Walk your neighborhood. Say hi to a neighbor. Help with a community project. Teach your kid how to plant a garden, fix a flat tire, or talk to someone who isn’t their teacher or classmate.

Be the Starter You Want Them to Be

Maybe the issue isn’t with the kids—it’s with us. What if you became a “yes man” for your kids? What if, every time they asked to ride bikes or throw a ball, you said yes—even when you were tired? We’re all tired. Even after that third cup of coffee, it’s not just exhaustion—it’s laziness.

Not everything has to turn into something big, but starting small things leads to bigger things. Life is a chain reaction. Start in your teens, learn in your twenties, and build momentum. Or don’t—and risk regret in your thirties.

That’s why I wrote Garrett’s Ventures. Garrett learns he can just do things—sell gum, work with friends, solve problems. It’s about action. It’s about starting.

We Need Starters

We must raise a generation of unafraid starters—kids who try, fail, learn, and try again.

So I’ll leave you with this: Will you be a role model? Will you stop what you’re doing... and start?