The Beauty of Time Travel

It’s not that often we get to travel back in time. Honestly, I’m still not sure anyone has figured out how to do so. But the beauty of our minds is that it gives the ability to look inward and see what once was. 

Memories can be cloudy. The whole picture isn’t there and allegedly we create and store memories how we want to remember them. There is something too it though. 

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about this 15 year old version of me. Sitting in speech class, ironically writing a paper, about my business role model. I chose Mark Cuban. 

Why you might ask? At the time I was a die hard Mavs fan. They were the closest team, within a 2-3 hour drive, of the small town of New Boston, TX. I could probably only name 2-3 players, but I’d rock my Dirk jersey, and some other swag I got from my sister. 

I wanted to own an NBA team. More importantly, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I dreamed of creating my own internet company, bank rolling it into the next deal, stacking some cash and buying my own team. 

What did I need to do to figure this out? 

Most of it lived in my brain, in the fantasy world. Meanwhile, I was living normal life. Going to high school, chasing girls, playing sports, and eventually graduating and heading off to college.

College was college, and a great time for me, followed by actually moving to Dallas. After building some buildings there, a move to Austin, Covid, and the last few years - here we are now. 

I was in a coaching session recently with a co-worker of mine. We were talking about the present, the future and the past. I got on a rip about this old dream and she asked me one of the most profound questions I’d heard in some time, “Who’s sitting in the chair right now? Casey of today or 15 year old Casey?”. 

I was stunned. Actually I was shook. The beauty of a good question is that it makes you think. It opens up your brain and you’re able to analyze yourself. I would say it’s one of the most unique parts of being human. 

As I sit here today, the question is still ringing through my head. The truth is, both of us are. Casey of today is alive and well, enjoying himself, working, moving through life, and 15 year old Casey is also here. Dreaming, thinking, fantasizing about what could be. 

The only difference is that Casey of today has the resources to do what 15 year old Casey wanted too. Some cash in the bank, a house, access to people, time and effort. 

So, what’s holding you back?…...That my friends, is a damn good question as well.