Brilliant!

Why do beers get the best commercials? Remember these guys from Guinness? For a while, “Brilliant!” was a regular part of my celebratory vernacular. But Guinness is an Irish brew and this is Cinco de Mayo.

That brings me to my other favorite beer guy: the Dos Equis man. You’ve seen the commercials: “The police want to question him, just because they find him interesting. He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels. He lives vicariously through himself. He is the most interesting man in the world.”

On Sunday, some friends and I were watching the Red Wings game when his commercial came on. And one of my very wise comrades spoke up and said (something very close to): “Shouldn’t that be everyone’s goal? To live vicariously through themselves?”

To which I reply: BRILLIANT!

What are you passionate about? What have you been dreaming about? What have you been putting off? On this day that celebrates victory and freedom, I wish you freedom to look beyond all the reasons ‘why not’ and to be stronger than all the things that weigh you down... Live vicariously! Take that trip, pursue that career, reorganize that room, write that book, learn that language, call that person, eat that ice cream, master that song on rock band…. strike the balance of being responsible and carefree, of planning for the future and living in the moment, of being good to others and being good to yourself.

Don’t let anything quench your thirst for excellence, for adventure, for the joy of a memory made, for the feeling of a job well done and a mountain well climbed.

“Stay thirsty my friends.”