At a previous job, I once knew someone who said we can’t do everything, but we can do anything. Now, this piece of advice is definitely helpful in the professional world. It applies to multiple aspects of any career, whether it be planning a budget, offering services, or identifying target audiences/clients.

However, this advice also rings true for our personal lives.

Things changed for me in my late 20s when my run as a bachelor came to an end. I no longer only had to answer to myself. I got married and a dude named Brent was not the only person I had to make sure was happy. Then Sidney and I had a daughter and things really changed. In a few years, it went from all about me to seldom about me.

(Something most good parents would never change for the world).

Still, it is easy for me and others in my situation to simply say “I don’t have time to accomplish anything anymore” and be completely content with not improving ourselves or pursuing passions. But this isn’t true. Yes, it is 100% accurate that we no longer “have time to accomplish everything” our minds would like to do, but we have the potential to accomplish anything.

It takes time management and it takes sacrifice, but if there is a goal or pursuit that you want to accomplish, I think it is readily achievable even if you have a family. Although sometimes it might seem like your schedule is already booked 24/7, most of us can identify an hour or two either in the wee hours of the morning, during the lunch hour, or late at night to work on a personal goal, project, or hobby. Again, it will never be enough to tackle 34 different items off a checklist (everything) but you will at least be able to work on the item at the top of the list (anything).

I am constantly trying to do a better job at being the best husband/father I can while at the same time resisting the urge to stop growing as a person because “I don’t have time for it.” It takes a lot of power from within, but we really can accomplish anything.