July
15
I bought the brand new iPhone 4 the moment it was available. Nick and I have always jumped at the same time with our apple purchases. Of course I have to admit he is better with the dates they go on sale and tends to reminder and push me so I make the deadlines in time.
He received his the day before mine arrived. He opened it as was using it with in minutes of having it in his hand. When mine came, it sat in the box. Just in the box.
Over a week later, it was still in the box.
It wasn’t that I did not want the phone. I just felt it was so new I didn’t want to ruin it. I was scared to start using it in fear I would drop it or break it.
Nick asked everyday if I was using it. I always responded no. Finally he told me a story.
When he was younger he got a brand new pair of roller blades. He wanted to keep them new so he left them in the box. As time went on, they only sat in the box. Finally one day he decided to use them and found his feet had out grown them and he couldn’t enjoy them at all.
Of course I took this story to mean get out your freaking phone and use it before the next one comes out!!
So I opened the box and began my journey with my new iPhone. It is funny how sometimes we hold ourselves back because of the fear of what will happen when you start but it is the fear which keeps us from even starting in the first place. Think of all that we miss out on simply because we fear what might happen or go wrong.
(Of course I will not comment on the problems the new phones are having.)
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Joseph
on 15 Jul 2010 at 2:16 pm #
the story with roller blades was also used in Home alone 2, when Kevin draws a parallel between him not using his skates and the lady in the park feeding pigeons not using her heart. Nonetheless it draws attention to use whatever we can – use it or lose it
Anyway, good luck with your new iPhone!
Michael
on 15 Jul 2010 at 4:03 pm #
Thank you! I am loving it for the most part and I am glad it is out of the box.
Great example you shared. I appreciate it!
Chris
on 15 Jul 2010 at 11:14 pm #
So true! Fear is such a big anti-motivator! Fear of getting what we want, even… So weird. They say the perfect is the enemy of the good. Good post, thanks!
Ariela
on 24 Jul 2010 at 10:38 am #
Hello Michael, it’s been a while since I commented last on your blog. I love this story because I had one similar situation happened to me when I was 10. Burger King was just opening here in Costa Rica and the Ninja Turtles were the TV series of the moment for kids, I LOVE THEM!, so with their meals they would give you plastic bottles with the Ninja Turtles in it. When I finally got my bottle I was so excited, and wanted to use it all the time, but then again I didn’t for fear that it would get ruined or even worse, that washing it constantly would make the picture dissapear! Years went on and I would barely use it, and now I don’t even know what ever happened to the bottle; but then again, 20 years later it’s not that important anymore.
That’s why last week when my new Nintendo Wii arrived, thinking it would be my birthday gift (which is until september) I just went ahead and opened it up and now i’m enjoying my console as if I was that 10 year old kid who was afraid her much appreciated bottle would get ruined.
Thanks for your wonderful stories Michael!
All the best!
Michael
on 27 Jul 2010 at 10:36 am #
Ariela,
Wonderful to hear from you again!
I love this story you have shared with all of us. Isn’t it the truth that is it so easy to get caught up and protecting the fun that you end up missing out on it.
I am so glad you are enjoying the wii! I love mine!