I'm not going lie: I often wonder what could have happened if I did so many things differently in my life. I think about how the butterfly effect could have drastically impacted my life.

I did a lot of different things growing up. I played sports, participated in the Boy Scouts, played an instrument. I got involved in quite a few different clubs and activities in high school and college. On top of that, I was a decent student (B/B+ range in both of those).

Thinking back to eighth grade, I had my US history teacher tell me that I could have been in the top ten in my class. At the time I laughed at the idea, mainly because I could count at least twenty other people that would have made it before I did.

Fast forward, oh gosh, how long has it been now, nine years, and I start thinking back on what could have happened.

Let's say I had focused on academics. I could have gotten into any school I wanted. That being said, nothing would have stopped me from attending the University of Maine. In all honesty, my achievement in the classroom would have had the least amount of influence on how different my life would have been.

There is, of course, one thing that could have had more influence on my life: baseball

Let's assume I had dedicated myself to the sport in a way that offered me a chance to play in college. Again, this would not have stopped me from attending UMaine by any stretch. However, I definitely would have had more options, as I would have looked for a school that gave me a greater chance to play professionally.

Sure, I wouldn't have to worry about pay, but would I really be happy right now? The answer to that is not really. I wouldn't have anyone to share the happiness with if I had gone that route, so what good would a large signing bonus really do for me? Nothing.

Sometimes, you just have to take a step back and realize the ideal life is not going to be a reality. You also need to realize that your life may be exactly what you really wanted all along, and that going back to change would be the worst thing you can do.

Now don't take this as a way of saying "Suck it up, buttercup" when you're in a shitty position. Obviously, if you want to change where you are in your life going forward, that is laudable. But don't get so hung up on trying to fix the past that you forget to live. Take what you have and work from there.

You can't control the past. Even trying would set off a chain of unforeseeable consequences. But the future is yours to mold any way you see fit.