The 5 Things I'm Learning Are Key To Living Out My Dream

I have been giving serious consideration to where I am going in my life.  Over the next few posts, I am planning to share some personal thoughts on what I’m thinking.  I found a few quotes that absolutely are helping me set my course.  The first set has to do with living out your dreams as opposed to resolutely accepting what is handed to you…

Let me share a few of my favorites:

I have spread my dreams beneath your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

--W.B. Yeats

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

 --Harriet Tubman

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.   

 --Pamela Vaull Starr

The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had means, time, influence and educational advantages; the question is what he will do with the things he has. The moment a young man ceases to dream or to bemoan his lack of opportunities and resolutely looks his conditions in the face, and resolves to change them, he lays the corner-stone of a solid and honorable success.

 -- Hamilton Wright Mabie

This last statement by Mabie seems to pick up the heavy tone of my search right now.  I want so badly to push through to my dream but I have been bemoaning in my heart what I perceive to be my “situation”.  What I mean is that I have been whining a bunch about how much I could do if only I had . . . well you know how that last part goes.  If this or if that then I could certainly get my life where I want it to be.  But that is not what I’ve been given nor does it look like I will have the stuff of plenty laid gently in my lap.

So where do I go?  Great question.  Here's the 5 things I've learned about living my dream.

Get serious about where you are going.  If I have no idea where I am going then any direction will do.  I think it was the Cheshire Cat who said something of this nature to Alice.  The modern equivalent is the GPS gadgets that have become a big part of our lives.  If you have no idea of where you want to go, no GPS in the world can get you there.

Be willing to fail.  That may be the one thing that drives me the most crazy.  Am I willing to lay my dream on the line & risk failure?  Of course if I do nothing then I have already failed, but in the heart it is easy to hope some white knight will ride to the rescue & make everything better.  I don’t suppose waiting gets me any closer to the dream.  (Some would call this either procrastination or laziness.)    

Third, put the plan on paper.  I have heard it said my whole life that to “fail to plan is to plan to fail”.  And in this situation, that is more true than ever.  Writing it down is only way to have even a remote chance of having it come to pass.  And that scares me to death.  For once I write it down, those who read it & those closest to me will see more of the real me.  Why is it so much easier to stay secret?

Fourth, seek out experts in the field.  The older I get the more I realize that I have so little understanding of so much of what I need to know.  It has taken me a little more time than a 20 something to pick up Twitter, Facebook & blogging but I am getting more astute all the time.  What this means is I am able to learn and I am able to get to my destination.  It means that I must get to know as many of the variables before I launch.  It does not mean I will know everything or will not have much to learn.  Most of life is on the job training.  But leaning from others mistakes & victories could make a new venture less vexing.

Fifth, there is no substitute for hard work.  A dear friend started a new job a few weeks back & she was telling me about her boss.  He is a young man who started a new construction business in the midst of a busted real estate bubble & downturn in the economy.  Yet, he’s doing quite well.  Why?  Great question.  Perhaps it has to do with the fact that he starts every day about 2:30 am.  That’s right 2:30 am.  He’s pumping out email, reading through contracts, going over his financials & getting his day in order.  He gets to the office by 5 am & works till lunch.  Lunches are almost always with clients or potential clients.  He then works at the office till 3:30 or so when he then goes out to meet potential clients.  He gets home from work about 6:30, eats with the family & then goes to bed about 8 pm.  He doesn’t watch TV.  He doesn’t watch the latest movie.  He knows that he is under tremendous pressure to make this venture successful.  He is on my list of people I want to meet.

Lastly, you must believe in yourself.  I was reading an article by Chris Guillebeau about “Being Awesome”  http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/how-to-be-awesome/?awt_l=IT3Fl&awt_m=1jZ.BaPWmcnt7W.  I don’t know about you but I had forgotten about how awesome I am.  I’m not trying to brag but God has truly blessed me with talent.  I always appreciated Rush Limbaugh’s comment that he had “talent on loan from God”.  While I may not be the greatest speaker to ever step in front of a mic, I am quite capable.  While I may not be the most gifted athlete, I can hold my own in the company of many younger athletes.  While I may not be the greatest salesman to ever schlep my wares to the world, I am truly exceptional at helping people buy from me when I have something to sell.  And here’s the truth no only tells you often enough.  You too are amazing.  You are a gift of God to the world.  And if the Creator of all things says that you are great, then by Heaven you are & it is high time you started believing in yourself.

Now if I can only figure out this end of the world thing . . . mmmmmm.  Wait, I guess it’s all been moved till October.