At some point in all of our lives, we all dream of being someone big ... someone special, right? When you were in high school did you fantasize about being the one who made the game-winning touch down? Or perhaps maybe your dream was to become the homecoming queen? And how many times have you dreamed of being rich, powerful, and successful? Or maybe you just want to find the perfect spouse or find happiness within your relationship. Well guess what? You’re not alone!
Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that—dreams! And our aspirations ... now that’s an even bigger problem because they just collect dust in the attic of our minds. This of course turns out to be a sad turn of events in our life because instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day just barely existing! If anyone understand what I mean then can I please get an AMEN?
But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher. That’s right I said it! Perhaps the problem is not the goal you’re set but instead it’s your determination to achieve it.
The most common problem people have when setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking “ I can’t do this. I can’t do that. It’s too hard. It’s impossible ...”
Well guess what? That’s simply not true. If everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment. As a matter of fact, you would not be reading this right now!
Remember when scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee? Theoretically, they “said,” it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. You know big body, and small wings that would not support its weight. Fortunately for the bumble bee no one told him he could not fly so guess what? He flies!
You see if you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible.
Now on the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you’ll find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream. The result? Broken dreams and tattered aspirations.
Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header write down things you know you can do. Under another header, write the things you might be able to do. And under one more, list the things that that are impossible for you to do.
Now look at all the headers strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things you know you can do. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header starting with the one that reads you might be able to do.
Now, since you have accomplished all of the items you wrote under things you know you can do, you can move the goals that are under things that are impossible for you to do to the list of things you might be able to do and move the items from that list to the you know you can do list. Follow me?
As you iterate through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all. You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little.
For example, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would have laughed at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities!
Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Nothing could be truer! For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But please note that the 1 percent has to think a big dream, and not something that can be easily accomplished.
Ask any fitness expert and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “ No pain, no gain?” That is as true as it can be.
So dream big my friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.
Dream big and think big because there’s no dream too big that you can’t grow into!—Pam Lawhorne