Everyone,
at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special,
somebody big. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the
game-winning homer? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how
many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our
relationships?
Often,
we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams
remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust in our
attic.
This
is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting
adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living
from day-to-day just barely existing.
But
you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher.
The
most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get
hung up thinking I can't do this. It's too hard. It's too impossible. No one
can do this.
However,
if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no
breakthroughs in human accomplishment.
Remember
that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee.
Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly.
Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does.
On
the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and
not acting on them. The result? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.
All
of the top self help books will tell you that if you limit yourself with
self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past
what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working
towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream.
Try
this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life.
Under one header, list 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-the one that reads ‘you might be
able to do.’
As
of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, 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.’
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. However, it also is unwise to
set a goal that is truly unrealistic.
Those
who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and
disillusioned.
On
the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible
for man to be on the moon, they would laugh 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% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing
could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had
work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think-big dream,
and not some easily accomplished one.
Ask
any gym rat 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 on, 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.
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