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.
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.
