Dream a Little Dream

Close your eyes.

With your eyes closed, I want you to picture your biggest dreams.

A tall order for sure.

But not only your biggest dreams . . . the most farfetched, ludicrous, the “You must be out of your mind” variety—that’s what I want you to picture.  What thoughts did you have as the images of your WILDEST dreams played in your head?

Were you scared? Did you immediately begin to doubt yourself? Did you instantly hear your ‘be realistic’ teachers and parents’ voices? Did you, subconsciously, start reeling off all the reasons these dreams can never come true?

Or when I asked you to do this exercise, did you get excited? Did you picture these dreams as attainable . . . the prize of your race and fruits of your labor? Were they so vivid, alive and real, as you visualized them, that in some way it feels they are just a matter of time because you are so hell-bent on achieving them?

Did your heart beat a little faster . . . adrenaline start running through your veins . . . palms get sweaty . . did a smile spread over your face?

All are natural responses, but what I want you to know is this—as long as there is still breath in your lungs, it’s not too late to turn these dreams into reality! There is no such thing as being realistic, being too old, too young or too rusty to accomplish the things that make life worth living . . . the moments that take your breath away, the moments that become great stories and make for wonderful memories!

If your dream is to become a school teacher, leaving an indelible mark on thousands of the lives of thousands of children . . . do it! If you have always wanted to write a book, but don’t know where to start . . . I’ll give you advice, that I myself am using, it starts with words on page! No, your 250 pages won’t just magically appear, but words become a sentence, sentences become a paragraph, paragraphs become a page, pages become chapters and chapters become a book! Maybe your dream is to become a professional athlete . . . then get to training! When your peers are going to party, or still asleep, start honing your craft. Run more than they do. Get more shots up than they do. Hit the batting cage. Get out the JUG machine. Throw those passes. Lift weights like your life depended on it. Practice, practice, practice! If your dream is to become a musician that touches and inspires the world, then pick up that instrument, write that song, hit the studio and heal the world one note and song at a time! What’s the worst that can happen? You fail? Do you know how many people NEVER try because they are scared to death of failure? Or just as bad, do you know how many never attempt to do something they really want because they’re TOO scared of SUCCESS?

Maybe your dream is to become a doctor, so you can care for children around the world with a heart to reach those in third-world countries . . . then hit those books and ask for a heart of compassion that supersedes the one you have now! Your dream could be to become a social worker, a policeman, fireman, a lawyer, a businessman. Whatever your dream is, no matter the pursuit or field, it takes putting forth the effort. We all have different gifts and talents as unique as the God who gave them and as specific as their recipient, but the one thing ALL dreams have in common is something many are scared of—HARD WORK!

We’re familiar with the motto, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” right? Control what you can control—whether you’re on the court, in the field, sitting in a classroom, or out in the work force, that’s the one thing you can ALWAYS do— control what you can control-- and do so with great effort, fierce determination and with a positive attitude!

I hate to break it to you, but there will always be someone better, BUT there will never be a single person on Earth, or throughout the history of time, who can do what you do in the way that you do it! That’s a fact!

What happens if you put forth all that work and get nothing out of it? What if ‘THEY’ are right . . . you’ll never accomplish it, you’ll never be THAT successful, you’re just going to embarrass yourself! What if, what if, what if. When I think of that, I think of the phrase, “If IFs and BUTs were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas!” While that’s humorous, the truth behind it holds true . . . You can’t be focused on the ifs, buts, what ifs, the he say/she say. The reality is simple—If you want something badly enough, you’ll go after it. You’ll not only go after it, you’ll pursue it with reckless abandonment!

Like four ferocious dogs are nipping at your heels, you’ll run after it like nothing else matters. But the pursuit, no matter how great or small, begins with simply doing. What if my words don’t reach the multitudes . . . what if only five people read it . . . what if my past is too big to overcome . . . what if I’m not good enough . . . what if I’m never taken seriously. . . what if this is just a vain pursuit . . . enough already! I’m just doing. No longer thinking of all the reasons this can’t happen and just doing my damnedest to make it happen!

One of my life mantras is, “Trust the process, but even more so the Processor (God). While I think that approach, along with the aforementioned ones are vital, I know, without a shadow of doubt, we were and are meant to use our gifts and talents. There is NO greater way than to honor the Gifter! Doing that is our gift to the world—one NOBODY can give except you!

“ For I know the plans I have for you-- plans to prosper you, not to harm you, but to give you a future.” Jer. 29:11

See that? To prosper you. In the Bible, do not fear is mentioned 365 times. Could it be overcoming fear is one of the biggest keys of accomplishment? Could it be overcoming our fears is the lynchpin to success? Is it possible adopting a fearless attitude in the pursuit of worthwhile things is one of the very reasons we live? Could it be life is meant to LIVE!?!

What causes your body to radiate with joy when you’re doing it? What is your biggest source of happiness? What activity, occupation or hobby can you not imagine your life without? What makes life worth living to you? See it? Taste it? If it was taken away, would life be same?

If you’re that passionate about it, then renew your vigor in multiplying your talent. Work harder than you’ve ever worked. Don’t let anything or anybody stand in your way! You may NEVER reach the summit, but I promise you it will be a BEAUTIFUL CLIMB! Are back-up plans good to have? Sure, but the reward of the journey isn’t where you end up. The reward is each step of the journey. It’s truly the destination. There is more blessing in each step of the race than most seem to realize. Why do you think there is so much opposition to you even running to start with? There is a devil behind every bush telling you you can’t—do you think that’s coincidence?

Can you imagine what would’ve happened to basketball, or to the world of sneakers, if Michael Jordan would’ve quit after he was cut from his varsity basketball team at Laney High School? Or how different the world of art would be if Michaelangelo, or Picasso, would’ve put down the brush the first bad painting they did? How different would the world be if the kid in school, who was once called, “Non-creative and one who didn’t have much of an imagination,” would’ve listened to his teacher? Who was that you may ask . . . none other than Walt Disney! Thomas Edison failed over 1,000 times to invent the light bulb—ONE THOUSAND, but do you know what his response was when asked, by a young reporter, if he felt like a failure?

“Why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up?  I now know definitely over 9,000 ways that an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp!"

Whatever dream you still have, it’s not too late! That dream you had, as a little boy or little girl, can still be realized! Set out to make your coffin lose worth! Don’t take your dreams into the ground with you! Dare to be different and find the courage to do what so many fail to do-- get off the starting line! Have faith, set your vision, get focused, work hard, remain humble stay at it! Where it leads . . . who knows, but no matter the destination one thing is certain, it all started with a DREAM!

 So come on, won’t you dare to dream a little dream with me?