Friday, November 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Pursue Your Dream-Even When You Are Scared
HOW TO LIVE YOUR DREAM WHEN YOU’RE SCARED TO DEATH by Jeff Goin
There is a tragedy in our world today.
Most people aren’t living their dreams, and the reason is simple: fear.
They’re scared to be who they are.
When you endeavor to find your life’s work, there is a lot at risk:
• You could fail.
• You could lose the respect of your friends.
• You could go broke.
• You could mess up in a hundred different ways.
But—and this is important—you could also succeed. And until you start living into your calling, you’re robbing the world of a gift.
After years of procrastinating, I finally pursued my dream. I decided to become a writer. To my surprise, I saw success far more quickly than expected: I launched a popular blog, got a publishing contract, and found my true fans—all within a year. How did this happen?
Simple. I believed in the dream before it happened. I didn’t wait for fear to go away; I started living into the reality I was longing for. If you’re going to live and lead intentionally, you’ll have to do the same.
There are three steps you need to take if you’re going to pursue your passion.
Step 1: Declare it. Although I’ve written for most of my life, I never considered myself a writer—not until recently. When a friend asked what my dream was and I told him I didn’t have one, he said, “That’s funny… because I would’ve thought it was to be a writer.” I said that was probably true. Then he said something I’ll never forget: You don’t have to want to be a writer; you are a writer. You just need to write. The words resonated in my soul. I realized that before I could expect others to believe something about me, first I would have to believe it myself.
Step 2: Believe it. Friends and family often notice our gifts before we do. They acknowledge the talents and resources we’ve been doubting and dismissing. The only way to find your dream is to trust the gifts you’ve been given. I’m not talking about a misguided “name it and claim it” philosophy. You need to accept the value you offer, not invent it. But at some point, you need to stop doubting yourself. There is a word for this: it’s called faith. Before the ancient Hebrews saw the Promised Land, they believed in it. They trusted in a place they hadn’t yet seen, which brought them through the desert and into their destiny. You need to grasp the possibility of achieving your dream before it happens. You’ll have to believe it before you see it.
Step 3: Do it. A few years ago, my wife and I attended a concert, and halfway through the show, a man clumsily spilled beer on her coat. I complained to one of the ushers, and he warned the man, but no further action was taken. Later, I went to the bathroom and returned to a crying wife. She wanted to leave. On our way out of the auditorium, she told me the man had harassed her while I was gone. I was outraged. Turning around, I marched back into the auditorium, and confronted the man. It was, honestly, one of the scariest things I’ve done as an adult. I hadn’t stood up to a bully since the second grade, and there I was—in front of a towering, muscle-bound beefcake, calling him an idiot. With my heart racing and my palms sweating, I demanded respect and an apology. And then something incredible happened. He said he was sorry. In that moment, I learned an important lesson: until we act, our values are just dreams. I believed in my wife’s honor—in theory—but until I stood up for her, it was just a good idea.
This is an essential takeaway for all of us called to meaningful work. Although we are not merely what we do, we become what we practice. And if you’re practicing insecurity and fear, what does that make you? If you have a dream or calling you’re not yet living into, it’s time to get to work:
• Declare you are what you’re waiting to be.
• Believe in your dream before you see it.
• And then do it.
• Remember: Until you start living it, you’re only dreaming.
Question: When was the last time you pursued a passion in spite of fear?
There is a tragedy in our world today.
Most people aren’t living their dreams, and the reason is simple: fear.
They’re scared to be who they are.
When you endeavor to find your life’s work, there is a lot at risk:
• You could fail.
• You could lose the respect of your friends.
• You could go broke.
• You could mess up in a hundred different ways.
But—and this is important—you could also succeed. And until you start living into your calling, you’re robbing the world of a gift.
After years of procrastinating, I finally pursued my dream. I decided to become a writer. To my surprise, I saw success far more quickly than expected: I launched a popular blog, got a publishing contract, and found my true fans—all within a year. How did this happen?
Simple. I believed in the dream before it happened. I didn’t wait for fear to go away; I started living into the reality I was longing for. If you’re going to live and lead intentionally, you’ll have to do the same.
There are three steps you need to take if you’re going to pursue your passion.
Step 1: Declare it. Although I’ve written for most of my life, I never considered myself a writer—not until recently. When a friend asked what my dream was and I told him I didn’t have one, he said, “That’s funny… because I would’ve thought it was to be a writer.” I said that was probably true. Then he said something I’ll never forget: You don’t have to want to be a writer; you are a writer. You just need to write. The words resonated in my soul. I realized that before I could expect others to believe something about me, first I would have to believe it myself.
Step 2: Believe it. Friends and family often notice our gifts before we do. They acknowledge the talents and resources we’ve been doubting and dismissing. The only way to find your dream is to trust the gifts you’ve been given. I’m not talking about a misguided “name it and claim it” philosophy. You need to accept the value you offer, not invent it. But at some point, you need to stop doubting yourself. There is a word for this: it’s called faith. Before the ancient Hebrews saw the Promised Land, they believed in it. They trusted in a place they hadn’t yet seen, which brought them through the desert and into their destiny. You need to grasp the possibility of achieving your dream before it happens. You’ll have to believe it before you see it.
Step 3: Do it. A few years ago, my wife and I attended a concert, and halfway through the show, a man clumsily spilled beer on her coat. I complained to one of the ushers, and he warned the man, but no further action was taken. Later, I went to the bathroom and returned to a crying wife. She wanted to leave. On our way out of the auditorium, she told me the man had harassed her while I was gone. I was outraged. Turning around, I marched back into the auditorium, and confronted the man. It was, honestly, one of the scariest things I’ve done as an adult. I hadn’t stood up to a bully since the second grade, and there I was—in front of a towering, muscle-bound beefcake, calling him an idiot. With my heart racing and my palms sweating, I demanded respect and an apology. And then something incredible happened. He said he was sorry. In that moment, I learned an important lesson: until we act, our values are just dreams. I believed in my wife’s honor—in theory—but until I stood up for her, it was just a good idea.
This is an essential takeaway for all of us called to meaningful work. Although we are not merely what we do, we become what we practice. And if you’re practicing insecurity and fear, what does that make you? If you have a dream or calling you’re not yet living into, it’s time to get to work:
• Declare you are what you’re waiting to be.
• Believe in your dream before you see it.
• And then do it.
• Remember: Until you start living it, you’re only dreaming.
Question: When was the last time you pursued a passion in spite of fear?
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Living Life
I will not die an
unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.
fully alive - dawna markova
unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.
fully alive - dawna markova
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
LP: Into the Wild
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the commercial where LP sings part of "Into the Wild" and here are the lyrics I've found online:
Into The Wild - LP lyrics
Are we on the lonely side
Say oh now the past long away
Are we're so lost in the dark of our hearts
That there's no light of day
No oh oh oh
No oh oh oh
1, 2, 3, 4!
Somebody left the gate open
You know we got lost on the way
Come save us a runaway train
Goin insaane(?)
How do we How do we not fade
how do we how do we how do we not fade away
how do we how do we ooooh
Into the wild
how are we living living living
Into the wild
How are we living living living
Wooohooo
Wooohoohoo
Heeeyy
Heeey
Oh please believe me Im more scared than not
That oh now this isnt the way
And please be there I can barely hang on
But oh I wait til I break
Yea eh eh eh
Yea eh eh eh
Somebody left the gate open
You know we got lost on the way
Come save us a runaway train
Goin insane
how do we how do we not fade
how do we how do we how do We not fade away
How do we how do we ooooooooh
Into the wild
How are we living living living
Into the wild
How are we living living living
Wooohoooh!
Woohooahoo
Heeeeyyy
Heeey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1EbHetjAs
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