Always Be Growing – Reach For Your Dreams

As I open my emails this morning there is a reoccurring theme from Brian Tracy, Napoleon Hill, Bill Harris of Centerpointe, and Mike Litman. They are all speaking on courage to follow your passion. Why do so many people let their dreams wither and die? Is it fear of failure or crazy as it many seem, fear of success?

It is so easy to stay in our little comfort zone of known friends, known jobs, known neighborhood and even common complaints. Many people find it easier to complain about what they do not like about their life or situations than to actually go out and do something about improving them. Some people would rather stay with something they know, even if they don’t like it, rather than rock the boat by even considering something new.

It all comes down to what you want from your life. Would you rather be safe but miserable with the known or look for a way to make it better? You may be thinking, what gives her to right to tell me to shake up my world?

I grew up as a very poor Kansas farm girl. It would have been less effort to obey my father and stay right there on the farm. I had a dream of going to college and actually doing something with my life. Out of my graduating class only 3 of us went to college and one of those dropped out after the first year. What gave me the courage to say I deserved more? Perhaps it was my teachers. Maybe it was just aw persistent voice inside my head saying, “get out of here and go find out what you can do with your life.”

I am so very grateful that I listened. Talk about a stretch out of the comfort zone. I had not been allowed to learn to drive, had never had a job, and did not have any money. In fact, my possessions were few and not very nice at that, but I wanted more from life.

Now I am NOT recommending that anyone follow my lead and run away from home, but I am so thankful that I did stretch my limits and go for the gusto. What I learned in college has benefited me every day of my life. The classes were very intense and informative, but what I learned outside of class was even more important. I learned to not only survive but thrive. I learned how to interact with various people from many different backgrounds. I learned how to network and locate not just a job, but a good job where I learned as well as being paid.

I grew so much as a person in those three and a half years. It made such an impact on me that I held the goal of a Masters degree in the back of my mind for decades. It was actually 30 years after my Bachelors degree before I was able to go to the University of Denver and start working on my Masters degree. Once again, it was not easy. I worked until 2 pm and drove to Denver, 170 miles, once a week for 3 years to earn my Masters degrees. I went to class from 6 until 10 or 11pm and then got up at 4 and drove back to Steamboat to be in the office by 8 am to work a full day.

Was it easy or comfortable to obtain either the Bachelors or Masters degrees? NO. Was it worth it? Absolutely Yes. It meant giving up weekends and evenings to study as well but I have never regretted a minute of it. Was I scared and nervous and unsure of myself both times? Yes. Did it stop me? NO

What is it that you want very badly? Badly enough to step out of your comfort zone and reach for your dreams? You can make excuses or find a way to make it happen. Your choice.