Many years ago, I heard this quote:
“You have now EXACTLY what you want to have in life.”
The audience was silent as was the speaker for several minutes. Then, she went on to explain that if you REALLY wanted something different, you would do whatever it took to get it.
~If you REALLY wanted to be out of debt, you would sell anything that wasn’t completely necessary, work a part time job and turn off the cable.
~If you REALLY wanted to go back to college, you would research every scholarship known to man, find the cheapest place you could live and take online classes at 2:00am to get it done.
~If you REALLY wanted to write a book, you would write every single day, no matter what.
~ If you REALLY wanted to run a marathon, you would be setting your alarm clock for an hour earlier every day and start with the first step.
A few of the major things in my life have been done “on a whim.” I moved 740 miles away to live at the beach 2 weeks after I vacationed there. I married my husband just 6 months after I met him. If I had taken too long to think about those things, I may not have done them. I would have over analyzed, made excuses and never made the change in my life.
In the movie the Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith’s character, Chris Gardner, has a dream. In order to make the dream a reality, he has to live in a homeless shelter with his small son and endure a 6 month, unpaid internship…without even the promise of a job at the end. If he succeeds, his life will be forever changed for the better. The easy way would have been to find a job, any job, pay the bills and continue with a typical American lifestyle. This true-life story, however, has a better ending. His pursuit of Happyness turns out well but it had potential for disaster at many points in the story.
All of us had dreams when we were younger. Somewhere along the way, we let them go. We pushed them into a back corner of our mind somewhere and they are covered in dust. Every now and then, we bring them out, look at them and then put them back in the corner, wishfully. But, we never even take the first step to making that happen? Why? What is stopping you?
Fear? Are you afraid to fail? Afraid it might be too hard? Afraid you might actually succeed? Afraid of what others might think if you don’t succeed? Afraid of the unknown?
Procrastination? You are planning to start soon. Things just keep happening in your life and it gets delayed. But…you will, someday.
Lack of Planning? What will it take to get you from where you are today to the place you want to be? How will you achieve each of those steps?
Lack of Resources? Not enough money or time?
I would venture to say that the single greatest reason for not pursuing your dream is Fear. Your procrastination, lack of planning and excuses of lack of resources are all rooted in that fear.
Somewhere along the way, you have been convinced that you can’t have it. You won’t be successful. So, you gave up.
Today, dig through your mind and pull your dream back out. Dust it off. Look at it for a few minutes and imagine what life would be like if it happened. Then, pray like you have never prayed before. Ask God to ignite the passion you once had for your dream. Ask Him to show you what is stopping you and what caused your fear. Repent of the fear. Ask Him for clarity and discernment to go forward. It is my belief that many of our dreams are God given. If He has given you the dream, He will also give you the resources to fulfill it. It is going to take some blood, sweat and tears on your part though. You can do it! God has given you gifts, talents and abilities necessary to do what it takes. Make your plan and take your first step today.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 4:20
“Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” Romans 12:11
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
Tomorrow, I will share my dream with you and what I am doing to pursue it. In the comments below, tell us what your dream is and What Is Stopping You.
Read Part 3: 10 P’s to Achieving Your Dreams
Read Part 4: Dream Killing 101
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