HOW COMFORTABLE IS THE COMFORT ZONE?

 One Step Beyond My Comfort Zone

Did you take swimming lessons when you were a kid? Me too. Your town might have had a municipal or community pool. I practically lived at the pool every summer, taking lessons every morning, back at the pool every afternoon swimming with my friends for a few hours then head to the snack shop to order a frozen Snickers candy bar and gnaw on that all the way home. And, that was my routine every day, of every summer.

Then when I was around 10 years old I had a new awareness of something for the first time. It stood above the deep end of the pool, it was ominous…it was 10 feet tall, it was, The High Dive! As I watched bigger kids jump off, I was fascinated with the idea of trying it myself. But, there was no trying it. If you climb the ladder - you jump! You see the ladder was packed with kids waiting their turn. If you got to the top and got scared, they’re not letting you back down.

About then I started spending more time in the deep end of the pool watching kids, jump, dive, flip and cannonball from 10 feet in the air. So I would get out of the pool and hang around the end of the line of kids waiting to go up. And I'd ask, “What’s it like anyway?” Everyone said the same thing, “It’s awesome…you gotta do it! Then invariably someone would come behind me thinking I’m at the end of the line. So, I’d say, yeah…we’re just talking. And, I would slip back into the pool, nice and warm, nice and safe, back into my comfort zone.

But every day I found myself inching closer to the ladder. You see I really wanted to be one of that elite group of people who could fly ten feet through the air splashing into the water below, but, I was afraid. It was Jack Canfield who said...

Everything you want is on the other side of fear.

I soon discovered that what I wanted was not at the end of the line waiting to climb the ladder. When I got to the top, it wasn’t there either. See at that moment everything I wanted was just one step beyond the end of the High Dive! The one step I couldn’t take.

Just then the Life Guard saw my predicament. So he hollered, “I’m going to count down from ten, when I say one, you jump!  I nodded. He shouted 10! 9! 8! (Then everyone on the high dive yelled with him) 7! 6! 5! (Then everyone in the POOL stopped what they were doing, looked up at me and joined in) 4! 3! 2! 1 - jump!

I took one step, dropped 10 feet through the air and overcame what was at that time the greatest fear in my life! From that day forward I had a new routine, a new comfort zone. Every day of every summer I went to the pool with a new purpose, to jump off the High Dive!

When was the last time you faced a fearful or uncomfortable situation and found it was easier to not take the step that would very possibly move you in the direction of your dreams and life's goals? Truly everything you want is on the other side of fear. Wouldn't you say?

It's time to get comfortable being uncomfortable!

Your spirit is never content with the status quo. You have an inner energy just waiting to be consumed upon a worthy goal. A goal that' worthy of you. It's your purpose to find that goal and reach for it, exert the energy and make every step count. Especially the one step that will take you outside and away from your comfort zone.

Empowerment Mentoring: HOW DO DREAMS COME TO LIFE, LINGER AWHILE THEN DIE...

Empowerment Mentoring: HOW DO DREAMS COME TO LIFE, LINGER AWHILE THEN DIE...: By Bain News Service, publisher [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons A Powerful Story of Dreams Dreamed and Lost Recently Ivett...

HOW DO DREAMS COME TO LIFE, LINGER AWHILE THEN DIE?

By Bain News Service, publisher [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

A Powerful Story of Dreams Dreamed and Lost

Recently Ivette and I went to see the movie Florence Foster Jenkins. What a powerful story of youthful dreams dreamed and lost. One of the most intriguing artists of the 20th century, according to Wikipedia:  "Florence Foster Jenkins, born Nascina Florence Foster (July 19, 1868 – November 26, 1944), was an American socialite and amateur soprano who was known and mocked for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability."  

"They say Cole Porter had to bang his cane into his foot in order not to laugh out loud when she sang. She was that bad." Nevertheless, Porter rarely missed a recital." [17] What could possibly cause a noted composer and songwriter like Porter to rarely miss one of Jenkins recitals? I believe it's the power of a dream that refuses to die. Though most who listened and laughed at her performances never really knew the details of her background, the fact remains, At the age of 76, Jenkins yielded to public demand, and booked Carnegie Hall. Tickets for the event sold out weeks in advance while an estimated 2,000 people were turned away at the door.^[17]

Like Florence, everyone of us is created with a purpose, As my friend Roddy Galbraith says, "'There is an internal version of yourself, fully equipped with unique gifts talents and passions. This true version of yourself can either be suppressed, starved and ignored  or nurtured and given the freedom to grow. The choice is yours." Roddy goes on to say, "Your gift is that divine spark that you were born with. It is that certain something that you were created to live out and be. Your gift is connected to your purpose, your passion and ultimately your ability to live a fulfilled life. It is all wrapped up in your big 'why'."

"Florence said she first became aware of her lifelong passion for public performance when she was seven years old". A talented pianist, she performed in her youth as “Little Miss Foster”,^[8] and gave a recital at the White House during the administration of President Rutherford B. Hayes.^[5] I won't ruin the story for you in case you decide to see the movie, it's currently playing in theaters. But I believe we can all identify, even if only partially, with Florence's Creative Process. It's a powerful story of how youthful dreams come to life, linger awhile and die. But Florence refused to let her dream die! Only when you understand her unique story can you begin to appreciate her courage. The courage to do the seemingly impossible and in her case, totally incredible! Really. I mean how many performers have booked Carnegie Hall, filled it and turned 2,000 people away at the door?

I think something supernatural happens when we embrace our dreams and refuse to let them die. 

No matter how ill-equipped we deem ourselves or how inexperienced we are, none of us is good when we first attempt to live our dreams. And of course this adds fuel to the fires of self-judgment and eventually giving up on our dreams. Les Brown says, “The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry our their dream.”
 
They say that when it comes to public performances, "No one pays for average".  For certain Florence wasn't average, she was bad! And the irony of her story is that she never got good. But why were her audiences so willing to pay for bad! How does this happen? Were people actually paying for an evening of comedy entertainment instead of, as she billed herself, coloratura soprano (elaborate ornamentation of a vocal melody, especially in operatic singing by a soprano)? And what if this was an elaborate prank on the part of the audience, is it possible that something else was happening here? Were Florence's dreams, desires and drives actually God given? To appreciate this, you'll have to read Wikipedia's article at: Florence Foster Jenkins  to see what obstacles she had to overcome to see her life-long desire realized. Like audiences everywhere, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

I think something supernatural happens when we embrace our dreams and refuse to let them die. Someone has said, "The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work." Actually I believe you can take the words The whole universe and replace them with God, the creator of the whole universe. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." 

When setting out to live your dream - Expect God to do the Unexpected!

Stay Connected to Your Creative Power!

The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/apjabdu179896.html

The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/apjabdu179896.html

The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/apjabdu179896.html

Purpose Vision & Goals - Part 1

Purpose, Vision and Goal setting is not just about getting results, but more about creating what we really want in our lives. This is a very important distinction to make, because for many years in my life, I looked at myself as a failure, when it came to being a goal achiever…..

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Purpose Vision & Goals- Part 2

Your Creative Power is that internal fire which drives your enthusiasm, desires and interests, in life!


There’s something to be said for small gains. Small gains in which…if you are improving even 2% over time you will reach your goal. Have you ever felt like you're taking 2 steps forward and 3 steps back? You're probably on a path to a 2% improvement. Which means over time you’re on a path to a new destination.

Join us on this podcast - enjoy!

MISSING MY TURN

                                               

Ever Make a Wrong Turn?  

When we lived in the Philippines we often traveled with a van load of young people in tow. Those were fun times for all of us. One thing that added to the entertainment was my driving. I became known as the guy that would be talking away and miss almost every turn. Of course, our young people had a lot of fun with this.

If I happened to be talking as fast as I was driving at the time, the kids would watch and wait to see if I would miss the next turn. “Oops, oops...lampas na!” (you just passed it) they would shout as I drove by my turn. “Did I just miss that turn?” I'd say, “I can't believe you would let me drive right past that! Oh my gosh!" Fun times - lots of laughter!

My driving antics became famous, especially among the Deaf. On one trip Ivette was riding in the back with the Deaf young people. Adrian, one of our riders, could see I was nearing a turn I needed to make. He signed to Ivette and the others, Watch Dave, he's talking...he's going to miss this turn.”All eyes on Dave and...sure enough, I missed my turn. Lots of squeals and laughter while tapping me on the shoulder..."Pass, pass, they'd sign, some pointing back to the road I should have turned on. And the good thing is I could always find some way to get turned around and head back in the right direction.

It's good to have people we can travel through life together with isn't it? 

The camaraderie, the sharing, the feeling of taking the journey together...especially when it's understood no one's left behind. I've found the trip is just more fun with friends, especially when I've given them the freedom to speak truth into my life. There's a different feel, a different relationship with folks whom we've empowered to help us improve our life's experiences. 

And we travel safer. On our trips with the young people we had plenty of fun together, but there were times I really needed several sets of eyes to guide me through some tight spots while driving across a narrow bridge without side rails on a mountain road, as well as other difficult places. From the picture above you can see we had riders of all ages. Everyone knew I highly valued their presence as well as their opinions. And not just on road trips. You see Ivette and I were visitors in their country. They had valuable insights into Filipino culture and customs that helped us many times in knowing how to handle a delicate situation or a problem person. Thank you everybody!

It's the same way living here in Orlando. I have people who are taking the journey with me. Mentors and coaches, truth speakers and friends. But it's because I've given them permission to be my eyes and ears in a tight spot. First of all I've looked for and tried to develop close enough friendships and built relational bridges of trust between us, trust that goes both ways. I know that I can ask for their help. And they know I would do the same for them.

Who are your traveling companions? 

Can you name at least 5 people whom you feel you could trust to listen and give you their unbiased opinion when discussing your tight spots? Not that their advice is the final word on the subject. But people who are willing to be resources for ideas and opinions that you would consider viable as you work through difficult situations. Your trusted advisors might be in different areas of your life, different ages, and at different times. 

Life is too short and too precious to go it alone.

• Your life is surrounded by people 
• Why not consider bringing some of them into your circle of trust. 
• First, test their trust in small ways. 
• See if they can keep a confidence in an area that wouldn't decimate your reputation if they didn't work out.
• At the same time see if you pass their trust test.

If you happen to take a wrong turn, make some, not so good decisions, that's when trusted friends will really help you. It's been said, "A friend is someone who knows your past yet still believes in your future."

And sometimes we just need people with fresh eyes, opinions and ideas whose very presence inspires us to be more than we think we can be. People who love and believe in us. Take someone along, you might just find life's journey is more fun!

Stay Connected To Your Creative Power 

HOW TO NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAM

How To Never Give Up On Your Dream

Do you remember your first bicycle? Mine was a hand-me-down with 24” tires and I think I was was all of 6 or 7 years old trying to get on that thing. And of course I was on the ground more than I was on the bike. But every time I tried and failed I would think of ways to get back up and stay. I tried everything. I tried starting with the kickstand down, (that’s good for a couple of skinned knees) I even tried jumping on from a lawn chair, (crash) finally I asked for help and a friend said, “Why don’t you start with the left pedal straight up, stand on it as you push forward with your other foot then swing your leg up over the seat? And it worked. Well kind of. Sometimes instead of going forward the pedal went backward and of course that’s the break, right?

But you know eventually I got the hang of it. I got on and stayed on so many times…that riding a bicycle just became second nature to me. And I guess we all know you can’t unlearn to ride a bicycle can you? Once you learn it - you’ve learned it for life! And it’s the same way with anything new we have to learn.  So if we were to distill this concept down to a simple sentence or two, it might look something like this.

In learning new skills, Stay with it until you get it. Don’t quit. Learn it and you’ve learned it for life!

So there are two thoughts here. 

First, make the shift from looking at goal setting and achieving as something you cannot do, or you’re a failure at doing, and begin to see this as a natural process of Creating - Visualizing and Holding your image until your goal is realized. And know this - you were born for this. You came into the world pre-programmed, as a perfect creator and manifestor.

Second, is, when you make this shift in your perception, it’s important that you begin to detach yourself from the outcome, separating your perceived value…from your result. You are not your result. You’re the creator of your result. And, that, my friend, put’s You in the driver’s seat.

You see once you detach yourself from the outcome, you will connect with your Creative Power (Your desire, drive and enthusiasm) in ways you’ve never even imagined! First of all you’ll feel 1000% more confident, 1000 times happier, 1000 times freer, AND you will create and manifest your results 1000 times faster.

Try this. Think of ways you may have connected yourself to your results in the past.

• I guess I would have seen myself as some kind of superhero if I could have gotten up on that big bicycle the very first time. But at what price? 
• If I could have bypassed the Creative Process I wouldn't have a story to tell, nor understand the value of winning - moving from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm!

Questions that might be helpful to ask yourself. 
What personal goals am I having difficulty achieving in my:

• Finances
• Health
• Relationships
• Career
• Other

Think of a time you failed to reach your goal.

• Next ask yourself, did I bail on my goal and consider myself a failure or did I see that as a time for reflection and self-evaluation? 
• Because that will make a vast difference in the way you see this whole process.

During my down time, how hard was it for me to hold the image of my goal?

• If it seemed very challenging, know this, it’s difficult for everyone at first.
• Holding the image of your goal after a perceived failure is a skill to be learned.  
• If your image persists even in the face great difficulty, that's pretty good evidence that your goal is part of your Life's Purpose. And that could be a game changer for you. (More about your Life's Purpose in future posts.)

 The good news is - we get do overs. In learning any new skill, like riding a bike, no one is good the first time. However to learn these skills:

• We have to intentionally stay connected to our goal.
• We must stay in the Land of Possibility.
• There are certain conversations we need to have with ourselves if we are going to overcome self doubt. 
• And we have to understand this is a Creative Process.

Stay Connected To Your Creative Power!

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YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS

We Were Born Creators!

To see goal setting and achieving in the light of a…Creative Process rather than just getting results - is a very important DISTINCTION to make. For many years in my life, I looked at myself as a FAILURE, when it came to achieving my goals.

I failed so many times, and when I say I failed, what I really mean is I simply just quit trying. I still wanted my goal, but bottom line, sooner or later I’d quit on my goal and feeling I’d failed, I would stop trying altogether.

But, what if I had it all wrong. What if I was looking at this goal setting thing the wrong way? What if I really wasn't failing when I quit? But what if quitting from time to time was a necessary part of the goal achievement process?

What if that time space that I had labeled as quitting, was actually a natural and necessary part of the whole creative process? A time set aside for self evaluation and improvement while still in the process. Have you ever had an illness or injury lay you up for awhile…it gives you time to reevaluate some things doesn’t it? What if, my "quitting", were a necessary pause for reflection, rather than a space to just be filled with more activity?

Like the rests written in the music of a great symphony. 

Mozart said, “The music is not in the notes, but in the rests in between.” 

And if you begin to think of goal setting and achieving as Your Creative Process, as something as awesome as writing and conducting a great symphony, then quitting from time to time begins to make more sense doesn’t it?

What if, during that time I defined as quitting, I were to use that as a time to strengthen my inner image, instead of feeling like a failure? Even while doing nothing, not exercising, studying etc. If I still held the image of the goal clearly in my mind, then the image would hold me in the goal achievement process, if not the physical activity.

If I could begin to see this Creative Process as using my imagination, holding my image…and from time to time… HIT the refresh button, just like on my browser, and update the image if needed…now THAT’S something I could have more confidence in and, less self judgment every time I met with temporary failure.

See goal setting and goal achieving are skills that must be learned. They require a learning model, as all things do, just as, say, learning to ride a bicycle.

But Creating and Manifesting, now that is a very natural process for us isn’t it? See we were born creators, we arrived on the scene with the learning model of creating already programmed within us, because we are in fact…made in the image of our Creator.

See in the learning to ride a bicycle model, there is a lot of falling down, isn't there? You were born with the potential to ride the bike, but you still had to learn the skill. The difference, is when you were learning to ride a bike you had not yet fully developed your ego judgment center, this part of your self image that seems to track and keep record of every failure you have ever made.

When you were young you could suspend that self judgment and stay connected to your goal...

but as you grew older, your awareness, your perception, and your self image changed.

To see this…just pay attention to the linguistics of a child and you’ll hear it…when they fall off the bike they say, “This stupid bike it won’t do anything!”  But they’ll get back on and try again, and keep on trying, until they learn the new skill. Now compare that to an adult learner when they try something new and fail. Usually you’ll hear them say something like, “I’m so stupid I’ll NEVER learn this!” Do you hear the difference?

Reaching goals has probably been challenging for most of us and it seems we have an aversion to the very thought it. When you hear the word goals, what comes to mind? Really? Results, or the results you should be getting? Or maybe you feel like the guy who found his dog destroying his most important papers. “Blackie!” he yelled, “You just chewed up my list of New Year’s resolutions - Good dog!” Sometimes it's comforting to have someone to blame, isn’t it? 

Whether we blame ourselves or someone else, the blame game is a dangerous game, it really is. You see there are no winners. Really. Even when we blame others we sell ourselves short. Rather than learning and growing we end up judging and stifling growth and creativity in ourselves and others.

Getting beyond the blame game:

When we focus on getting results only, we unwisely: 

• Exchange ourselves for things 
• We perform for people 
• We let events define us and 
• We garner unrealistic expectations that can never fully be met. 

Whatever the payoffs, they are always in opposition to our perceived self worth. 

The truth is, You, as a person, are of greater value than even the things needed to keep yourself alive.

Get some time alone. Ask yourself, "What is one area of my life I need to stop judging myself? How can I turn down the heat on self judgment? In what areas do I need to cut myself some slack in getting results?

Start the Creative Process today!

Consider these quotes:

• Failure is an event, not a person. Yesterday ended last night. - Zig Ziglar
• Failure isn't the opposite of success, it's part of success. - Anonymous
• Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
• I've failed over and over and over in my life, and that's why I succeed - Michael Jordan 
• Success is going from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm - Winston Churchill 
  

Give yourself permission to learn from your failures. It will feel awkward at first but every time you rise, hope will rise and you will feel yourself more connected than ever to your Creative Power. 

Stay Connected!

HOW TO REACH MORE OF YOUR PERSONAL GOALS MORE OFTEN

 Our creativity is as diverse as we are.

Achieving our personal goals can be challenging can’t it? If we start with goals…we’re sure to be frustrated. But if we start with Purpose and Vision I believe we’ll find that we have a vastly different outcome. In this lesson we’ll show you how to reach more of your goals more often.
 
We've said, that Purpose, Vision and Goals are the road maps that your Creative Power will follow. And of course your Creative Power is that internal engine which drives your enthusiasm, desires and interests, in life.

I think we all pretty much know the best way to travel long distances is to take short breaks along the way. Rest stops are usually busy places aren’t they? Generally people know that the more often they take short breaks on a long trip, the more likely they are to stay alert and arrive safely at their destination.
 

Purpose, Vision and Goal setting is not just about getting RESULTS, but more about how we create what we want in our lives. 

It’s not about getting ahead of the pack, or even keeping up with current trends, but rather staying the course, on the road to seeing your dreams fulfilled.

Could it be that on life’s journey toward our goals and dreams that we need some rest stops along the way? Times of reflection and self evaluation?

You know for a long time I lived life the way I drove my car. Pedal to the metal. I would go full throttle for so long that eventually I’d just crash and burn. And that never was a pretty sight. I remember in college I had a goal of graduating in record time. Not only did I take a full load of classes each semester but I worked full time on third shift. I did that for two years straight while taking SUMMER classes no less!

And I mean to tell you…it really caught up with me. After those two years of going nonstop I hit a wall… not only that, I fell into a deep hole of depression that I couldn’t shake for the longest time. Now you probably know this… linked to depression, are strong feelings of failure and loss of hope. And depression is a classic disconnect from our Creative Power isn’t it?

Thankfully my wife Ivette was very supportive through those dark days. As much as I’d determined to quit she was determined not to let me. She said, “I’ll do whatever it takes to get you to get your degree.” And she did…she cleaned houses, sold Mary Kay, took on odd jobs, and all that - while being a mom, chauffeur and referee of our four children. I had to stay at my job, but Ivette got me back in school, and got me to graduate. Thank you Hon.

With that one experience I had my first real taste of my own vulnerability. It slowed me down in my drive to get to the finish line fast. So…to put this in perspective, I think we could say that what WE call goal setting and goal achieving, is not so much a destination…as it is a journey.

Rather than chasing our dreams at high speed, I think we have to take care of ourselves…and this Creative Power we’ve been given. The Power that drives our enthusiasm for life.

So rather than a race to the end…if we will look at goal achieving as a process…of CREATING, MAINTAINING and MANIFESTING…I believe we’ll have vastly different results.

And what I’m about to share with you right now…may very well be the most imprtant thing I have to say in this post.

You see when you begin to understand goal setting and goal achieving as a Creative Process of vizualizing your end result and holding that image while working toward your goal…You’ll begin to see reaching your goals in a whole new light. And that's when you’ll begin to see more of your personal goals reached more often. 

Here are some questions to help reveal how you may see goal setting and achieving. Do I see goal setting and achieving as a:

• A finish line to cross?
• A creative process?

Creativity is as diverse as we are, as people. Someone might say, "I'm just not a creative person." Hold on! We ALL experience creativity in different ways.

What does creativity look like in your experience?

• A unique or novel idea?
• Musical composition?
• A scientific theory?
• A joke?
• A painting?
• A literary work?
• An invention? 

 Is your creative medium a word processor, paint, charcoal, PowerPoint, automotive tools, Photo Shop, poetry or a camera? We each excel in different creative mediums. 

Let me ask you to suspend judging yourself as "I'm not the creative type" until you've explored your strengths. Play around with different mediums of creativity. Give yourself time and permission to find your creative bent. 

Have fun and THRIVE in your newfound freedom! 

AND...Stay connected!

HOW TO CREATE THE LIFE YOU DREAM OF

Purpose, Vision & Goals are the road maps that your Creative Power will follow. 

What do we mean when we say, Creative Power? Well think about how we travel…it takes energy to move forward doesn’t it? Whether we’re walking, riding a bicycle, in a car or on a Harley…we need Power.

All vehicles come with an engine or some means of going from point A to point B. And your Creative Power was given to you at birth. It’s the desire and energy you were born with. It’s the DRIVE you need to learn and do ANYTHING worthwhile with your life.

In the past you have used your Creative Power, to learn to walk, talk, feed yourself, tie your shoes, to read, or learn new skills on any new job…virtually everything you’ve learned since birth, your Creative Power was involved.

You see its the desire to learn, to move forward and improve your life. Think with me for a moment of a baby learning to walk. Everyone else around him is walking, and it’s just in him to push himself up off the floor and go. We cheer him on - even when he falls. We encourage him when his wobbly little legs give out and he tumbles to the floor. But…more than our cheers… it’s his Creative Power that motivates him to get up and go at it again. You see it’s this Creative Power that drives him to teach HIMSELF how to walk.

When we were young it seems we could overcome any obstacle.

If we think about it, when we were young it seems we could overcome any obstacle couldn’t we? We learned everything by overcoming some obstacle and usually it was pretty big for us at the time! And yet as adults we find many of life’s obstacles sidetrack us, we get stuck when faced with really big problems. Is it because the obstacles were so much smaller then that we were able to overcome them or was it because we relied more on our…Creative Power? It’s that imagination, intuition, desire, creativity and drive to be and do more - that we still need today to be BIG problem solvers.

You might say, other than those who guided us and modeled the new skills…our Creative Power is all we had. Didn’t you really teach yourself to read? I did. I was such a poor reader in school…we had reading circles, Reading group A for the best and the brightest, B for those who needed a little more time to improve and the C reading circle for the slowest readers. And…every year I found myself in the C reading group…and when it was my turn to read I STILL lost my place. But as slow as I was…I had to read. School, learning, taking tests…it’s all about reading isn’t it?

So I lumbered along the best I could. But something happened the summer after 8th grade. I discovered - Science Fiction and…my reading skills just took off. You see it was the interest in what I was reading that buoyed my confidence while my skills improved.

Now, this may be a little known fact…but studies have shown that the vocabulary that we all need to be able to read on an adult level is pretty much developed by the time we’re in the 9th grade. It’s a brain thing. It’s developmental. So would I have learned to read well anyway? Not if I’d given up.

It’s holding the Vision of being able to acquire a new skill, or to move ourselves in the direction of our dreams…that’s what you need to get YOU to your preferred destination. No matter how difficult the task or how many times you take a wrong turn, even if it’s uphill all the way… hold on to your Vision until you see it accomplished.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Have I given my best effort to following my dreams?
2. Have I actually given up on my dreams?
3. Where and when did I lose touch with my Creative Power - my desire and drive to see my dreams fulfilled?
4. What would it take to jump back in where I left my dream?
   

Dreams Don’t Simply Die 

Usually dreams don’t just go away. We are connected to our dreams on a deeper level - at the level of our Life’s Purpose. Our dreams usually keep manifesting themselves in our conscious and subconscious minds until we take steps to see them completed. Then they turn into achievable goals. 

 Action Steps

• Start by writing out your dreams. What would your life look like if you were living your dream right now? 
• Write out the first step you will take to seeing your dream to completion.
• Write the date you plan to take this step or have it completed. 
• Continue this process as you work through several of the goals you have listed for yourself. 
• Congratulate yourself and celebrate even small successes on your way to your dream life!

HOW TO VISUALIZE YOUR BEST OUTCOMES

You were born with Creative Power. 

It's the Energy, Enthusiasm and Drive to visualize exactly what it is that you want to see accomplished. It’s the ability to work toward your goal, all the while holding a vision of the finished product in your mind until it’s complete. The story of Major James Nesmith illustrates this beautifully.

Nesmith developed a unique method of achieving the goal of improving his golf game. Until he devised this method however, he was just your average weekend golfer, shooting in the mid to low nineties.

Then, for seven years, he completely quit the game, never touched a club, never set foot on a fairway.

Ironically, it was during this seven-year break from the game that Major Nesmeth came up with his amazingly effective technique for improving his score - a technique we could all learn from.

In fact, the first time he set foot on a golf course after his hiatus, he shot an astonishing 74! That’s right, he had cut 20 strokes off his average without having swung a golf club in seven years! Unbelievable? Well…not only that, but his physical condition had actually deteriorated during those seven years.

What was his secret? Visualization. You see, Major James Nesmeth had spent those seven years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. During that time he was imprisoned in a cage no bigger than 4 1/2’ high by 5’ long.

Almost the entire seven years, he saw no one, talked to no one and experienced no physical activity. During the first few months he said, “I did virtually nothing but hope and pray for my release. Then I realized I had to find some way to occupy my mind or I would lose my sanity and probably my life.” A technique we could all learn from.

And that's when he learned to visualize. In his mind, he selected his favorite golf course and started playing golf. Every day, he played a full 18 holes at the country course of his dreams. He experienced everything to the last detail. He saw himself dressed in his golfing attire. He smelled the fragrance of the trees and the freshly trimmed grass.

He experienced different weather conditions. He could feel windy spring days, see overcast winter skies, as well as, sunny summer mornings. In his imagination, every detail of the tee, the individual blades of grass, the trees - he could see it all. He heard the chirping of the birds and the sound of scampering squirrels. Even the lay of the course became totally real in his mind.

Then he stepped up to the tee, took a swing and heard the swish as he felt his club connect with the ball…and watched as it arced down the exact center of the fairway, bounce a couple of times and roll to the very spot he had selected all in his mind.

You see in his world he was in no hurry. He had no place to go. So in his mind he took every step on his way to the ball, just as if he were physically on the course. It took him just as long in imaginary time to play 18 holes as it would have taken in real time not a detail was omitted.

Not once did he ever miss a shot, never a hook or a slice, never a missed putt. Seven days a week. Four hours a day. Eighteen holes. Seven years. Twenty strokes off. Shot a 74.

That’s an amazing story yet, everything Nesmith did during those seven years revolved around his purpose didn’t it? His purpose was simple - to maintain his sanity.

Visualization is one of the greatest gifts you and I have been given. As an inherent part of our Creative Power, imagination, foresight, planning and creating are all vital to being able to improve our own lives as well as our environment. It’s what sets us apart from all other species.
Thoreau said, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

You may have heard the saying, “Thoughts become things.” However, I’ve found it’s our thoughts, coupled with working toward our goal, that will eventually show up as the things we’ve visualized. A formula for this would be: Thoughts + Work = Things. Just trying to visualize or pray for a result alone will produce nothing. You’ve got to put effort to your imagination.
 
This week as you connect to your life's purpose...

visualize exactly the life you want to create for yourself. Who are the friends you’d like to have? How would you like to be able to help other people? What specific character qualities would you want to show up in your life? What kind of career do you imagine for yourself? What kind of house will you live in? What car will you drive?

It’s when we remember that our Creative Power is not only rooted in our ability to improve ourselves but to add value to others as well, that's when we truly give back to the universe and it’s Grand Overall Designer - the Origin of our Creative Power. That’s when we truly live from Purpose.